The Murch Mustang Express December 4, 2009

My husband, two kids Luke (5) and Nora (2), and I relocated from Long Island, New York, this summer in search of a great community and school to raise our children. I was born in Queens, NY, and lived in Paraguay, South America, for five years as a child. When we moved back to the United States, I was in fourth grade and could not speak English and was placed in ESL. It took me two difficult years to become confident enough in English to be able to communicate with my peers.

What else do you remember from that time?
Well, during the holidays it's summer in South America, and instead of Christmas trees, each family puts up a huge manger in front of their house. All the children in the neighborhood would walk around on Christmas Eve to see all the other mangers, which were elaborately decorated with all kinds of toys, lights, and sweet-smelling fruits. Although we lived in a more developed location than some, there was no plumbing so we got our drinking water from a well beside our home. Every house - even the fanciest on the block - had an outhouse for a bathroom. Aside from all the rustic living, I would not trade those years for anything.

When did you decide that teaching art was what you wanted to do?
Had you asked me in high school or college what I wanted to do, I would have said a different career every year. I always envied friends who knew right from the start what they wanted to be. I attended Smith College and majored in studio art. Years later, after finding my passion in teaching, I received a masters from GWU in early childhood special education. Not much later I chose to go back to school and attain a post-masters specialist degree from GWU in special education leadership.

Did you go straight into teaching after your studies at Smith?
I had a smattering of interesting jobs before pursuing a teaching career, but none was as interesting or rewarding as teaching. I once thought I wanted to be in politics and worked as an intern in Senator Chuck Schumer's Office for a summer. I then thought I wanted to be in advertising and interned at an ad agency in the Chrysler building in NYC. Throughout all the years I have always created art. I began in painting in oils, then in acrylics, then Luke was born, and I began exploring photography, recycled-paper collage, and digital collage.

How about outside of school? I know you're a busy mother.
When I'm not at Murch, I am home with my family, my two kittens, my two turtles, and our talking African Grey parrot, Nugget. We do lots of fun and simple things together as a family, such as going for hikes, making recycled-paper collages, sewing, painting, drawing, talking, telling stories, cooking, cuddling, or simply playing. I also try hard to set time aside to create my own art. My greatest challenge as a teacher has been to know when to stop thinking about lessons and teaching. With two young children, I need to know when to put down my teaching hat and just be a mommy. It has not been easy, but through perseverance I have learned to include my kids in my art-making time rather than put my art brushes away. In addition, aside from teaching I also do wedding photography and absolutely love it.

Is there a special method you've developed to enhance the creative quotient in your classes?
Because art is a highly personal experience and kids need to feel safe from fear of criticism to create, I work hard to foster a sense of safety in my art room. Second, I am very deliberate about the words I choose and my tone of voice when talking to the children. Twenty years from now the kids might not remember the content I taught them, but they will carry with them the memory of how exactly I made them feel about themselves as learners. As a teacher, I feel my strength is in my ability to reflect on my own teaching. When I meet any difficulty in the class, I first and foremost analyze my own practice and how I could change my teaching or the classroom environment to bring about a different outcome. I learned through my special education practice never to underestimate the power of these variables in shaping the classroom culture. Everything from the classroom environment, voice tone to noise level, all the way down to what a child ate that morning can change his or her behavior and affect performance.

Any enhancements or curriculum would you like to see at Murch?
I would like to see a few child-made permanent art installations at Murch. They would look absolutely beautiful in the midst of all the wonderful architecture that already exists here. I envision either a mural or a paper mosaic in the entrance of the school. In addition, I'd love to win a grant for a large abstract outdoor sculpture for the front courtyard...created by the kids, of course.

What is your most memorable classroom moment?
All teachers who are passionate about teaching have found a way to turn everyday mundane situations into learning experiences, either for themselves or for their students. Even negative situations can be shaped and molded into a positive learning experience. I am blessed with memorable moments daily. My days are filled with hugs, smiles, and notes from the kids that read "art rocks!" Parents flood in every morning with bags of recycled gifts. But the most exciting moment of my day is when a child stops looking for my approval and begins looking within for where to go next in his work.

Now, how would you finish this sentence: "If I weren't a teacher, I'd be a...."
...and if I had about 15 lifetimes, I'd be a chef, a daycare director, a biologist, an animal photographer, a wedding coordinator, a children's book illustrator, a traveling artist, a cloud photographer, or a cake decorator. Ask me next week for a list of ten more fun and new possibilities.
-- Donna LaPorte Scharpf