 Mrs. Franklin - High School PrepWhat made you want to become a teacher?
My dad is a Lutheran pastor and my mom is a Lutheran school teacher and principal. I’ve always been immersed in the world of teaching from day one. As a kid, I played school in the basement. For a while, I thought I would teach political science, but I realized I didn’t want to teach that subject every single day. I then shifted gears to middle school education. Was there a teacher growing up that inspired you, and why? My mom. She was my teacher in fifth through eighth grade in various subjects. She definitely inspired me and we actually teach the same subjects. What do you especially like teaching within your subjects? In science, I like teaching human biology because it shows how complicated God’s creation is. In terms of history, I love teaching about ancient Greece and Rome. What did you miss the most about teaching in person during the stay-at-home order? I missed the random things that happen in a day and the conversations that come up. I missed the stories that kids will come up with when you’re teaching about something. I missed the personal relationship aspect of teaching in person. What is the best advice you’ve received about teaching? Pick your battles and learn to laugh. What are you most looking forward to at the start of the school year? If you had asked me this last December, I would’ve told you that I was excited to utilize our cool new furniture and test different arrangements that work for the kids. With COVID-19, we won’t be able to do any of that now. I’m excited to teach the incoming sixth graders. I’m also always excited to see how the incoming seventh and eighth graders have grown over the summer. What do you like about St. John’s? I love the family feel in the school. I also love working with Mrs. Runge and Mr. Benedict, the other high school prep teachers. We have the same philosophy about teaching and approach things the same way. We are all similar in how we interact with the kids but we balance each other out well too.  Mrs. Rocans - 5th GradeWhat made you want to become a teacher?
It was totally God’s plan for me to become a teacher. I had no intentions of being anything other than a mother and housewife. I graduated from high school and didn’t go to college right away. Instead, I got married and had my daughter and became a stay-at-home mom. When it was time for my daughter to go to school, someone told me about a Lutheran school and we decided to send her there. I started getting involved as a parent and became president of the PTA. We became Lutheran and I started thinking about going back to school. I went to college and the next thing I knew, I was a Lutheran school teacher! God just put things into place for me to become a teacher. Some people know their whole life that they want to be a teacher but for me, God decided that for me. God knew His plan for me. Was there a teacher that inspired you, and why? I was inspired by the way the teachers treated my daughter when we sent her to a Lutheran school. Her experience is really what touched me and made me want to become a Lutheran school teacher. Is there a subject that you especially like to teach? I love teaching religion and sharing Bible stories with the students. What is the best advice you’ve received about teaching? During my first year as a teacher I was teaching a very smart seventh grade class, and they spent the whole time trying to prove they were smarter than me. It was tough! The first year is always difficult. There was a very wise man teaching at the school along with me and he told me, “you can’t allow them to cause you to lose control.” He was a great mentor to me. I don’t think I would have come back the second year if it wasn’t for his guidance and advice. What did you miss the most about teaching in person during the stay-at-home order? During the stay-at-home order it was all of the work of being a teacher but none of the fun. I missed being with the kids in-person, doing devotions, and telling stories. I missed seeing the moments when they understood something. What are you looking forward to at the start of the school year? Meeting the new students! Particularly this year, there are so many kids that I don’t know. I’m excited to meet the new kids and to get to know them. What do you like most about St. John’s? I like the freedom that I have as a teacher here. I can teach the way I like to teach and that is a blessing.  Mrs. Yamate - 4th GradeWhat made you want to become a teacher?
Growing up, I always loved learning and reading because these things made me feel alive. My classmates, teachers, and books were like family to me. Attending St. John’s as a child was so foundational in my relationship with Christ, and I never felt alone or scared as a student here. I wanted to become a Lutheran school teacher because I wanted to give back to the community that gave me so much. I wanted to teach kids about Jesus and His love for them. I wanted to show students that if they work hard, they can achieve anything they dream of doing. Was there a teacher growing up that inspired you, and why? All of them! My fifth grade teacher had such a calming presence. She gave me vintage textbooks that she didn’t need anymore. When I first became a teacher, I was placed at the school where she taught so we became colleagues! She continues to influence and inspire me. St. John’s kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Johnson, was an inspiration to me even though she never was my teacher. I assisted her in running VBS when I was in middle school and she was always so kind to me. I also was inspired by St. John’s third grade teacher, Mrs. Mayrens, because she came back to teach at St. John’s after being a student here. This was something I always wanted to do, and she was an example that in God’s timing, it can happen. Is there a subject that you especially love to teach? I love teaching social studies and history. I like teaching about culture and the commonalities between different cultures. What did you miss the most about teaching in person during the stay-at-home order? I missed seeing the students’ eyes light up when they met a goal, or when they achieved something that they had been working towards. I missed the relationships and engaging with all of the students at one time. What is the best advice you’ve received about teaching? Pray for your students, families, and colleagues. Pray before making any big decision. Instead of getting frustrated at someone during a situation, pray for them. What are you most looking forward to at the start of the year? I am excited to serve and give back to the community that gave so much to me. I feel honored to teach family members and children of the people I grew up around. I am looking forward to sharing my excitement for this place with the wider community. What do you like about St. John’s? St. John’s is a church and school community that feels like a home. St. John’s has been a beacon for Lutheran education on the Northwest side of the city, and tries to be inclusive and achieve excellence in a humble way. I am thankful for the staff who are servant leaders and truly love being here. The teachers and staff have dedicated their lives to making this a great place.  Mrs. Mayrens - 3rd GradeWhat made you want to become a teacher and what brought you back to St. John’s after being a student here?
My 6th grade teacher was my inspiration for becoming a teacher. I taught at St. John’s earlier in my career in preschool but I realized I liked teaching older students, specifically third grade. I taught at a few different schools before coming back to St. John’s later in my career. I was teaching at a Lutheran school in Indiana when my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I’m an only child so I knew I needed to come back to Chicago to help out. St. John’s had an opening in third grade so God put me here. I was fortunate that this position was available. Was there a teacher growing up that inspired you, and why? My sixth grade teacher was an example of an amazing teacher for me. I saw how much he loved teaching and how much he cared about us as students. Is there a subject that you especially love to teach? I love reading and discussing stories and why characters do what they do. What did you miss the most about teaching in person during the stay-at-home order? I missed getting to know the kids. We were fortunate that we had the first half of the year to get to know them, but we missed so much during the second half of the school year. I also missed seeing them interact with each other. Working together is a major part of my classroom, and it wasn’t the same over Zoom. What are you most looking forward to at the start of the year? I am looking forward to learning how to teach in a new way. I learned how to use new technology really quickly during the shelter-in-place order. I am excited to incorporate some of the new technology I learned during this coming year. What is the best advice you’ve received about teaching? My cooperating teacher when I was a student teacher told me, “The day you stop learning, is the day you stop teaching.” There’s always more you can do to be a better teacher. What do you like about St. John’s? I have such fond memories from when I went to school here. I like the community of St. John’s. The teachers work well together and there’s a sense of teamwork between the teachers and parents. We are also fortunate to have a church congregation that supports the school.  Mrs. Gahgan - 2nd GradeWhat made you want to become a teacher?
I was working as a part-time firefighter-paramedic, and when my last daughter was born I decided that I needed to leave the fire service. I couldn’t keep up with the training anymore, and it was a very physically demanding job where people's lives depended on you, it was a lot. I loved being a paramedic and still miss it, but being a firefighter wasn't something I loved as much. My husband and I decided to both go back to school and get our degrees. Because I wanted to know more about God, and with the help of one of my professors at Concordia Chicago, I decided that education was the way to go for me. I’ve always loved school and learning so from that perspective, it has translated well into being in the classroom. I especially love teaching second graders because they are so eager and love learning. Was there someone that inspired you to become a teacher? Definitely my pastor. He took the time to sit down and help me realize that God’s leading doesn’t always follow what we think. But His plan is better. I needed that reminder at that point in my life because there were so many questions I had. Is there a subject that you especially love to teach? I love teaching science because there is such a clear connection to God’s creation. What did you miss the most about teaching in person during the stay-at-home order? The kids! Their smiles, their laughs, and the way they are so breathless to tell you everything that happened the day before or over the weekend. They always have so much to tell me. I missed seeing that joy everyday. They want to be at school as much as we do. They think of St. John’s as their place. What is the best piece of advice you have received about teaching? Learn to go with the flow. We make lesson plans but it’s not the end of the world if we don’t cover everything that day. Sometimes we need to capture teachable moments when they happen. What are you most looking forward to about the start of the school year? Seeing the kids! That first day is going to be so exciting. I’m excited to hear their stories from the time of sheltering in place and from the summer. What do you love about St. John’s? I love the atmosphere at St. John’s. The families are so supportive. They are willing to do what they can to make our lives easier and to help us out with the things we need. They do so many things to make the teachers feel special and loved.  Mrs. Schuemer - 1st GradeWhat made you want to become a teacher?
When I was five or six I asked for a chalkboard for Christmas. I would set it up in front of my stuffed animals or younger brother and sister. The desire to teach has always been in me. I never thought there was something else I should be doing. I also had really great experiences with teachers and even teachers that weren’t great. Even the hard experiences were good in the sense that I’ve learned that as a teacher, I want to make these children feel loved and safe. Was there a teacher growing up that inspired you, and why? My principal and eighth grade teacher as well as my fifth grade teacher, fourth grade teacher, and kindergarten teacher all inspired me. I have been so blessed with great teachers along the way who always gave me an opportunity. They knew I wanted to be a teacher so they would mentor and encourage me even at a young age. In eighth grade, I gave all the spelling tests. This was an opportunity to assist the teacher. I also had opportunities to teach Sunday school and VBS. All these experiences helped build a foundation for my love of teaching. Is there a subject that you especially love to teach? I really enjoy teaching reading comprehension. What did you miss the most about teaching in person during the stay-at-home order? I missed the interactions with the students and hearing their voices and questions. I missed discovering new things and being curious together. What is the best advice you’ve received about teaching? Love each child for who they are. They are God’s children before they are my students. Why did you decide to teach at St. John’s? I had it in my heart to teach in Chicago for a long time. God opened the door for me to teach here. I really feel called to be here and I am so excited to begin my first year at St. John’s. What do you like about St. John’s? Providing the best education possible for the children is a priority at St. John’s. Although I’m new here, I can already see the focus on the mission in everything. |
