Children’s loving hearts, good humor are among the joys of teaching

Carla Sumner, the multimedia lab specialist and mission club moderator at St. Andrew the Apostle School in Algiers, graduated from Loyola University and continued her education with post baccalaureate work at the University of Holy Cross. A teacher for more than 30 years, she has taught English/language arts, theology, history, mass media, print journalism and speech. Sumner enjoys writing poetry and short stories and studying French.

Why did you decide to become a teacher?

As a young child, I was an avid reader and was very drawn to learning new words; a fun afternoon for me was reading the dictionary, pondering new definitions and committing them to memory! I was the kid who loved grammar lessons in school. I also loved writing stories and being part of the drama club as a young person. In college, I earned a mass communication/broadcast journalism degree with thoughts of working behind the scenes as a writer in a news department. I worked for a little while in media-related positions, but I was also acutely aware of that small voice in my heart that was calling me to teach young people. I could not resist the sweet and gentle persistence of that call. Teaching became the best way to express the skills I had developed.

Who was your teaching role model?

There were teachers in my family – and I admired their love for children, their dedication and the many sacrifices they made for their students; however, the person who inspired me the most was Mary Kitterman, my elementary school English teacher. She recognized my strengths and my writing ability. She nurtured those skills and showed me much love and kindness. Because she encouraged me to let my light shine, I developed courage, tenacity and a determination to do my best. She is a major reason why I teach today.

What is the most challenging aspect of teaching?

Teaching can be all-consuming and exhausting because the work doesn’t end when we get home; work-life balance can be challenging; there are times when children come to school feeling sad or “out of sorts.” That can be challenging because we want the children to be happy and healthy.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your profession?

Seeing a child internalize an important life lesson is rewarding because we want to encourage their growth. Witnessing “ah-ha” academic moments is also very rewarding because we want the children to reach their full potential.

Why do you love teaching at a Catholic school?
 
I began my career in a public school and then moved on to private and Catholic schools. All teachers, no matter where they serve, are to be commended for dedicating their lives to young people. I appreciate teaching in a Catholic school because there is often a shared mission and a tremendous sense of community that is fostered by participating in the sacraments together. I love that the spiritual and emotional growth of our students is just as important as their academic growth! I especially enjoy talking with kids about the saints in heaven – role models who walked this life before us and who were imperfect like us, yet who persevered in doing good works.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at St. Andrew the Apostle?
                 
As the multimedia teacher, I have the privilege of working with a very diverse group of children from pre-K4 through seventh grade! The students use technology to support their reading and writing skills and to demonstrate their creativity. Being able to share and discuss awesome books with them in our school library is wonderful!

What might people not know about your students?

Some of them love to sing together during special times in my class. Also, many are prayer warriors – they’ll often ask to lead their fellow students in prayer at the beginning of each class.

Could you share a couple of your most cherished teaching memories?

I have so many, but two come to mind:
 
• Every December over the years, I’ve shared the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Juan Diego’s tilma (cloak) with my students. One year, I had the grace of having a life-size traveling replica of the tilma in my classroom. After learning about Our Lady of Guadalupe, the students spontaneously began to kneel or make the sign of the cross in front of the image every time they entered my classroom. They did this, on their own, for the entire time the replica was in my room.

• Several years ago, I accompanied a group of mission club students on a field trip to the Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos Center in New Orleans. After taking a tour of the historic church at the site – St. Mary’s Assumption Church – the students asked if there was a priest on the grounds who could hear their confessions. This happened spontaneously; it was initiated by the kids, and it was very moving. We all chose to go to confession before continuing with the tour.

Do you have any funny classroom anecdotes?

The first graders love telling me knock-knock jokes – daily! Also, another group of young students loves joking with me about how teachers see and know “everything” because teachers have “eyes in the back of their heads.” However, those same students also remind me, with mock seriousness, that they, in fact, have “infinity, infinity, infinity” eyes – even better eyes than I do!

What lessons have your students taught you over the years?

They have taught me the importance of kindness. A  kind, gentle demeanor can be an important key to unlocking their hearts. They’ve also taught me that it’s important to really listen to them; they want to be heard.

Do you have a go-to prayer or a saintly role model who bolsters you in challenging times?

I have a special devotion to Mother Mary. During sad times in my life, when situations are challenging, or if I feel abandoned or distant from God, I believe she prays for me!