Our March Marigolds are....

Mentor Tara Herfurth and

New Teachers Joanna Jones and Elle Hassani!

Each month, New Teacher Support highlights mentor-mentee pairs or administrator teams who represent the type of work that builds educator resilience and provides the support new teachers need and deserve in their first years of teaching.

Read on for a chance to get to know this month's recipients as we continue to nurture and grow our Marigold Community!

Meet Mentor, Tara Herfurth!

Tell us a bit about yourself!

I am currently teaching 5th Grade at Garden Valley Elementary. I am a proud mom of three boys, ranging in age from 13 to 21, and am celebrating my 25th wedding anniversary this year. I have always been inspired to teach, as my maternal grandmother and my dad were teachers. I love helping others. I have been a mentor for the past eight years.

What do you like best about mentoring? Do you have a favorite mentoring moment you’d like to share?

I enjoy the opportunity to meet new people, learn from them, and help them form a solid foundation in teaching. My favorite part of mentoring is the friendships I am able to build. Mentoring is about giving back, sharing your experiences and skills learned as a teacher with others. It is an opportunity to “pay it forward” and make the road easier for other teachers.

This month’s habit is Play and Create. In keeping with the spirit of playfulness and creativity, if you could have one mentor super-power, what would it be? How would this power make you a better advocate for your new teachers?

If I could have a mentor super-power it would be to elicit calm in those around me. This would help with not only student behavior in the classroom, creating an atmosphere for learning, but also help calm the nerves of teachers as they are dealing with new challenges and being observed. This superpower would help my fellow teachers understand that others before them have been through these experiences and found solutions. It would show them that no matter the stress or situation, there is always a solution.

Courage is this month’s disposition. As an educator, and a mentor, what does courage mean to you? Would you share one way you’ve shown courage in your career?

Courage is facing a situation you would rather not deal with. It takes courage to teach daily as we are always encountering unknown situations, whether it be behavior, lessons, or tasks we are not wanting to deal with. I have often had to have courage when advocating for my students. It took courage to get through the past two years of teaching under Covid-19- having to literally make up what teaching is all about and how to implement it with no prior rule book or example to draw from. It took courage to set up systems and teach from home, help students adjust to online learning, and most recently return to teaching in person with masks in place, yet never really sure if we were being exposed to a dangerous virus. The nature of teaching is having to muster up courage daily, for everything from the expected little things to the unforeseen big things.

Meet New Teacher, Joanna Jones!

Tell us a bit about yourself!

My name is Mrs. Joanna Jones and I hold a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration, with an emphasis on Education and Long Term Care. I started my career in the medical field and quickly found that I had a passion for teaching people. I wound up moving onto the Non-profit arena and ran a performing arts center for three years before beginning my teaching career.

I began to notice a pattern- as a Substitute Teacher, the schools where I had the most fun and connected with the most students were Title I schools. I come from a line of Teachers, as my parents were teachers and their parents were teachers- so I should have heeded their advice from the beginning, right after high school when they all said I should become a teacher, but I had to go out into the world and discover this for myself. I currently teach 6th grade at Hagginwood Elementary School, where I have been teaching for the last four years - and really enjoy the work! This is my fifth year teaching, after two years of substitute teaching.

What do you like best about teaching so far? Do you have a favorite teaching moment you’d like to share?

I love opening my students’ eyes to the world around them- to their potential. I love showing students all the different types of jobs and careers that are out there in the world- showing them that they can take a love for art or photography and make it a career. I love it when I teach students how to take notes and how to study- because they start to enjoy their work, and make it their own.

This month’s habit is Play and Create. In keeping with the spirit of playfulness and creativity, if you could have one teacher super-power, what would it be? How would this power make you a better advocate for your students?

If I had a teacher superpower it would be the ability to snap my fingers and have whatever material thing is needed at that moment appear out of thin air. Snacks for hungry kids? *snap* fresh fruit and veggies!! New shoes for a student whose toe is sticking through their sneaker? *snap* new shoes!! Not enough kickballs for PE? *snap* new PE equipment!! Water balloons for a day of fun outside? *snap* PE just became way more fun! If I had this ability, I would be able to keep the day moving with fewer interruptions, and allow my students to focus on their education. It would enable my students to have fun in the moment, and let them enjoy their time on campus a bit more.

Courage is this month’s disposition. Taking all of your beginning teacher experiences into mind, what does courage mean to you? Would you share one way you’ve shown courage this year?

Courage is facing the problem, no matter how big or small. Courage is looking the beast of burden in the eyes and telling it: “You don’t scare me. I can deal with this- just watch.” Courage is looking back in history and learning from others, taking in the wisdom and knowledge of those brave souls who came before you and learning from their insights. Courage is coming back to work, even after a bad day and talking to your students- straight on- about what may have transpired. Courage is apologizing when you need to and accepting responsibility when something goes south. Courage is being willing to take on your students’ problems, and allowing them to share their pains with you, even though it is painful. Courage is giving a colleague a hug who may not like you, but certainly needs the support. Courage is showing you care, even when you are angry. Courage strengthens you, because, as it turns out, courage is a pathway to kindness, forgiveness, and love…and if we teach anything, we should teach how to face the world courageously.

Meet New Teacher, Elle Hassani!

Tell us a bit about yourself!

My name is Elle, and I’ve been a teacher for two years in Sacramento. I taught 3rd grade last year, and this year I am teaching a group of energetic empathetic 6th graders. I was lucky enough to grow up surrounded by amazing teachers who guided me, supported me, and really made me fall in love with learning. I have wanted to be a teacher since I was little, and now getting to teach is truly like living my dream! Aside from teaching, I love being outdoors hiking, camping, and swimming.

What do you like best about teaching so far? Do you have a favorite teaching moment you’d like to share?

What I love most about teaching are my students. I love working with them, I love helping them understand concepts in and outside of their textbooks, and I love when they see the connection between what they are learning and their lives. My favorite teaching moments are always seeing my students’ growth. Seeing my kids grow into themselves and learn from their mistakes every day is a joy. Seeing their individual personalities shift and change, watching them think and work, and seeing them interact with each other with such kindness is really really special. With each class I teach, I become more and more hopeful in the world these students will lead one day. It’s something I hope to never take for granted.

If I could have one teacher super power, it would be to take away some of the hardships my students face. Although as an adult I know hardships shape us into who we are, my students carry a lot on their shoulders and I would love the ability to remove some of that weight. Children are extremely resilient, but as a teacher, I sometimes wish they wouldn’t have to be so resilient, and just get to enjoy their childhood instead.

Courage is this month’s disposition. Taking all of your beginning teacher experiences into mind, what does courage mean to you? Would you share one way you’ve shown courage this year?

My favorite definition of courage is by British journalist and writer John Sweeney. “If you’re looking for a definition of courage, it’s simple: courage is grace under pressure”. Whether it’s being a teacher, or even a student, showing grace for ourselves and others is difficult. For example, many times this year I’ve shown grace to myself when I make a mistake on a math problem while teaching, and my students have shown me grace by reminding me that mistakes are a part of life. Courage and kindness go hand in hand, and often it is courageous to show kindness to those around you, even in difficult moments. My students show courage every day by showing up to school with compassion, empathy, and an excitement to learn. Their resilience, kindness, and courage inspire me to do the same every day.