'I Am In Love. I Love Being A Teacher': Letter To Editor

Dear Editor: I am in love. I love being a teacher.

As a little girl, I often played “House” or “Barbies” growing up. One of my last memories is pretending to ride out West in the backyard on our worn picnic table with my sister Laura as we pretended to be characters from “Little House in the Big Woods.”

But teaching? It was always there. I had learning centers in my bedroom, reading nooks and created stories and books like, “The Man Who Always Carried His Lunch Box” which funny enough, I still have squirreled away in a box in my garage.

Later, teaching was discarded as a career choice as I entered my preteen years and replaced by author, archeologist, oceanographer and others. I remember as a young adult lamenting what I should choose as a major, what I wanted to *be* when I grew up. My dad and I went on walks that circled the block, coincidentally around my alma mater Castro Valley High School.

With his help, I decided to major in Sociology, the study of people with a minor in Youth Service Administration because the idea of advocating and helping youth was what I was already doing in my free-time. I volunteered at elementary, middle, and high school church camps, after abandoning my swim career I began nannying afternoons while attending a junior college. I worked in an after school day care program.

Finally, what may have been obvious to my parents, my employers, pastor and mentors, I embarked on my teaching career. Why? Quite simply, I fell in love with the students. Teaching became the center of my life because kids matter.

In addition, I loved the creativity of creating a safe environment for my students regardless of their religious beliefs or their parents’ conflicts, their home-lives. I loved the camaraderie of a team-approach, job-sharing, or developing “The Village Voice” the year I inherited a challenging group of students.

I loved learning new curriculum, reading new theories and strategies to hone in my practice. I loved seeing the fire in a student’s eyes when it was lit. I loved the variety of kids, parents, colleagues, curriculum. I spent thousands and thousands of dollars on books, decorations, teaching supplies or texts, and dedicated late nights, early mornings and weekends to catch-up, create or noodle new ideas.

I fought for what I believed in, I cried, I laughed and I lost a lot of sleep. I enlisted the help of my community, coworkers, friends, family, parents and at the very center of it all, kids.I am in love. I love being a teacher.

So it is with a valid fear that I see my district administration and school board members evaluating the future of the school where I have spent the past 12 years of my 30 year career. It is the most perfect magical school. It is not about the building or facilities.

It is hard to quantify what makes it so special, but I will try. It figuratively, and literally saves lives.

The kinds of kids I get the privilege of serving, are varied. To name a few: a kid that has dreams to act, become a dancer, skater or climb Everest can do so. If a child wants to advance, and attend our local junior college, they can and do, often completing their high school and undergraduate degrees simultaneously.

Pregnant, a young mother or caring for an elderly grandparent? No problem. What if you are advanced in technology, or want to become a tradesman? We welcome you. What if you have lost your spark for learning, or life? We can help.

What if, you have an autoimmune disease, a concussion, a cluster of migraine headaches or Lyme Disease? We got you covered. Do you have anxiety? We can provide direct one-to-one instruction, lowering your stress and build a relationship. Then, if appropriate, we can provide a small group class for you; math, science, Spanish, leadership, mindfulness. Art?

Sadly, we cannot provide a small group class for ceramics, or jewelry-making, painting, or drawing because we were told we could not hire a replacement for the three teachers that left last year. But we want to, maybe with your help we can in the future.

What about if you are grieving, your parent died or was killed, your girlfriend was raped, or you? You are safe with us. If you are struggling with where you fit in; due to questioning your sexuality, wanting to further your religious freedoms or political beliefs conservative or liberal? We got you.

How about you have made a mistake? A big one? We welcome you to learn from that mistake, and begin your life anew.

I am in love. I love being a teacher. Public education gets a bad rap. There are schools which are exceptional and quietly serving the needs of our most vulnerable population. They are under the radar.

The teachers are doing their jobs because they have a calling. Kids are happy. Parents are happy. Teachers are happy. It is a win-win-win. My school, Venture School, is one such school. It figuratively, and literally saves lives. We have one chance to get this right, the cost, if we get it wrong is too great.

Please let our district management and elected school board members know that Venture School matters. Kids matter.

I am in love. I love being a teacher.️

- Kathy Dillingham

Post-Script: We found out on 2/23 that District Management has decided to reverse its original decision and make no changes for the Venture Independent Study or Del Amigo School for next year. Our hope is that with support from students, parents, the community, staff, our union, and district management we can all work together to grow and expand our unique, alternative educational programs offered at Venture School, Del Amigo and others.