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10 TEACHERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Our fifth annual salute to those educators who change lives.

By Michael J. Medley, Nancy Sidoruk and Sherri GomezPublished: January, 2004

If you have not gone onto an Inland Empire campus during school hours, you ought to call and ask for a tour at the next opportunity. Life before adulthood echoes through the halls, whether it is in kindergarten where words and numbers take shape; in the middle schools where adolescence forms; or at the high schools where labs and dreams bubble to the surface.

Someone has to conduct all of these experiments on educational growth. That someone is the teacher providing knowledge, inspiration, friendship.

At least, that is how the great ones work - as unquestioned mentors.

This year, as in the past, we asked Inland Empire schools to nominate their best and brightest. Our results are culled from dozens of nominations. We look for a spark in what we receive. We ask, would we want this teacher to instruct our children? And is their impact so profound that we could never forget what they taught?

The 10 teachers profiled here are a subjective selection, true, but they are an objective reflection of the best of the best.

Reporting on our fifth annual salute to 10 Teachers Making a Difference are Senior Writer Michael J. Medley, Sherri Gomez of Riverside, and Nancy Sidoruk of Lake Elsinore.

Nancy Smith
Second-grade Teacher at Oak Ridge Elementary School in Chino Hills
Residence: Chino Hills
Family: Husband Ray; son Brad, 16, and daughter Ashley, 14

Much of the pleasure that Nancy Smith receives from teaching her second-grade class at Oak Ridge Elementary School comes from the naïve kind of joy that kids that age still have. "They'll still come and give you a hug, and you can still do things like make leprechaun traps, and they'll believe it hook, line and sinker. Also, at this grade level, they're still like clay that you can mold and change. If they're not a neat worker, or if they are careless, you can still have the ability to change them."

Being the teacher, though, does not mean that Smith can't also be the student. "I learn compassion from them," she says. "I have a little girl in my class this year who has cerebral palsy. I've been so proud of the kids because they are extra kind to her. They will do so much to help this little girl. I've learned a lot of compassion from them; they really have good hearts. That's why I like second grade."

Keeping parents updated on their child's progress in school and making sure that they are aware of what is going on in the classroom is an important part of Smith's teaching philosophy. She prepares a weekly class newsletter that she sends home with each child every Friday. "I started doing it over 15 years ago," she says, "because I decided that you really have to work hand-in-hand with parents and they need to know, and want to know, what's going on in the classroom."

In addition to listing all of the various happenings and projects in the class that week, Smith's newsletter also gives the parents their child's work grades for the week. "When the parents get that on Friday," Smith says, "they can scan it and see how their child's week was. If the child is not getting the work in, or if they are not behaving in class, then I can get the support of the parents and their help in correcting that problem." She has found that parents really appreciate having that weekly update on their child's progress.

Last year, Oak Ridge had the highest standardized test scores of any elementary school in San Bernardino County. Smith wonders, though, if the recent emphasis on test performance is not taking too much of the fun out of the classroom. "You get wrapped up in test scores, and paper and pencils, and I personally feel that kids are not going to love that. What the kids are going to remember are the joyful things you did in the classroom, and you can get across the curriculum by doing fun things, too. You can teach reading by doing Dr. Seuss. You can teach letter writing skills by having kids write letters to leprechauns. You can do a lot of fun things in your class to get across the same content."

Smith considers love of her job to be one of her greatest assets as a teacher and credits some advice from her father with keeping her on this career course. "I found out early in life, when I was a little kid, that this is what I really wanted to do. A lot of people aren't so fortunate to know that. Years and years ago, my dad told me that if you choose a job that you really love to do, you'll never work another day in your life. I just always liked kids and I always knew that I was going to be a teacher. I was just lucky that way."

- By Michael J. Medley

Reiny Klein
Teaches AP government, honors economics, AP U.S. history, and coaches football at Norco High School
Residence: Huntington Beach
Family: Wife Cheryl; daughter Britton attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Through more than 30 years as a teacher and coach at Norco High School, Reiny Klein does not appear to have lost one iota of his passion or enthusiasm for the job, or any of his desire to work with and help students in his classroom or on the athletics fields. He describes his profession as "a challenge," but it's a task that he clearly relishes. "Generally speaking," he says, "I've never met a kid at this school who, deep inside, didn't want to learn and that's something I've always cherished here as a teacher. It's the same with coaching kids on the field. They want to get better. It's always been fun. I've never had a time here, to be honest with you, where I haven't had fun and enjoyed it."

Teaching history and government at Norco is something of a labor of love for Klein. History "was my favorite subject in high school," he says. "I also very much enjoy political science, I love to teach government." Getting students interested in a subject that many people may consider boring is a goal that Klein considers important for the students in his class and for society as a whole, by turning out scholars who are able to recognize and consider the important issues of the day. "I try to get kids thinking more about politics because, obviously, they are the future. I like my students to leave this school with more political acumen than, maybe, others so they can make sound decisions."

A new project that Klein is supervising at Norco High is a student literary magazine. "I've always thought that Norco was much more of an academic institution than people have given it credit for. Last year we became a California Distinguished School. There are some really sharp kids here." While he feels that the city of Norco should take pride in its "cow town" heritage, he sees the magazine as a way to show that there is more to the community than just a rural ambience. "What we're doing with this literary magazine is giving a medium to kids who maybe aren't jocks, or aren't in band, to show their creative talents and to show the community and the powers that be that there are some really innovative, really creative kids on this campus." Klein says the magazine is the brainchild of one of his students, Lolita Munoz. "Any time I have a kid like her, who's got that kind of drive and motivation, I'm going to encourage that."

When asked about the lessons for life that he hopes his students learn in their time with him, Klein repeats what he tells his football players. "In my view there's no such thing as staying the same," he says. "You're either working to make yourself better or allowing yourself to get worse. I think you can impart that into the academic classroom, too. You don't just ride out the wave. You've got to work to keep yourself going. I don't care what age you are, 65, 85, or 15. Work hard to make yourself better, because that's how the reality of our world is." A reality that Reiny Klein's students should be well prepared to face.

- By Michael J. Medley

Lisa Hayes
Teaches seventh-grade GATE history/social science and the Peer Leader Training class in Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation at Sequoia Middle School in Fontana
Residence: Redlands
Family: Husband Patrick; daughters Katherine, 5, and Jessica, 2

One might think that the kinds of problems and conflicts that can arise during lunch hour at a middle school are not terribly large in the greater scheme of things. When you are dealing with children whose world is largely consumed with worries about social acceptance and their place in the world, though, training them to deal with those problems is a pretty good idea. That's what Lisa Hayes does with the Peer Program at Sequoia Middle School. "It's been here for about 15 years," she says, "and this is my fifth year teaching it."

There are two levels to the program. "We have Peer Helper class, which is a class where kids get basic training in communication skills, listening skills," Hayes says. "Conflict mediation is one of the components of that. We spend a lot of time training them on how to help other kids solve their problems." The second level is the Peer Leader Program, in which the student works in the office with a counselor. For their role as impartial mediators, the youngsters are trained to listen to a problem and on how to solve the problem.

"We don't have an inordinate amount of problems here on the campus," Hayes says, "but kids like to talk to other kids about their problems and they don't want to talk to adults." The young mediators are not asked to deal with problems that may require disciplinary action, but they are available to handle gossip, rumors, personality conflicts and the like. Hayes also says that the group reaches out to others who may be on the fringe. "They talk to kids at lunch who eat by themselves," she says, "and they meet the new kids at school, show them around and tell them about the program."

As to her role as a history teacher, Hayes' enthusiasm bubbles over. "I love my subject. I love world history. I get to teach medieval history, medieval Japan, medieval Europe." She not only studied these subjects in college, she was a member of a medieval society for several years and lived in Japan for two years. "I just bring all that experience into the classroom," she says. "I wanted to teach history because history was so boring when I was in school. I mean, I loved history, but I hated history class. One of my goals was that when I taught history, I wouldn't be that boring teacher just standing up there giving those lectures." The students who participate in her medieval festival - dressed in medieval costumes, eating medieval food, and playing medieval games - certainly know that she is not one of those boring teachers.

Hayes' enthusiasm does not stop at her classroom door, but extends to all of the students and her colleagues at Sequoia Middle School. Her husband Patrick, also a teacher at Sequoia, says she is Sequoia's cheerleader.

- By Michael J. Medley

Grace Bosquez
Eighth-grade teacher of algebra, science and Spanish at Corona Fundamental Intermediate School; coordinator of Club Live POWWR and International Fine Arts Festival
Residence: Corona
Family: Husband Diego; adult children Andrea and Roman

"They enjoy that project every year," says Grace Bosquez of her students, busy with their latest assignment - a Spanish-language family tree, complete with sentences including family terminology, adjectives and cultural details like family photos. "It's something they can share with each other, parents, grandparents and other family members."

Of course, the definition of family has become fluid. What's family? "It's whatever you feel comfortable with," says Bosquez, who encounters a myriad of relationships in today's blended families.

In addition to bringing work home, students may choose to enter completed projects in the school's International Fine Arts Festival. The festival, coordinated by Bosquez, has grown from a modeling and talent show to a complete art festival representing the community's various cultures.

The cultural diversity of the student community at Corona Fundamental Intermediate School (CFIS) is truly rich. "And these students really all share the same values," says Bosquez, "whether they're Filipino, Guatemalan or from any background."

Nevertheless, prejudice occasionally exists. "Education is the best thing we can do to reduce the prejudices that we do observe," Bosquez adds. More than 10 years ago, she began a MEChA Chicano student program at CFIS. At the time, the student population included many Latino students and Bosquez was the only teacher of Latino descent. Now, more than a decade later, the group has been transformed into Club Live POWWR - Proud of Who We "R." And kids of varying backgrounds eagerly join the club, which meets after school three times per month and elects its own student officers.

Due to Bosquez's efforts, club members are treated to an array of programs, including museum presentations in Palm Springs and Riverside, and participation in civic activities. A minimum of 20 hours per year of community service is required of club participants.

"They see first-hand that they're part of the community and making a difference," says Bosquez, "and some who do cleanup work haven't seen real poverty until they volunteer."

Club members also learn from young adults on probation who visit as part of community service projects, sharing with students the results of their life choices. "We have to let them know they can have fun without smoking or drinking," says Bosquez.

And that's just one part of what it means to make a difference in education. "Making a difference means helping kids who don't think they have what it takes to read," says Bosquez. "It also means showing kids from economically disadvantaged families specifically what they need to do to break out."

As a product of both of these situations, Bosquez knows that many students don't understand the channels they need to go through to choose a career, so that a career doesn't arbitrarily choose them. Coordinating Club Live gives Bosquez the opportunity to make a significant impact on many of these at-risk students.

"I've seen kids with straight Fs in seventh grade improve to a C average in eighth grade," Bosquez says, "and they've put the effort in because a minimum C average is required of Club Live officers."

Of course, some students are already focused and take it as a given that they're going to college. But those who aren't "have to understand that I left my neighborhood and old friends," says Bosquez. "That's just what had to be done." In fact, to achieve their goals, many eventually will have to leave the place in which they grew up. "The nice thing," adds Bosquez, "is that at the intermediate school level, you can still turn on those who've been turned off, and help them take the first steps toward college.

"I love teaching, but I'm an exacting teacher. You're never going to go beyond what you are unless you meet challenges along the way." Bosquez provides the right balance between instructor and motivator. "A lot of kids need a lifeline now and then. As teachers, hopefully we're it."

- By Nancy Sidoruk

Joseph Balleweg
English and journalism teacher, and tennis coach at Chapparal High School in Temecula
Residence: Murrieta
Family: Wife Rena; son Joseph, 4; and daughter Anya, 1

"I'm not special," says Joseph Balleweg. "I just work hard and like what I do. Everybody can do this - make a difference - when they like what they do. And it almost feels like cheating because it's so much fun."

Balleweg appreciates that there are many ways for a teacher to be successful, and many educators are curious to learn the secret of this Riverside County Teacher of the Year. Well, it's not really a secret. "Most important," Balleweg says, "is to be who you are - be yourself - because kids will see through a façade and respond negatively. Being yourself is the only way to earn their trust."

Teachers seek out Balleweg for help in preparing lessons or just to observe him in action during class. But, while a teacher can be assisted with curriculum, according to Balleweg, the essentials of the job already need to be there within a teacher's character.

"If you don't enjoy going home and reading those essays or figuring out what to do next week," he says, "then this isn't the job for you." These are some strong words from the 10-year veteran educator, but for good reason. "The repercussions occurring when a teacher is not committed are too great," says Balleweg. "Our kids deserve so much more - they deserve 100 percent, committed teachers."

Like the teachers he mentors, Balleweg's students also benefit from his drive. "I can only give them the means, but they have to be willing to work," he says. "I've been blessed with amazing kids, willing to work and work really hard. And because they're willing to do that, I'm willing to work even harder."

Feeding off the positive energy of his students, Balleweg creates a learning atmosphere in which both he and his students are renewed on a daily basis. And this ongoing renewal keeps him both interested and inspired. Asked what he'll be doing in five years, Balleweg replies, "This, teaching. And they'll have to peel me out of the classroom when I'm old!"

Being chosen as a teacher that makes a difference prompted Balleweg to think a lot about his career. "I didn't consider what I've been doing as extraordinary by any means. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the students and that turns into a lot of preparation and commitment on my part." But when it comes to truly making a difference, Balleweg stresses that "there's no better way than to stop at nothing to find the means for the students to be successful."

Showing students who never thought they could achieve success that there's a way, a strategy to improve, is a wonderful experience. "Everything about a student can change, including demeanor, and to be part of that light bulb going on is so great. Of course, even then, everything is still all them. It's all about the students."

Ever since Balleweg was a child, though, it's been all about the teaching. He came from a family in which most people became either firefighters or teachers. "I was going to be a firefighter but when I was a child, my sister, Teralynn, had a brain tumor and couldn't go to school anymore." A teacher, Beverly Radloff, came to Teralynn's hospital room to bring "school" to her, including bringing along some special classmates.

"I think that's what helped her fight the disease," says Balleweg, "and it made an impact on me." Today, Teralynn Balleweg also teaches and is a cheerleading coach, having made a complete recovery from her childhood illness.

"It's been an incredible year," adds Balleweg. And an incredible career.

- By Nancy Sidoruk

Silvana Diaz
Ina Arbuckle Elementary School in Riverside
Residence: Riverside
Family: Husband Mike; sons Steven, 25, Jonathan, 23, and Michael, 11; daughter Adriana, 13

When I walked into Silvana Diaz' first-grade class, I noticed the large teepee sitting in the middle of the room, a special prop that she had brought in to help teach the Thanksgiving story. Around it were five small tables with brightly covered tablecloths, encircled with four child-sized chairs. The walls were filled with students' artwork, class projects and achievement charts. As I began to reminisce about my own children's early school days, and how things weren't all that much different 15 years later, an energetic young woman strode in, stretched out her hand and said, "I'm Mrs. Diaz, welcome to my classroom!"

As we talked, I immediately sensed her passion for teaching, and in particular, teaching students how to read. When asked how she chose teaching as a profession, Diaz explained that she knew from an early age that it was something she wanted to do, but lacked confidence. As a first-grader who spoke only Spanish in an all-English class, she felt her dreams of becoming a teacher were unattainable and later believed she was incapable of going to college.

After a friend convinced her to take a class at a local community college, Diaz says her life changed. Against many odds - returning to school as an "older" student, divorced with four children - she spent 10 years earning her degree in liberal arts (bilingual cross-cultural studies) with a minor in Spanish and proudly graduated with honors. Later she received her teaching credential and master's degree in education.

Why first grade?

"At this age, students are hungry for knowledge," Diaz replies. "I believe reading is the foundation to everything and it is my life's desire to teach them not only to read, but to comprehend."

Nearly one-half of the students at Ina Arbuckle School are English learners, and roughly 82 percent of the student population is Latino.

"I see myself in these students," she continues. "I struggled with English when I was their age and I empathize having to learn the subjects with a language barrier."

Her teaching methods are a blend of conventional and, in her words, "teaching from the heart." She has created what she calls a community in her classroom. "When my students come through the door in the morning, this is their home. They set the rules as to what is and is not acceptable behavior. We are a family; we share, we communicate, we learn from one another."

Diaz's intuitive skills for teaching have paid off. This year, the Ina Arbuckle School was recognized as the most improved school in the district, with an 86-point rise in the API Growth Rating, placing fifth in the Inland Empire.

"One of the main reasons for our success is our teachers and their profound influence on students," Diaz comments when asked about the impressive rating spike.

It is evident that Diaz's passion for learning played an integral role in the school's recent academic achievement, inspiring her fellow teachers to reach new heights and to empower students to reach their full potential.

- Sherri Gomez

Sid Llera
Riverside Poly High School in Riverside
Residence: Riverside
Family: Daughters Natacha Passerello, 20, Nicole, 18, Kimberly, 17, and Colleen, 11

Sid Llera wears many hats at Poly High School, as he has throughout his 24-year teaching career. Currently in his 14th year at Poly, Llera teaches computer applications, desktop publishing, web design, English as a Second Language (ESL) and, this term, has taken on the task of yearbook adviser. He also oversees the school's website - polybears.org - designed and maintained by Llera's computer-savvy students.

Teaching special education also has been a significant component of Llera's academic life, having taught these courses for more than 20 years. While in the special education department at Poly, he served as department chair and helped found the first special education parent booster club in Southern California. His goal was to help increase parent involvement in their student's education as well as to raise funds to supplement educational experiences through additional classroom materials, field trips and an end-of-the-year awards ceremony.

Llera believes that regardless of one's level of learning ability, every student should be challenged, motivated and driven to succeed.

"Here at Poly, we approach teaching as a team, working together to provide the best well-rounded education for our students," Llera says. "We strive to stay on the cutting edge in giving our students real-life applications so they are prepared for the future."

The ideal of preparing for the future has paid off today for his students. Llera developed a class project whereby his students, in "web teams," designed a prototype website for a local engineering firm. In all, 12 websites were designed. So impressed was the firm's owner that he rewarded the group with a pizza party and passes to an amusement park. A winning website was later selected, a combination of three of the students' designs.

The ultimate reward was a job offer given to one of the students, who is currently working as a webmaster for this engineering company on a part-time basis.

When asked about a memorable moment from his teaching career, Llera didn't hesitate to share an experience with a student from his previous school in Pennsylvania.

"The principal came into my room and told me of a new student who would be joining our special education class. He wheeled the student in, a spunky freshman who had been restricted to a wheelchair since being afflicted with muscular dystrophy at age 10.

"Over the course of the next four years, this student was an inspiration to us all, students and faculty alike. He was always cheerful and eager to learn. His only goal was to graduate high school.

"In his senior year, as his physical abilities diminished, I learned about the Dream Come True foundation. This is an organization that makes it possible for physically or mentally challenged individuals to see one 'dream come true,' and a group of us worked hard to make sure that this student qualified. In the 1989 basketball season, it was my pleasure to accompany this student to Los Angeles where he watched the Lakers play against the Detroit Pistons and, following the game, was introduced to Magic Johnson. His dream had come true.

"He graduated high school in June of 1990 and passed away one week later.

"I have never forgotten this student and his incredible journey. His life continues to be an inspiration for me and I take every opportunity to share his story with my students so they realize what they have and to make every moment count."

Even with so many personal and professional accomplishments to his credit, Llera was very modest and not completely sure why he was selected by his principal as a teacher who makes a difference.

"Honestly, I can say that I give 100 percent to any project that I am given, and I genuinely care about these kids," says Llera. "As a teacher, I teach not only to the class, but to the individual. That's the only way to make the most of their skills and motivate them to succeed."

- By Sherri Gomez

Mavis Schutz
Activities director/leadership at Temescal Canyon High School in Lake Elsinore
Residence: Canyon Lake
Family: Husband Randy; adult children Derrick, Evan and Jessica

"Every year there's a student that makes a difference in my life," says Mavis Schutz. Her cozy office walls are covered with photos of current and former students as well as family. It's no surprise that Schutz identifies the one thing that most makes a difference in her teaching as the relationships she develops with her students.

"Just today, I received a holiday card from one of my former students. They're just so sweet and don't forget me," she says. "In fact, I just spent six days in New York with a former student. She's such an awesome person - on her own since she was 16 years old, but a productive citizen. I like to think I had a positive influence on her."

As the activities director and in charge of the leadership program at Temescal Canyon High School (TCHS), Schutz enjoys many opportunities to be influential. "One thing I believe in is for us, as a school, to be philanthropic," she says. "We have a really generous student body and I encourage them to be giving."

For example, TCHS students are collecting Red Cross donations for victims of the recent wildfires. With Schutz's encouragement, they've also regularly organized donations of canned foods and other items for Helping Our People of Elsinore (HOPE) and other southwest county charitable organizations, serving more than 200 families.

Whether it's overseeing the school yearbook project, club budgets, graduation, or coordinating the associated student body leadership program, Schutz strives to teach not only the key facets of organization but also life skills in general. "They learn how to do things themselves," she says. "If they need to order something for the yearbook project, they do it. I'm there to guide them, but they do it."

Working with yearbook and leadership program students in particular, also means that Schutz sees a number of students throughout their careers at TCHS. Some students participate in her programs from ninth through 12th grade, and her influence can be a stabilizing factor. "For some of these kids, I may be the only stable thing in their lives," she comments. "Just being there for them is so critical."

Schutz's students are fortunate that she's there for them every step of the way. "Rarely do you find someone who both serves as activities director and does the yearbook program," Schutz says. Her career in education - including working as the reading specialist in a class containing students who spoke 17 different languages, teaching English and journalism, and mentoring other teachers - means Schutz has what it takes to do it all.

"In my 30 years of teaching, I've found that one of our biggest challenges is coordinating the effective use of technology in the classroom." And Schutz ought to know. The yearbook is prepared digitally and TCHS has more than 100 computers. "What kids learn on the yearbook staff, like working with computer design programs and meeting deadlines - these are the skills they need when they go out in the work force."

As for being a teacher that makes a difference in students' lives, Schutz is truly humbled. "This is so meaningful, especially because of how special these kids really are to me."

- By Nancy Sidoruk

Dana Dennington
First-grade teacher North Park Elementary School, San Bernardino
Residence: Cedar Pines Park
Family: Husband Dan; adult daughter Tamara

"This is the foundation of education." That, in a nutshell, is Dana Dennington's philosophy of what it means to be a first-grade teacher. The enthusiasm she brings to that philosophy and the effort that she puts forth at North Park Elementary School are among the qualities that make this Crystal Apple award-winner one of those teachers making a difference.

Dennington, who holds a master's degree in reading and language arts, makes developing the reading and language skills of her students one of her main goals as a teacher. "I just have a real intuitiveness when it comes to children's language skills and development," she says. When developing her own teaching strategies in this area, she indicates that she follows the lead of Australian professor Brian Cambourne, a leader in the field of teaching literacy. "He believes that you must set children up for their learning, and I totally believe that," she says. "We really need to set the stage for them, set the foundation for them to begin their learning."

Dennington also teaches a first-grade intensive instruction program which she designed with one of her former colleagues at North Park, Patsy Lopez. This program involves many different skill-building activities and phonics. In this program, Dennington uses flash cards and plays games with the children that involve touching and feeling various objects. "I try to engage all the different senses so that their learning becomes more in-depth, becomes deeper to them."

Getting parents involved in their children's education is also important to Dennington. To that end, she was instrumental in developing the Parent Center at North Park. The center has an abundance of resources available to every parent at the school site that they can use with their kids at home. She says it was designed basically for parents who really want to help their children but do not often have the resources. "It's still like a work-in-progress for us," she says. "Every year we're adding new things to it."

One of the newest resources is a books-on-tape series. Dennington says that these are helpful in improving the reading skills of children from homes where English may not be the primary language. "The parents may be bilingual or don't speak good English, so they're not able to help the children with reading," she says. "This program allows them to pop the cassette in and the child can read along in the book."

Although she has enjoyed the times that she has substituted as a third-grade teacher, teaching first grade is Dennington's love. She says that kindergarten is great because it gets the kids used to school and teaches them the real basics, "but when they hit first grade, this is the foundation. They start reading here, they start writing here, the solid foundation of their mathematical abilities starts here."

"My belief is that if they don't succeed here, they're going to stumble throughout their entire education. That's why I feel it's so important that we have solid teachers who are willing to give that little extra to education and to teach children. We need those teachers here in first grade because this is where it all starts. This is the foundation of the house that we're building for these kids." With a foundation built by someone like Dana Dennington, that's a house that will stand forever.

- By Michael J. Medley

Richard Howard
Fourth-grade Teacher at Lehigh Elementary School in Montclair
Residence: Claremont
Family: Single

If you happen to pass by Lehigh Elementary School at about 5:30 or 6 in the morning on a school day and see a couple of lights on and a lone figure moving about, it's not a burglar or even a ghost. That would be Richard Howard getting the day started and making preparations to teach fourth grade.

Howard is in his 10th year of teaching at Lehigh Elementary. He taught first and second grades his first year, but he has not looked back since he was assigned older students some nine years ago. "I like the curriculum, teaching them multiplication, getting into division. I love California history and there are always good activities to go with that."

There are other things besides the basic subjects that Howard hopes his students carry with them from the year they spend in his class. "The most important thing is responsibility," he says. "I try to instill a sense of responsibility for their actions." He also places a high premium on his students developing good work habits.

"One thing, I am is very disciplined. So many don't have good work habits. They don't know how to sit and study, they have the TV on, and I've talked to them about that. I've talked to the parents, too, about how important it is to get those work habits now so that when they move into fifth grade, sixth grade, seventh grade, they have those habits ready."

The learning goes both ways in his classroom, though, and his young charges keep teaching him about what it means to be a kid. "Never forgetting about being a kid is what I learn from them," he says. "Too many people become adults and they forget what it was like to be a kid, and they have a hard time relating to kids. As much as I love to work, I love to play, too, and I think that's important for the kids. At recess time you can find me on the playground playing basketball."

Lehigh Principal Scott Turnbull says that Howard "is one of those teachers that students will remember for a lifetime due to his dedication." That sentiment is echoed by the number of former students who keep in touch with Howard and shows why he is one of those teachers making a difference. "That's the sad thing about being an elementary school teacher. You have so many kids and after they leave sixth grade you really don't know what happens to their lives," Howard says. "I have a hard time letting go. There are students that I've kept in touch with from that first class 10 years ago. A lot of them are at major universities now and they'll e-mail me. That I really like."

- By Michael J. Medley

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