Trevor Pletcher’s Oral History Report

with Judy Newberg

Myself - I just want to thank Judy Newberg for joining me today. Judy tell me a little bit
about yourself.

Judy - I am a retired educator. I taught second grade and first grade for 40 years in the
Plymouth School system. And I was at the same building all 40 years. And now
enjoying retirement.

Myself - Was there a point in your younger years when, that you decided you wanted to
teach?

Judy - Yes, actually my first-grade teacher, I just loved her. And she was actually a
distant cousin of my mom’s. So, I knew her really well inside and outside of
school. And she was just always kind. And actually, when I started, when I was a
child, most of the things if you went to college it was either being a teacher or
being a nurse. So, I guess that’s where sort of I started thinking about it. And then
we played school all the time at home with my sisters and I always was the
teacher.

Myself - In your opinion, what’s the purpose of school, secondary and primary?

Judy - I feel that it’s very important. The teacher’s responsibility is to not only teach
those academic kinds of subjects but also to teach life lessons. And to use the
times that present themselves as learning moments to maybe stop what you’re
doing and just take the time to do that. And just to show, show the kids that you
really care for them.

Myself - What role does technology have in the education system today?

Judy - Today it has a lot bigger role, than when I was, especially when I started teaching.
I started teaching in 1970, and we did not have computers. When I left in 2010,
we had a computer lab. They didn’t each have one-to-one like they do now in a
lot of schools, but it was working towards that. And plus, all the tasks a teacher
did was definitely done computer, report cards and that. So, I did get into the
beginnings of that, when I was still teaching. A lot of the work they do are done
with computers. I think though, hopefully they aren’t missing the one-on-one
face-to-face and that kind of teaching and learning too.
Myself - The exponential curve of technological advancement it’s starting off as a slower
increase, but as we continue, we see the incline rising at a faster pace. And
whether or not education is able to keep up with that curve? We have to educate
students, college students such as myself, how to educate others with the
technology that we have, when by the time we become teachers, that technology
may be outdated. Do you have any thoughts on that?

Judy - Well, I’m probably more of the old school kind of thinking, just because most of
my teaching career was without computers. And I saw the kids, really advancing
using textbooks and just the teaching model itself. But I agree, it’s just going
maybe too quickly, the growth, that I’m hoping we don’t lose the personal
contact. And like everything becomes done from your home or wherever, that
you’re just on the computer and you don’t have that contact. Because I think one
thing a lot of kids today have trouble with is sitting down and talking with
someone, without having their nose in their device, whatever kind it is. So, I think
there can be a danger, although I know there’s lots of knowledge out there to be
learned and that’s probably one of the best ways to do it. Because, myself, I’m
limited in what I could have taught, when I did, you know, just not knowing what
all was really out there. I didn’t have google.

Myself - There was still a limit on what you could teach the kids, it’s just a different limit
now.

Judy - Right.

Myself - One essential life skill, maybe not life skill, but passion that you would find in
teachers?

Judy - Well a computer can’t hug a child. And I just think, whether it is the hugging or
just the caring. I think teachers need to passionate about their students, where they
come from. Knowing that the student’s best part of the day might be with them
because there are so many kids that come from places that just make you shutter
at the kind of lifestyle they might be living, or their parents might be subjecting
them to. And so, I think the passion of the kids, and also a thirst for knowledge
themselves. That teachers don’t stop learning but continue to learn themselves.

Myself - And to instill that in their students themselves?

Judy - Right, because you can’t just stop that.

Myself - What advice would you give to future teachers or those who may be thinking
about teaching but may have doubts?

Judy - I don’t know that education itself has changed that much. I think how we’re
learning and that has changed a lot. But, you know, I hear people say all the time,
“Kids aren’t like they used to be.” But I’m thinking adults aren’t like they used to
be. We need to be putting limits on kids and show them respect and trust and
teach them to do that too. Now I’ve forgot what you question was, what would,
advice.

Myself - Advice.

Judy - And so, I loved my years in teaching, and I knew when it was time though to stop.
And besides just my relationships with the students, the relationships with the
staff. And how we held each other up, or accountable, actually, to what needed to
be done. And you have just remained some lifelong friends through people I’ve
worked with. And so, there are many good things. The political side of it, you
know, and the money side of it, I know. There has to be a different answer then
except the money coming from the state legislature because there isn’t, that’s not
happening very well. So somehow, I think, that needs to change. But overall, I’d
say go for it, if you’re really interested in kids and love kids and want to see them
do their best. I didn’t have a class like that in college, Computers in Education,
that would have been a good one. Of course, it came a little bit later, so we
learned on the side.

Myself - Right.

Judy - I did have a principal that was really into technology when we started getting it.
And one piece of advice he gave us was: Try it. Don’t think you don’t know how
to do something on your computer. You’re not going to hurt it.

Myself - Right.

Judy - Although maybe. But that was also sort of a good lesson, not to be afraid of it.
And get in there and see what all it can do to help you.

Myself - Thank you.

Judy - You’re welcome.