ëYou have to love the childrení
Heuslein reflects on 34 year career
Posted: 6/1/04
Editorís note: Pam Heuslein is retiring as Caledonia Elementary School teacher this year after 34 years at the school. The Argus sent her some questions about her career. They are printed here with her answers.
Argus: When did you start teaching?
Heuslein: I began teaching in January 1970. I didnít think that I would find a job at that time of year, but a teacher in Caledonia was moving to Colorado to be with her husband who was in the Army. I applied, interviewed with Al Grob, was offered the job, and took it. I was so excited.
What grades/subjects did you teach?
My first assignment was to complete the year with second grade. The following year I went into third grade, and had many of the same students again. Iíve also taught fourth, sixth, a combination first and second, first grade (26 years), and fifth grade for the past two years. In all of those grades, I taught all subjects.
What was the most rewarding part of your job?Ý
Well, the most rewarding was to be able to work with the students. They have always been able to make each day a success for me. While teaching first grade, I received so much satisfaction in watching the students learn to read and write. To know that I had something to do with that was extremely rewarding. Working with the older students isnít much different than working with the younger except they are
able to be more independent.ÝI feel that fifth graders are just bigger first graders. I am a project-oriented teacher, so working with the fifth graders has been so much fun because we can do many, many projects.
What are some of the highlights of your teaching experience?
There have been many exciting things, but one that sticks out in my mind, and one that children seem to remember was the Thanksgiving dinner that we cooked at school. Mary Ellen Lapham and I did this for at least twenty years. The first few years we did the preparation with the students ourselves. Later, we invited parents to come in and help, which made the load a little lighter. It makes me smile when students remember that activity with fond memories. For a few years the first grade teachers and first grade students would have a ìsleepoverî in the library. Students would come to school in their pajamas, bring a sleeping bag and a teddy bear, and sleep in the library. Parents came along as well to help with the many activities that we had planned. Sometimes, the nights were quite long! Later, the sleepover was replaced with Camp Learn A Lot (which was Mrs. McDonaldís brainchild.) It was always educational and lots of fun! I had some training at Hamline University in St. Paul for making books, and this has become a passion. Students have leaned bookbinding techniques, writing skills, and the art of making illustrations to match their words. Some of my fifth grade students tell me that they still have the books that they wrote in first grade. Thatís a nice compliment.
I also remember my first experience with the new computers. Mary Ellen Lapham and I had planned to teach computers in Summer School, but neither of us knew one thing about them. So, we borrowed the school van threw a mattress in the back,Ýpacked some camping equipment, and headed for New Ulm, MNÝto take a class so that we could teach Summer School. We took classes by day, and at night we would sit in the back of the van with a camping lantern, planning our summer school classes! Those were the days.
How has teaching or school changed during the time that you have taught?
When I first began teaching at Caledonia, women were not allowed to wear pants/slacks and men wore ties and sport coats. I remember when Mr. Grob told us that we could wear pants. I was very busy sewing pantsuits to wear. Now, we can wear jeans on Friday.
When I began to teach, the principal made all of the decisions. That has changed over the years, where teachers and administration work together to make many decisions. I wouldnít have ever called the principal or the superintendent by their first names. Today, I do use first names which creates a friendlier atmosphere.
Students have most definitely changed over the years. They come to school with much more knowledge about many things. TV, video games, and movies influence the way they think and act. It is much more challenging to ìentertainî or make learning more fun. However, teachers are very resourceful, and have adjusted.
Newer, faster computers have really changed the resources available for students and teachers. At my age, students can teach me a great deal about computers as they have grown up with them. I remember getting ìlessonsî on how to use the computers after school. The sad part of that (computers)Ýis that students think that the only place to gather information is from the internet. They seem to forget about books as being a good resource.
Then there was the computer grading system! It was so difficult for me to learn. Thanks to the patience of Dorothy Pettit, I muddled through it and eventually gained a little mastery.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering a teaching career?
You have to love the children. You have to love spending time with them. You have to be able to handle them being in your space, on your shoes, in your life. You have to want their success as much as they do, and sometimes even more than they do! You should always stay one step ahead of them and try to anticipate their next move. Keep your bag full of tricks, as youíll always need another one. Always be flexible, youíll never know when the next nosebleed, loose tooth, catastrophe, change of schedule will happen. Be a good listener as there is one in every class (or two or three) who need you. Youíre not just a teacher, but a mother (or a father), doctor/nurse, psychologist,ÖFRIEND. Never stop learning. Be prepared to spend evenings and weekends correcting papers. Begin each day with a smile on your face, you never know when you can make a difference in just one life.
What will you do now?
My husband and I have horses, so I will do much more riding and training. I am an avid gardener, so I will now have much more time to work on that. I loveÝto make handmade paper and notecards, so I will be doing much more of that. My daughter and I teach a class on how to make books with children in the classroom, so we plan to teach more classes. I have two beautiful grandchildren who want to learn to ride the horses, so I will be spending much time with them. I just bought a sewing machine that does so many things, so I plan to get back into quilting. I also stamp and scrapbook. I want to learn how to make jewelry andÝpaint with watercolor. I will be spending time with my mother and helping her with her projects. I love to read, and now I will have time to read that stack of books.ÝI am not one to remain idle, so I am sure that I will find many new interests and will keep very, very busy.
I would like to thank all of the wonderful students and their parents who have given me so much in my 34 years here at Caledonia. It is very difficult for me to say good-bye. My students have always been my life, my joy, my happiness, my smiles. I have many wonderful memories that I shall cherish forever. TheÝentire staff at Caledonia Area Schools have been great to work with, and I am so grateful for all of the support in times of difficulty and the laughsÝduring the good times. Thank you and God Bless you all.
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