It’s not often that educators teach the same students more than once, but for Tara Gottselig, she’s taught the same pupils at the start and end of their elementary school careers.
Gottselig is teaching Grade 8 this year at St. Agnes School. What is noteworthy is that she teaches seven of the same students she taught in pre-kindergarten at that school about 10 years ago.
After a couple of years there, Gottselig taught at St. Mary’s School before returning to St. Agnes this year.
Principal Justin Clewis became aware of this unique situation after his wife — an educational assistant in that pre-k class — informed him about it, he explained recently. He and his wife “had an exciting moment at home” after they pieced together Gottselig’s connection to the students entering Grade 8 this year.
When he spoke to Gottselig before the school year began, that created a domino effect of memories and connections. They both then worked to gather those students into one class.
“When they (the pupils) walked in that first day and saw their teacher, the excitement level was through the roof,” Clewis said. “So, it was a really cool experience to see, and I think so far through the year, the connections and relationships (have) already been built, and I think that’s going to do nothing but help the situation through the year.”
Gottselig agreed that this is a neat experience.
“It is pretty great to see how they have grown up. Oftentimes three- and four-year-olds don’t remember their pre-k teacher,” she said. “So, to reconnect with them as teens is pretty interesting, and (also) to see how they’ve grown and matured and the people they’ve become.”
Remembering Gottselig from the past was likely made easier by the two mugs on her desk that had each student’s photo from pre-kindergarten. These prompted discussions about that time, while the students had a good giggle about seeing themselves again as three- and four-year-olds.
For student Brooklyn Champ, she had Gottselig as a pre-kindergarten teacher twice and in kindergarten. She thought it was great that Gottselig was teaching her at the end of her elementary career.
“She’s a really nice teacher … ,” Champ said. “Last year, when I heard that she was going to be the Grade 8 teacher, I said I want her to be my teacher.”
Gottselig also taught Jacob Martens twice in pre-kindergarten, although he thought it was odd to have her again in Grade 8.
“It’s weird; it’s (really) kind of weird,” he said. “I told my mom and she said (Gottselig) taught me in pre-k.”
One thing Martens remembers about his pre-kindergarten days is when all the moms were invited for a “spa day,” and he painted his mom’s nails and dusted her face with makeup.
Clewis admitted that he had never seen anything like this before. However, from a parent’s perspective, to have a teacher educate students at the start and end of their young educational careers is “something pretty special” that everyone will treasure.
Clewis added that he has been principal at St. Agnes for five years and has watched these seven students mature and grow from grades 3 to 8.
It is unique to welcome students into school and then help send them off to high school, agreed Gottselig. She has a great relationship with the students that will likely last forever, while she also has good connections with the parents. This ensures there are open lines of communication.
“That sense of community students feel here,” added Clewis, “is priceless.”
