Mary Murrin, Haskell Elementary School, Wanaque

The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
10-19-2008

Mary Murrin, Haskell Elementary School, Wanaque
Date: 10-19-2008, Sunday
Section: ADVERTORIAL/NORTH JERSEY JOBS
Edtion: All Editions
Column: TEACHER OF THE WEEK
Biographical: MARY MURRIN

Mary Murrin has been teaching at Haskell Elementary School for 25 years. She teaches literature and language to grades six, seven and eight, as well as social studies to grade eight. Mrs. Murrin also helps run the eighth-grade fund-raising activities, Awards Program and Graduation.

* In what extracurricular activities at the school or in the community are you involved?

In my community, I have served as Library Liaison for the mayor and was a founding member of St. Mary's School Fundraising Committee. While serving on this committee, I helped organize and run the carnival that has now become an annual event for the school and Pompton Lakes. More recently, I have started to become involved with Passaic County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Children. This organization is still in its beginning stages in Passaic County, but it has a strong foundation in other New Jersey counties.

* When and why did you decide to become a teacher?

As a child, I enjoyed "playing" school and, of course, I was always the teacher. When I was in eighth grade, I was asked to assist in a third-grade Sunday School (CCD) class and, eventually, I became the teacher of the class. Throughout high school and college, I worked with remedial students and continued teaching Sunday School. I volunteered as a tutor for high school dropouts who wanted to pass the GED to get their diplomas. Being a teacher is really the only occupation I ever considered and I have never regretted that choice.

* What school(s) did you attend? What degrees or certifications do you hold?

I attended DePaul High School in Wayne. My freshman year of college was spent at Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee, Wis., and then on to Montclair State College for my undergraduate degree. I completed my master's degree at William Paterson College. Some of my post-master's work (45 credits) was done through Jersey City State and RTC programs.

I hold a B.A. in English and a master's in reading. I have a Teacher of Reading (K-12) certification, a Reading Specialist license, Teacher of English (K-12) certification, Elementary School (K-8) certification and Pre-School certification.

* List education-related awards or achievements.

I was named Haskell School Teacher of the Year (Governor's Recognition Program) for 2007. I was a member of the writing team that applied for and won a Star School Award and a Best Practice Award for Haskell School. I have had two articles published in the New Jersey Journal of Reading and served for four years on the editorial board of the same publication.

* What was your favorite subject as a student?

In elementary school, I loved all subjects, but especially reading and social studies. High School defined my love of literature and enhanced my knowledge of history and introduced me to Latin. I started college as a Latin major but switched in my sophomore year to English.

* Who has been the most inspirational teacher to you and how did he or she influence you?

It may sound like a clichbut my parents were my first and my most inspirational teachers. Their love of reading inspired me as a child. When we went on our annual vacation to Long Beach Island (LBI), the first thing we did was not go down to the ocean, but to the library to get our visitor's ID cards and take out a number of books to read on the beach. My parents valued a good education and worked very hard to ensure that their children had just that. The importance of the foundation that they gave me cannot be measured.

* What do you like most about being a teacher?

There are so many wonderful aspects of this profession, it's hard to pick just one. I think the moment when a child's face lights up with understanding, when he realizes that he actually knows the answer that is an unbelievable sight.

* What is the most challenging part of being a teacher?

Dealing with a disassociated student a child who just doesn't care about school can be very trying. Motivation can't be taught but it can be encouraged and nurtured. These are difficult lessons for both the teacher and the learner.

* What challenges do teachers today have that did not exist years ago?

Technology has been a boon to education and, at the same time, presents a host of problems for teachers. Cell phones are used as tools for cheating, the Internet provides facts and fallacies, and young students cannot differentiate between the two. Web sites allow children to "express" themselves but, at the same time, exposes them to the evils of our society. Teachers must be on guard all the time to make sure their students are learning in a safe, truthful environment.

* What is your most memorable moment as a teacher?

There have been too many to just pick one, but I'll try. Several years ago, I had the pleasure of teaching a very bright girl in my eighth-grade Advanced Literature class. It was the first year the school had this particular class and I was chosen to create a course of study and teach the class. After graduation, I lost touch with this student, but I always looked for her name on the honor roll of Lakeland Regional High School. In her senior year, she earned the title of Salutatorian for her class and she sent me an invitation to her graduation and a copy of her speech. In it, she thanked me for being her teacher and encouraging her love of literature and learning. I felt so honored to be remembered in this way.

* What is the most important lesson that one can be taught?

They say that we teach by example. If this is true, then I believe the most important lesson I can give my students is to love learning. I always tell my students about courses I've taken, teachers I've had, educational experiences I've enjoyed. I talk about shows like "Jeopardy" and "Quiz Bowl" all to stress the importance I place on learning new things.

***

ESSAY:

Mrs. Murrin makes the grade

BY ADRIANNA K.

When you enter the classroom of Mrs. Murrin, you enter a place where each of your ideas will be deeply valued, a place where there is no shame in what you share and an open place where you're free to make good-natured jokes and share experiences with your classmates that other teachers might not care about. Sometimes, I find that I can open up in Mrs. Murrin's presence more so than other teachers' rooms. In her class, we're free to say that we don't understand something without being laughed at and, when we ask, Mrs. Murrin will take time to show us how to do something, even if its something simple in a giant sea of foreign concepts.

Mrs. Murrin never pressures us to do anything, but she does guide us along in a positive way. Her humor and attitude is also a thing that all of her students enjoy. She makes jokes and tells stories to make what we're learning about more interesting; her wit makes it easier to remember key concepts in mundane subjects, such as mythology, and helps us understand classic literature, mainly because she puts situations into terms we can all understand.

Being in Mrs. Murrin's class has helped me improve my writing skills by helping me put more of me in what I write, as well as helping me prepare for the pressure I will be subjected to when taking my NJASK 8. She has taught me to approach writing from different angles and to take risks with words, as well as the way I phrase things.

Although I have not spent more than two marking periods with Mrs. Murrin, I have been taught so many things from this admirable woman. I'm more than glad that she became my teacher.

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Illustrations/Photos: PHOTO - Mary Murrin
Keywords: WANAQUE, TEACHER

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