Educators in Conversation

Four years might seem like a long time on the surface, but in the grand scheme of our lives, the figure is relatively insignificant. As students, our education before high school is relatively linear, moving from one grade to the next always with different teachers and different people.

However, now it is different, we self-select ourselves in the classes, cliques, groups. It’s very likely your freshman English class looks quite similar year over year continuously to your senior year. It’s very easy to find yourself always coming back to a particular teacher, whether that be because you find yourselves always taking one of their classes, because they are someone you could talk to, they could be your coach, your advisor, or any other number of things. 

At the same time, there are some teachers you may never get the opportunity to meet or get to know. There is only so much you can do during your time here. Despite this teachers are a constant.

Ms. Katherine Simko is the one of the newest additions to the NMRHS faculty with 13 years experience in Massachusetts public schools and serves as one the Director of Choirs. Previously she was the choir director at the Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School for 8 years.

On the other end of the spectrum is Ms. Vicki Domings who has been a visual art teacher in the district for the past 33 years, with posts at Ashby Elementary, Varnum Brook, and Nissitisit prior to NM.

In interviews individually, they share their experience as teachers.

To start with Ms. Domings, she was asked “How would you describe your teaching philosophy, and how has it evolved over time?”

She responded with the following: “I would personally say that my philosophy is process over product, meaning that it is not necessarily the end result but instead how you get there, and what you learn along the way to make you a better artist. I have the mindset as an educator that “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” so neither will the final product of any art piece.”

In response to the same question Simko said:

“My mission as a music educator is to cultivate meaningful experiences with music such that students have an active, transformative experience with it.  Inspired by my own participation in my high school choir in Philadelphia, I strive to give students the opportunity to work together to make beautiful music, to sing a variety of repertoire from around the world, and to transcend the concerns of day-to-day life through art.”

In a followup question both teachers were asked how they gather and utilize feed from their students to improve their own teaching. 

“I generally gather feedback…by having open conversations and asking what the general opinion on a project is after students have completed it. I try to adapt my projects to student interests while still covering the course content and making the students better artists.” Domings says. Similarly from Simko she finds:

“Students like to make their voices heard, and choir provides them the perfect environment to do just that!  The most important thing to engage students is to keep them singing, keep them active, and keep them interested in the music.”

Ms. Domings was asked if she could share some highlights from her 33 years of teaching, including any changes she has seen in the school or education field during her tenure?

“I started off my career at Ashby Elementary...I was there from 1992-1995. I was at Varnum Brook from 1996-2002, Nissitissit 2002-2014, and [at] NM since 2014. People often ask me which school I liked best, but I have positive takeaways from each school; Middle school was the toughest to teach, the reason why I stayed in middle school 19 years was because it was the challenge that I loved. It was the age that ‘sealed the deal’ for students' interests in pursuing art in high school, and college. Teaching High school is satisfying because I get to witness student success, the end result of their high school career, students for the most part are more respectful, the skill level is higher, and they are more self sufficient…

Changes in the education field during my tenure [from] when I started teaching in 1992 [was] there were no cell phones. I can’t even remember if I had a school email or computer on my desk. We used to do report cards on bubble sheets and a number 2 pencil, didn’t have attendance by class, and school security was not a concern.”

It should be no surprise that she regards the most challenging years to teach were middle school. The very mention of the subject likely brings back painful, cringeworthy memories for most. However the impact of those years, especially at this stage of life is unforgettable and those educators are at the forefront of that impact.

Simko was asked on what she hopes her impact to be on her students, she said

“I want my students to love making art.  Whether it’s singing in the choir or writing a play, acting on the stage or participating in the tech crew, my greatest hope is that students will find joy in the art that we are making together. I also want to be there for my students.  Getting through the school day can be hard for students, and I want to be there for them in whatever way I can.”

These questions are just some of many that were presented to these educators, the full raw text of the interview can be found here. Insight is something that many students fail to seek but love to have. A generalization of teachers is impossible to create, as exemplified here. Every teacher is unique and has their own approach to the philosophy of education. We as students experience that approach but it is not often explicitly articulated. By exploring these interviews, we gain a deeper understanding of the diverse perspectives that shape our learning experiences.