TEACHER'S CORNER: VETERAN ST. AMBROSE TEACHER DRAWS LESSONS FROM WEALTH OF EXPERIENCES

CHAFFEE -- Veteran teacher Mary Lou Kurtz can draw on a wealth of experience as she prepares for each school day.

Kurtz, who leads a sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade classroom at St. Ambrose School, said she develops her lessons daily based on her experiences as the oldest of seven children, or her memories of her favorite seventh-grade teacher, or on her 27 years experience working in Catholic schools.

"I learned leadership and responsibility from my parents and, later on, as a 4-H member," said Kurtz. "I've also attended many different workshops and learned a lot of new techniques to be used in a classroom."

Kurtz said one of the main lessons she's learned over the years is to be flexible and have patience. Students can demonstrate their abilities in a variety of ways, but only the most patient of teachers will discover what those methods are.

"Each child needs to be taught on the level where he or she is at that time," she said. "I try to use many different techniques, because some children can convey their knowledge in a subject by drawing or constructing a picture."

Notes from former students or journal entries from current ones are the highlights of Kurtz's career. The recognition means that a teacher has made an impact on a child's life, and there is no greater reward, she said.

Outside of the classroom, Kurtz enjoys playing the organ for her church and continuing her longtime association with 4-H Club. Her hobbies include walking three to five miles daily, reading, shopping and writing poetry. She is married to Don Kurtz and has two stepdaughters and a stepgrandson.