Q&A with modesto teacher Kathleen Irizarry

Why did you get into teaching? Growing up, I always heard stories about my widowed grandmother who raised seven children while teaching full time in a one-room schoolhouse in Maryland. Legend has it that she never missed a day of work and even went with a broken leg. She was a source of great inspiration for my mother, who also acquired a teaching credential; and, I suspect, served as my inspiration as well. What is your favorite thing about being a teacher? The children. I love the way they come running to greet me with a smile, a hug and a story about something monumental happening in their lives. I am drawn to the nature of the work because it is service- oriented, allows for creativity and provides me with a sense of pride in being in a very worthwhile profession. What is the most challenging part of your job? Working with struggling readers most of the day can be quite a challenge. Knowing where they need to be and how difficult it is for some students to make the necessary growth makes it hard not to feel anxious for them. What is the most important lesson you've learned? That the unexamined practice is not worth practicing. I believe in constant reflection and always being open to improving my skills. What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? Any that motivates children to be involved in a lesson, whether it's a whiteboard, magnetic letters or overhead projector. I think I'm best known for my love of pocket charts. It's a bit of an obsession, I'm afraid. What advice do you have for students? Always do your best. I've come to believe in the power of positive energy. Also, where else can you go where you're surrounded by people who serve as your personal advocates each and every day? What advice do you have for parents? My advice for parents is the same as for the students. When we advocate for our students, we are also advocating for their families because it's a package deal. Parents benefit when they are involved in their child's education, so they need to make it a priority. I encourage parents to make sure their child is rested and prepared for the school day. It's good to have routines in place that promote a healthy lifestyle. Parents need to have a time for homework, time for reading to and with their child, time for talking, and playing games. What will it take to improve academic success in the valley? By being proactive. We have to make sure we're involved in the careful selection of our community leaders and bringing those leaders together to brainstorm solutions that take into account our diversity, resources and objectives. We all need to believe and work toward empowering our youth, and they need to believe that they can achieve equality through education. Once educated, we need to find ways to keep our youth here with good professional opportunities so that they will pass those values on to future generations. How do you reach students not interested in school? My experience is in the primary grades, and most children that age like to come to school. They need to have special activities to look forward to; although with the shrinking budget, gone are our field trips and such. It takes the innovation and hard work of an energetic staff, involved parents and a caring community to create occasions that are special for kids such as festivals, art shows, theater and musical productions. School can and should be a fun place to be. It can be a dreaded place for some students who struggle with academic and social problems. How a school handles its struggling students and social climate is critical. What one area should schools put more emphasis on? Providing everyone an education in pro-social behaviors and life skills. Character traits, which traditionally were taught in the home, have become an important part of our curriculum. Student behaviors have to be addressed in order for teachers to successfully teach. If you could change one thing about the educational system, what would it be and why? Given our current economical state, I can't help thinking that we do a disservice to our children and our society when we don't prepare them for life after high school. Many kids get jobs during or immediately after high school, but they don't understand how to manage their earnings. Then what's waiting for them on those college campuses but credit card companies offering them a free tote bag if they apply for a card. One can pay dearly for that tote bag. Our young people have to learn the hard way, and it really could be avoided through education in personal finance.