“It is very rewarding to witness my students’ growth in all areas - to see them grow in confidence, social skills and academically. As they gain school confidence, they become more adventurous in their learning and can make big leaps. I also enjoy supporting parents by helping them to see, understand, and know their child through the lens of school and by sharing knowledge and new tools to help them support their child’s growth at home.”
Who is or was the biggest influence on you becoming a teacher?
Without a doubt, my mother, Prof. Ruth R. Adams. She was a truly gifted teacher who specialized in the teaching of reading. Her colleagues and dear friends among others were Florence Roswell and Jeanne Chall, both renowned in the field of reading. Coincidentally, Larry Carter took reading courses with mom at City College of New York and he told me that she was “an amazing teacher!”
Tell me about the work as Head Kindergarten Teacher at Friends.
I actually spent the bulk of my career as a Co-Teacher where both teachers are heads and equal partners, sharing the responsibilities of teaching equally. It is very much like a marriage and is a good role model for the students. As a Head Kindergarten teacher working with an Associate teacher, you are responsible for creating an internal teaching schedule, planning weekly schedules, curriculum objectives in all the disciplines - Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies - and planning for Integrated Curriculum themes. There are bi-weekly Blogs or Newsletters to be written, Back-to-School Night presentations, email communications and curriculum letters to families, Parent-Teacher Conferences, and reports.
In addition, working with one’s Associate, you discuss your students - their strengths and areas of growth- and make plans to support each student in their social, emotional, and academic growth. Both informal and formal assessments of students’ academic growth throughout the year provide important information and guide your work, allowing for differentiated instruction. Class trips are planned as well as special events such as the 100th Day of School, students’ birthdays, and Family Culture Museum Presentations that parents attend. As a Head Teacher, your job is to mentor your Associate teacher who is learning the craft of teaching. This is a rewarding part of the job, very much like working with student teachers except that they are your close partner for two years. It is exciting to infuse the program with new ideas and projects that the Associate brings. This collaboration enriches the program and we also take into account the interests and ideas of our students.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Working with my students and their families. It is very rewarding to witness my students’ growth in all areas - to see them grow in confidence, social skills and academically. As they gain school confidence, they become more adventurous in their learning and can make big leaps. I also enjoy supporting parents by helping them to see, understand, and know their child through the lens of school and by sharing knowledge and new tools to help them support their child’s growth at home. Teachers and parents are partners in this process and it’s important to have good communication, trust and respect for this relationship to work.
I love to sing with my students and do Read-Alouds every day. Block Building is a passion of mine and I created the Architects and Co-Builders program where students work in small groups to build buildings that exist all over the world. The groups share their building with the class and then deconstruct their structures at the end of the week. And of course, my favorite interdisciplinary theme is Apples!!! By the way, Johnny Appleseed could have been a Quaker because he was a pacifist and didn’t believe in killing animals or any living being. I always tell my students that.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Friends?
A strong, tight-knit, supportive community and the Quaker Spices.
Tell me a little bit about your Friends journey?
My Friends journey began in 1963 when I came to Friends as a high school student. Before that, I had attended area public schools through 9th grade. I spent 3 memorable years at Friends and graduated with the class of 1966. These were deeply meaningful years where I grew my identity, learned French, German, Trigonometry, studied Chaucer and Shakespeare, learned to use a trampoline, was in a Folk Singing club, and made some long-lasting friends. I was fortunate to study Modern European History and Comparative Religion with Dr. Earle Hunter.
After college, I returned to Friends as a Lower School faculty member teaching four-year-olds half day and later fives and sixes. The bulk of my teaching years was spent working with Kindergarten students and this is my favorite age because it is magical and young children are always surprising you! I have worked under 6 Principals and 7 Heads of Lower School. I have also worked with many colleagues but the longest union was my 29 years of Co-Teaching with my dear colleague and friend, Jane Suntken. She was my mentor and I look back on these years as “my golden years.” We were referred to as “the dynamic duo” and were celebrated on the occasion of our 25th year (1997), receiving a proclamation from the former Secretary of Education, Richard Riley. I also helped to found the FSTA or teachers’ union in March of 1976. I have now spent 55 years at Friends and I will always feel connected. It will remain in my heart and mind for the rest of my life and I will cherish the memories.
In what ways have Quaker values and your experience at Friends influenced the work you do today?
The Quaker spices - Simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship- are the guiding principles that are infused in everything we do. We observe some silence each day during our Morning Meeting. Students are helped to understand the spices and to begin to use them in their daily work and play with their peers.
How do you understand the work you do now as bringing about a world that ought to be?
I know that giving my students a strong start in their educational careers goes a long way towards them becoming life-long learners and going out into the world to make a difference. I’ve had many former students come back to visit and tell me stories about what they remember from Kindergarten, what they learned and enjoyed, and what they are doing as adults. I have now taught almost 20 students of former students and refer to them as “grandstudents.”
This is a very special and rewarding experience for me. I’ve also had current high school students do Service Learning work in my classroom and relive some of the same experiences that they had such as making applesauce or apple head dolls. At this year’s Alumni Reunion, I had a woman tell me that she worked with me in the summer program for several years and this caused her to go into teaching. She then became a principal, and then a superintendent of an entire program for young children.
How did Judy's Musical Story Time Come about, and how long have you been leading that seminar during Reunion?
Musical Storytime with Judy was created by former Director of Alumni Relations, Katherine Farrell who wanted to offer a seminar for the children of Alums since all the other seminar offerings were geared only towards the alums. I was asked since I was an alumnus and that was the connection. I have loved doing this for all these years, sharing stories like “Caps For Sale” and songs like “Shake My Sillies Out.” I get to reunite with some of my former students and meet their young children. It’s very nostalgic and I love to reminisce!
During this year's Reunion programming you were honored as Faculty Emerita, for your 52 years of service to Friends, what were some of your favorites moments from that weekend?
Some of my favorite moments were my Musical Storytime seminar, the panel with Larry Carter and Bob Rosen, and the moving Emeritus ceremony. The Emeritus Meeting For Worship is what I call “the heart of the school.” Witnessing alumni stand up and speak about the impact of their Friends school experience and their former teachers on them is a deeply emotional experience. Faculty and administrators who attended for the first time have said to me that they were very moved and will always attend this event in subsequent years.
What are your hopes, dreams and plans for your work in the future?
I hope to keep my connection with children through volunteer work at neighborhood libraries and bookstores, substitute teaching, tutoring, as well as possibly becoming an educational consultant. I also have several ideas of books I would like to write. Beyond that, I want to do some travel with my husband, more Pilates workouts, read more books, lunch in the city with friends, and spend more time with my grandchildren.
Is there anything else you wish to share with me that I didn’t ask you about?
My former colleague, Jane Suntken, brought the song “Hear in My House” by Aline Shader to the school. She and I led that song for many years at the All-School Holiday Assembly and it was a favorite of students and faculty. I introduced the song “Special Silence” by Carol Peck to the Lower School and we sing it each week at the close of our Meeting for Worship.
Finally, early on, Jane taught me “Your students may forget much of what you taught them but they will always remember how you made them feel.” This has been my guiding principle all these years.
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