Reflections on life of teaching

When Marilyn Koehlert got her first teaching assignment out of college in 1953, an uncle told her she might last a year, tops. After taking a short break to raise her three children, it's now been 48, and all at the same school.

In a recent interview, Koehlert, a kindergarten teacher at Immanuel Lutheran School in East Dundee, chatted about what's kept her going, how things have changed over the years and what advice she might have for teachers just starting out.

Q. How did you come to teach at Immanuel?

A. I went to St. John's College in Winfield, Kan. There was a shortage of teachers at that time, and they put us out in the field. I had no idea where Dundee was. I soon found out.

Q. Tell us about your first class.

A. In my first class (in 1953), I had a makeshift classroom where they put a plywood wall up. I had 46 kids in second grade with no aide. But classes in those days it was normal to have 45 or 50 kids.

Q. What keeps you going?

A. I'm 76. I could have retired a long time ago. Just the love of kids and the joy of watching them grow in their faith. This time of year it's like watching flowers opening up, seeing them advance in their academics. This has been my life, really.

Q. Have you taught any children of former students?

A. I'm on my third generation, and my second generation in my own family. Last year my younger son, who I taught in kindergarten, his triplets were in my class. They called me Mrs. Koehlert at school all the time, but as soon as school was out it was Grandma.

Q. Have your discipline methods changed over the years?

A. Nope. I have five rules, I'm very strict about them. That's one of the things I'm known for here, discipline. They are: following directions; no running in the room; no name calling; keeping your hands and feet to yourselves; and remembering one person talks at a time.

Q. Has it been difficult to keep up in recent years?

A. I'm more tired when I get home. Some of the gym activities I used to demonstrate I can't do, like getting on scooters. I do keep up with them.

Q. When do you plan to retire?

A. I hope I can reach 50 (years). That's my goal. My younger son says I won't stop then. My husband's been retired for 13 years. When he wanted to retire, I said, 'You go ahead, I'm not ready.'"

Q. What are you going to miss the most? A. The kids, all the hugs you get. They come in and sometimes they bowl you over with the hugs. That's nice. It'll be hard when I have to leave. ... I think retirement will be very boring.

Q. Does it feel like 48 years?

A. No, and I don't think it's anything special. The good Lord has blessed me with health. He gives me the energy to keep on doing this. I don't know when I was sick last time.

Q. Do you have any advice for new teachers just starting out?

A. Set up your rules and stick by them. Don't say anything you're not going to follow through with.