May 13, 2004

Teacher of the Month: Gretchen Jung, Graystone Elementary

By Miranda Schultz
Staff Writer

Gretchen Jung’s entire first grade class at Graystone Elementary nominated her for Teacher of the Month. Most of her surprise came from the class keeping it a secret from her, “How could I not have known what they up to?”

Jung, a Los Gatos native, has been at Graystone for three years. She has had her teaching credential since 1985, and between taking time off to be a mother to her three daughters, she has taught for about nine years. Her husband’s job has moved them around over the years. Before Graystone, Jung was teaching in Melbourne, Florida.

Teaching is something Jung said she wanted to be since she was a little girl. For her, there was really nothing else. It was in her blood.

“My father is a retired educator,” says Jung. “I remember him having students to the house that were underprivileged, taking them sailing. That had a lasting effect on me. It really inspired me to be a teacher. I always said I wanted to be a teacher.”

Jung says that her job is never boring, and that the enthusiasm for life that these young children has is something that really keeps her going. “They probably give me insight to some things that I haven’t thought of. I love how genuine they are, and I love their openness,” says Jung.

Jung takes a hands on approach to teaching, “I think it’s fun when they don’t know that they’re learning.”

Throughout the years, Jung has taught many grades, from sixth to first. “I like the primary grades better. I think the younger ones are more accepting of you. If you are kind of wacky, the kids appreciate it. I’m very demonstrative and I try different things and I think it’s a little more accepted by the little guys,” she says.

Jung bases her teaching according to the way she would want her own children taught. “I try to do a lot of teaching by concepts rather than the textbook, so the children encounter many types of experiences rather than just a paper and pencil activity. I’m sure I’m not the only teacher that does that though,” says Jung.

She describes teaching as fun, and something that she doesn’t have to do. “I’m lucky that I don’t have to work. Teaching is something I really enjoy. I can’t wait to come to work every day. It’s important to make a difference for everybody and accept everybody,” she says.

Jung lives in Almaden and enjoys the fact that her daughter is in fourth grade at Graystone. “I love being a part of this community. Living here, knowing most of the people and having my kids close by.” Jung’s older children are in seventh and eighth grade at Bret Harte Middle School, right around the corner.

She is also very welcoming to any parents who want to volunteer in her classroom.” Out of the 20 children in my class, I have 17 parents who volunteer in my classroom. I will make room for any parent who wants to volunteer because as the children get older, they will have less of an opportunity to do those things,” says Jung.

Jung is one of the few people who can say that she is doing what she always said she wanted to do. Her path to her desired career didn’t change. “I had this ‘When I Grow Up’ book, and mine I wrote that I wanted to be a teacher, a nurse or a store lady. There weren’t the choices available now that we had when I was young, women couldn’t do anything they wanted,” she says.

After Jung graduated from high school, she was faced with the unpleasant Proposition 13 tax cuts, and decided that teaching wasn’t the best field to join at the time. She eventually went to work at a software company in human resources. “I never liked it. I was thrilled to return to school to become a teacher, that’s what I always wanted to do,” says Jung.

Now, she loves going to work each day, and is amazed at the excitement each day brings to her. “Everything is so exciting to them. If someone says that they lost a tooth, there will be twenty little fingers inside his or her mouth. Their enthusiasm is amazing.”

Jung says that teaching at this level isn’t about testing, but even so, it’s a very important time in their life. “Every kid has a gift and a strength. It’s just about finding it and exploiting it to make them great,” she says.