Fourth Grade Teacher
34 years
Where did you grow up?
St. Louis Park, MN
What high school did you attend?
St. Louis Park High School
Where did you attend college?
Bemidji State University – Physical Education degree
Corpus Christi State University – Pre-K/Early Childhood degree
Augsburg College – Elementary Ed
St. Mary’s – Masters
Did you always want to be a teacher?
My 7th grade Phy Ed teacher was awesome and I wanted to be just like her. I got to “be just like her” for 3 years.
How many years have you been a teacher?
34 years
25 years employed by Rockford Area Schools
What grade(s) or ages have you taught throughout your career?
K-12 Phy Ed (3 years in Staples, MN)
Pre-K (5 years in Texas)
Title 1 Reading and Math (1 year in Delano)
4th grade (25 years in Rockford)
Driver Education (27 years in various states and districts)
What do you look most forward to everyday at Rockford?
Knowing that I have the opportunity and ability to reach at least one more student every day in helping them become a productive member of our community. Helping them grow into a smart, respectable human being!
What is one of your most memorable moments in your career?
That’s too hard!
1. Going 15 – 1 coaching high school volleyball.
2. MANY Behind the wheel scary moments (only 1 crash though!).
3. Creating a quality Social Studies curriculum that engages kids and teaches study skills.
4. Having struggling learners pass their MCAs! YAY!
5. Trying my best to be a head negotiator for our Union when the district had no money.
6. Teaching from a spare bedroom during COVID!
What advice would you give a brand new teacher?
To be professional and be genuine. Get plenty of sleep. Go back to get more credits….don’t ever stop learning this profession.
What will you miss most about teaching in Rockford?
I’m proud to be a teacher in Rockford….it might bother me that I don’t have that title any more. I will miss the excitement of starting a new year with a new class of students whom I will get to know and love.
Family
My family has been living in Rockford since 1991. I’ve been married to Rick for 39.5 years. We have a son, Cody, who is married (Landon) with a son, and a daughter, Kelly, who is married (Victor) with a son.
What are your plans when you retire?
Grandkids, Gardening, giving my house some attention (updates), and hoping to do more camping. (Maybe subbing!)
Thank you to the thousands of students I have had over the years and for the friendships I have formed with my colleagues. – Becky Miller
>>>>>>>>