Three Newberg School District teachers who landed their first gigs in academia last school year are back in the classroom this year. And while they all said they felt a little more confident than last year, the stress has only abated a little.

“I was so worried that (the students) were going to strip me and hang me from the projector,” David Masenhimer recalls of the days before school started last year. He was hired only days before teachers were expected to set up their classes and ready for the arrival of students.

This year was a bit better. He was rehired in June on the last day of school. “I knew I had to sign a contract and I wanted to do it before I left,” he said of his end-of-the-year jitters. Masenhimer taught sixth-grade core and eighth-grade reading last year. He’ll be teaching the reading class again and was assigned to eighth-grade core. “I’m sleeping better this year.”

“I’m teaching two new classes so it’s like starting all over again,” said Alison Childs (she was Alison Hudson last school year). She received her class assignments right before leaving for her honeymoon. She landed sixth- and seventh-grade math and seventh-grade science. Although she taught the science class last year, the content is all new this year and she hadn’t taught seventh-grade math before.

Monica Barry, who taught second grade last year at Edwards Elementary School, is the one in the trio who possibly saw the least changes. She’s teaching second grade again. “Same thing, same classroom, more kids,” she said. “I’m stocked. It will be an adventure how many little bodies I can stack in that room.”

All three said that part of their increased confidence stems from a better knowledge of the nonteaching parts of the job, such as conferences, learning the different computer programs school employees have to use, etc. “Not going into every new situation not knowing how it is” will be a huge help, Barry said.

As second-year educators, they also have a better handle on how long activities should take. Not all three are on similar footing when it comes to time management. Barry has a trump card of sort, as in second grade she always has the opportunity to call for read-aloud time when students work through an activity quicker than expected. Teachers are expected to stay in sync with colleagues teaching similar classes in their building and this year both middle schools will be synchronized, as well, Childs said.

Masenhimer said he plans to try different takes on activities that didn’t go well last year and compare the results. Part of what he learned last year is what his own style of teaching is and which delivery works for him. With the experience he’s gained, he said he’s better able to figure out activities as a whole and prepare for them.

By Laurent Bonczijk, the Newberg Graphic
(Editor’s note: This is the fourth installment in an occasional series about three teachers who began their careers last year in the Newberg School District).