Category Archives: Education

North Dakota’s Laura Eisenhuth Alming: Teacher, Pioneer, Politician

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Laura Eisenhuth Alming: Teacher, pioneer, politician

Many talented classroom teachers also find success as politicians. One of these is Laura Eisenhuth Alming, a 19th century educator who was elected Superintendent of Public Instruction for the state of North Dakota.

Laura was born on May 29, 1859, in Blenheim, Ontario, Canada. She was just a toddler when her family moved to DeWitt, Iowa. As a young woman, she completed college courses and then accepted a teaching position at DeWitt High School.

The young educator first traveled to Dakota Territory in the summer of 1885. There she staked a claim on 160 acres of land near the town of New Rockford. She continued to live and teach in Iowa for the next two years, returning to her Dakota homestead for the summers. In 1882, the pioneer teacher married Willis Eisenhuth, a fellow teacher who had moved from Pennsylvania to Carrington, North Dakota. In Dakota he established and operated a drugstore.

After her marriage, Laura, already a veteran educator with 11 years of experience under her belt, accepted a position as a temporary teacher in Carrington. There she taught 80 students in a one-room schoolhouse. The next year she was re-hired, but fortunately the townspeople acquired an assistant to help with instructional activities.

Carrington’s citizens were so impressed with Laura’s work in the classroom that they elected her Superintendent of Schools for North Dakota’s Foster County in 1889. During the years she held this office, the innovative educator organized and oversaw a series of teacher-training institutes to improve public school instruction.

In 1892, Laura was elected her state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction. In this period of history, women in the United States enjoyed very few voting privileges. In North Dakota, women could vote only on school issues. In her position as Superintendent, Laura continued to emphasize professional development. She also championed improved hygiene in schools and supported the introduction of fencing into the curriculum.

When Laura’s husband became very ill, Laura resigned from her office to focus on helping him recuperate. She found employment as a teacher and an Assistant Principal of Carrington High School. Her husband passed away in 1902. Five years later, Laura married Ludwig Alming, and the newlyweds moved to Jacksonville, Oregon. Laura lived the rest of her life there.

This amazing Chalkboard Champion passed away on September 30, 1937, in Medford, Oregon. She is interred in Siskiyou Memorial Park.

To read more about Laura Eisenhuth Alming, see this article printed in the Bismarck Tribune.

California teacher Janet Udomratsak teaches class from her hospital bed

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California teacher Janet Udomratsak teaches her third graders from her hospital bed.

During the current pandemic, educators all over the country are stepping up to meet the extra challenges that confront educators this year. But Janet Udomratsak, a teacher from Lancaster, California, is overcoming a personal medical challenge as well. Because of a high-risk pregnancy, she’s currently on doctor-ordered bed rest. Nevertheless, she is teaching from her hospital bed.

Janet teaches third grade at Tierra Bonita Elementary School in the Eastside Union School District in Lancaster. “In the beginning of the school year, that is when you build your relationship with your students, and I didn’t want to miss that opportunity,” the veteran educator declared.

She was hospitalized seven weeks ago due to pregnancy complications. With months to go on bedrest until her second child is due, Janet decided to take on the challenge of teaching her class from her hospital bed. “My love of teaching and building that relationship is so much stronger than me just wanting to sit and do nothing,” the dedicated teacher explained. “And, honestly, that would be the life, to take it all in and relax, but my desire is to be with the students.”

Janet also said that, especially during these unprecedented times, she feels it’s her job to make sure her students know they are not alone. “It’s something that is new for all of us, and I want to show them that I am there with them and the struggle is real for me as a teacher, it’s real them as the students and we are all in this together,” she concluded.

Coronavirus claims life of beloved NYC music educator Diony Diaz

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Beloved instrumental and vocal instructor Diony Diaz of New York succumbed to coronavirus on April 2, 2020.

We are sad to report that the coronavirus has claimed the life of yet another beloved educator. Music educator Diony Diaz from New York City succumbed to the disease on April 2, 2020. He was only 33 years old.

Diony taught instrumental and vocal music at Intermediate School 61 in Queens. His career there spanned eight years. Even though his career was short, he made a big impact on his students. “He was a great man, a great teacher and, more important, a great friend,” recalled one of his students. “This really hurts,” another student said. “He was more than a teacher. He was someone that was very relatable and who taught us some life lessons.”

Colleague Lucy Scully, who teaches Drama at the same school where Diony taught, remembers the fallen educator fondly. “When Diony first started teaching,” she said, “he jumped right in and started an after-school strings program that included guitar and violin,” she said. “He was a mentor to his students and always made time to support them emotionally, socially and academically. His door was always open, even after school,” she continued.

In addition to his classroom responsibilities, Diony played piano in his church for 14 years. He also played in a band while a student. He was a resident of Staten Island.

To read more about Diony, follow this link to the memorial page devoted to him created by the NYSUT (New York State Union of Teachers).

Nebraska’s Megan Helberg named her state’s 2020 Teacher of the Year

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Nebraska’s Megan Helberg named her state’s 2020 Teacher of the Year.

I enjoy sharing stories about educators who have earned accolades for their innovation in the classroom. One of these is Megan Helberg, an English teacher from Burwell, Nebraska.

Megan grew up on a ranch in the Nebraska Sandhills. She graduated from Loup County Public School in Taylor, a rural district with a PK-12 enrollment of only about 70 students.

Megan earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska. She earned her teaching certificate through the Transition to Teach program at the University of Nebraska, Kearney.

Megan inaugurated her career as an educator at Papillion La Vista Community Schools in the Omaha metro area. Currently, she teaches English and Language Arts to grades 8, 11, and 12 at Burwell Junior/Senior High School in Burwell, Nebraska. She has taught there since 2010.

In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Megan serves as a Burwell Public School Leader in Technology Educator. She also served a stint as a Museum Teacher Fellow in Washington, DC. In 2013, Megan earned a grant from Fund for Teachers. She used the grant money to visit Holocaust sites in Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. She also purchased educational materials for her classroom. “That’s really what started the Holocaust education program at our school,” recalled Megan. For her efforts, the innovative educator was named a Museum Teacher Fellow with the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2016.

To learn more about this talented educator, follow this link to the online story published by the University of Nebraska, Kearney.