June 16, 2005

Teacher of the Month

Graystone Elementary teacher Sue Gutierrez develops independence, a sense of responsibility and self esteem in her students.

Sue Gutierrez

Sponsored by Baja Fresh

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

Sue Gutierrez is a teacher who thoroughly enjoys teaching. For her, it’s not a job, but a calling and a labor of love.

A veteran kindergarten teacher, Gutierrez delights in her student’s sense of humor and enjoys laughing with them through books like “Junie B. Jones.” She also enjoys hearing stories of their personal experiences.

“I can be really tired when I get up in the morning, but the minute the kids walk in the door, they rejuvenate me,” she says. “They might tell me a story about what they did over the weekend or that it’s their dad’s birthday…it’s fun just listening to them.”

A California native, Gutierrez was born in San Francisco and raised in Millbrae. She attended the College of San Mateo for two years before receiving her bachelor’s degree in natural science and her teacher’s credential from San Jose State University. Upon graduating from San Jose State, she began teaching second and third grade with the San Jose Unified School District at Anne Darling Elementary School. She joined the staff at Graystone Elementary School in 1976, and has remained there ever since.

Becoming a teacher seemed a natural choice for Gutierrez, who as a teenager liked to baby sit and interact with children. After being a teacher for 33 years—28 at Graystone—teaching has become the defining aspect of her life.

“Teaching is not what I do,” she says. “It’s who I am and always will be.”

A member of Graystone Elementary School’s Blue Ribbon Writing Team, Gutierrez had the honor of traveling to Washington, D.C. with her colleagues in 2000 to receive the school’s commendation plaque. In 2003, she was awarded Graystone’s Project Cornerstone Asset Award in recognition of being a positive adult role model. “To me that’s the Heisman Trophy of teaching and very special,” she says.

Gutierrez believes in the value of Peace Builders, another school wide behavioral incentive program, and incorporates it into her classroom, posting student praise notes upon her bulletin board such as, “Zachary, this is for helping Megan pick up her pencil box when she dropped it.”

Her class also participates in Graystone’s kindergarten winter, Mother’s Day and graduation programs. “I think one of the most creative things we do are the programs,” she says. “They provide the kids with so many different skills, such as memorization, public speaking, performing and playing musical instruments.”

The programs, which include poetry, songs and dance performances, are a very special tradition for Graystone families, as well. According to Gutierrez, parents take time off from work and pull siblings out of neighboring middle and high schools just to attend the programs. Their Mother’s Day show, in which the children sing “You Light up My Life,” and offer their mothers presents and flowers is well known for bringing tears to mothers’ eyes, and during graduation, both parents and children are filled with pride.

Although practicing for these programs eats into class time, Gutierrez considers them invaluable for the sense of self worth they bring to the students. “They know they can do things they weren’t able to before,” she says. “They look forward to the programs and they do them well.”

Gutierrez works hard to infuse enthusiasm and creativity into her lessons, making learning fun. For instance, rather than using standard paper and pencil to teach addition, she uses tangible objects the students can relate to like goldfish crackers or French fries. In teaching the concept of sorting, she has the students sort their classmates, identifying how many are wearing shorts or sneakers. As they gain an understanding of the concept, she increases the level of difficulty, forcing the children to pay close attention to small details. Through these types of lessons, the students gain keen observational and deductive reasoning skills while having fun at the same time.

She also attributes her teaching success to her consistent, low-key approach. “The children feed off of you,” she says. “If you’re going to be loud, so are they. If you’re going to panic over something, so are they.” Instead, Gutierrez focuses upon remaining calm and teaching her students to be kind to each other, “They’re so open and honest,” she says. “They’re like a blank slate and they take with them what you teach them. Being consistent, teaching them success and to have pride in themselves has a lot to do with where these kids end up.”

Due to its extraordinarily large size, for a number of years, Gutierrez has shared her classroom with other partners, team-teaching a class of 40 students. Although each teacher is personally responsible for 20 students, they share in their care and trade off preparing projects, reading stories and teaching math, social studies and language arts.

For Gutierrez, achieving independence for her students is her first goal. “On the first day of school, the parents came in with them, held their hands, and hung up their backpacks for them,” she says. “Now, I know they’re ready for first grade because they can hang up their own backpacks and work on assignments by themselves. I know I’ve done my job when they can do that.”

Gutierrez still receives graduation announcements from former students and takes pride in the influence she’s had on their lives. “I know I started them on the right track,” she says. She plans to continue teaching kindergarten until the day she retires.

“It’s a great life,” she says. “And there’s no place I’d rather be.”

Betty Newkirk met Gutierrez when her son was in her kindergarten class. Newkirk volunteered in the classroom while pursuing substitute teaching, and became a long-term sub when Gutierrez’ teaching partner went on maternity leave.

“We just clicked,” says Gutierrez. “We go out for dinner and share a love of Hawaiian things.”

In fact, when Newkirk travels to Hawaii, she is always sure to return with a gift for Gutierrez, who is known for the Hawaiian shirts she wears on a daily basis.

“I have over 50 Hawaiian shirts,” says Gutierrez, whose wardrobe choice has started to rub off on her students.

“One mother confided that her son won’t wear a button-down shirt, unless it’s a Hawaiian shirt,” she says. Perhaps at her retirement party, the entire class, as well as former students, will honor Gutierrez by wearing Hawaiian shirts for the occasion.

In her letter to the Almaden Times nominating Sue Gutierrez as Teacher of the Month, Graystone parent Betty Newkirk illustrates what makes her so special.

All the initial fears that students and their parents have their first day of school seem to disappear after they meet Sue Gutierrez, who has been a kindergarten teacher at Graystone Elementary for over 20 years. She is truly a legend here at Graystone, with students and parents coming back to say hello year after year.

My son, Christian, had Mrs. Gutierrez three years ago, and at that time, we were thrilled with the education he was receiving. As a parent, you can only wonder what she does inside her classroom to be so successful.

However, since then, I have been able to be a substitute teacher in her classroom and work with her on a daily basis. Inside the walls of the classroom, you watch how she magically turns these children into top-notch students.

This week reinforced my opinion of what a professional Mrs. Gutierrez truly is. With some new students having to be peeled off their parents when the bell rings, and other students crying so loudly that it is hard to take attendance, Mrs. Gutierrez maintains her gentleness and loving spirit in such a way that the child soon forgets his sadness. In only the second week of school, these children already feel so secure with the daily routine of sitting in their rows when the bell rings, putting their pencil boxes away and making sure their desks are cleaned, and lining up quietly for recess. Her strong organizational skills and calmness creates a learning environment that ensures success.

At the end of the kindergarten year, the transformation from cocoon to butterfly has been made. Not only can they now read and write, know their shapes and numbers, but Mrs. Gutierrez will have given these students wings of confidence and self esteem that will help them soar the rest of their lives.

Who’s your favorite teacher?
Is there a special teacher who has made learning fun, helped you with a problem or is just plain terrific? Maybe someone who fostered a love of reading or explained fractions in an innovative way? If so, the Almaden Times Weekly would like to hear from you. In a short essay (200 words maximum) tell us about the special teacher in your life (mom or dad can give you a little help if necessary). Be sure to include your teacher’s name, the school where they teach, the grade, your name, grade and phone number. If your essay is chosen for the Almaden Times Weekly’s Teacher of the Month you and your teacher, and your class (a maximum of 30 people), will be treated to a special Teacher of the Month dinner fiesta at Baja Fresh, located at 1008-H Blossom Hill Rd. Send your essay by e-mail to newsroom@timesmediainc.com, by fax to 494-7078 or by mail to Almaden Times Weekly, 1310 Tully Road, Ste. 107, San Jose, CA 95122.

The Almaden Times Weekly would like to take this opportunity to thank the businesses who have generously sponsored our Teachers of the Month for over a year: Amato Pizzeria (Redmond at Meridian Roads), McDonalds (Almaden Expressway at McAbee Road) and Pure Bliss Day Spa (Redmond at Meridian Roads).