English teacher Carol Campbell and kindergarten teacher Arlina Jentsch celebrated their 40th year teaching at ACISD.
Jentsch said her mother inspired her to become a teacher.
“My mother always thought it was a great profession to have while raising a family,” Jentsch said. “It has been a blessing to me. It was just instilled in me.”
Campbell said one of her favorite things about teaching is having ex-students share their success stories with her.
“I remember in particular one young man after 30 years coming back and knocking on my door, talking about how he appreciated my class,” Campbell said.
Jentsch said one of the things she enjoys most about her job is being able to make a positive impact on her students’ lives.
“Making a difference in a child’s life is my favorite thing about teaching,” Jentsch said.
Campbell said she has a lot of pride in ACISD, and that is what has kept her here for 40 years.
“I started first grade in 1958, exactly where our elementary sits today,” Campbell said. “I was blessed to have my own children attend Archer and they, too, got to enjoy the opportunities and benefits afforded to small-town students.”
Jentsch said that watching the students succeed has driven her all these years.
“Seeing kids become successful has been very motivating for me,” Jentsch said.
Campbell said she hopes she helped instill self-assurance in all her students.
“
” she said. “I hope they really believe, ‘The world is their oyster.’”
The evolution of technology has changed education, but the heart of teaching remains the same, Jentsch said.
“Technology is very important but never replaces student-to-teacher interaction,” Jentsch said.
Campbell said in her years of teaching, the evolution of cell phones has made a big difference in the classroom.
“When I first started teaching, students seemed more involved not only with extracurricular events but with their studies as well,” Campbell said. “Sadly, with the advent of the cell phone, things changed.”
As a first-year teacher, Jentsch said she would have advised herself to be more flexible in the classroom.
“Every lesson you teach will not go as planned,” Jentsch said. “Try and try again.”
Campbell said she values building relationships.
“I would also stress the importance of being flexible, taking advantage of teachable moments and establishing boundaries,” Campbell said.
Jentsch said she had to learn to understand that all kids have different capabilities.
“The hardest truth I have learned to accept is all kids come from different walks of life and success for one child may look different from another child,” Jentsch said.
