On a new Teachers' Lounge, it's Tracy Paszotta!
At the end of this past school year, she found herself strolling down the hallway at Littlejohn Elementary School for the final time, clad in a sash and a crown, as kids held up homemade signs and waved goodbye.
She was retiring after 30 years as an elementary school teacher in her hometown of DeKalb — mostly in Kindergarten.
Tracy is so funny and so good at articulating why she loves teaching and why she loves Kindergarten specifically.
“I think it's because I get to set what learning is about for them," she said. "I'm not fighting three years of bad experiences. They get to come in and I say, 'This is how it is. This is fun!'”
Tracy talks about the privilege and responsibility of seeing kids at the very beginning of their school journey. She talks about helping them learn to write and be creative for the first time; seeing them walk in crying on the first day after leaving their parent, and seeing that same kid laughing with new friends a few weeks later.
Tracy tells some of her favorite stories from over the years. We talk about the magic of “Yes Day,” why she fell in love with her school’s dual language program, and the teachers who have inspired her.
SHOW NOTES
Educator in this episode:
Tracy Paszotta
Stories in this episode:
NIU offers one of country's only courses on the experience of blind and visually-impaired people
Music: Our show's theme music is from the northern Illinois-based band Kindoves, featuring the songs "Popn," "Origins" and "Quiche." You can find more of their music on their SoundCloud page. You can also listen to the episode of WNIJ's Sessions from Studio A where they were featured.
Teachers! People who know teachers! People with stories about teachers! Send us an email and be part of the show!
