I became interested in a teaching career sometime in my junior year in H.S. my first love was radio, I really thought of that as a future career. I was realistic enough to know that radio on-air was subject to the ratings and the station format. I saw guys come and go always looking for a better position. I thought more of a long-term living situation. Teaching would offer that.
In that junior year I joined the “education club.” In the spring semester we were sent for a day to an elementary school to ”observe”. Hey, it was a day away from regular classes. My assigned teacher put me to work reading to small groups and listening to the kids read. I loved it. The kids treated me like a real teacher, or so I thought.
My H.S. earth science teacher, Emery Fritsch, was a great role model and encouraged me. After a year for the army boot camp and part-time at Rockford College with radio work also part-time, it was off to Drake University in the fall of 1959.
I enrolled in the business school with a major in radio-television. The econ classes killed me. I could not comprehend all the economic strategies and various financial programs. In that second semester I took a sociology course and loved it. I had met Marcia Nelson an education major. As we talked more about teaching and possibly switching to an education major. I found a great advisor, Leu McNullen, and switched to education. Within education, my majors were English and social science. I still squeezed in all the radio-TV courses that were offered. The radio-TV professor, Jim Duncan, got me a news job at KIOA. a clear channel 50,000-watt behemoth. It was a 6-12 gig, which really cut into my studies. Thus, I only lasted a month. Maybe a missed opportunity?
Practice teaching was blast. My cooperating teacher, Harold Cox, gave me a class of about 15 kids that needed to pass the Iowa mandated state constitution test. I had the kids for the entire semester alone. I spoon fed the kids the questions. We had fun, they responded to me, and they all passed!
I graduated after the summer session 1962 and already had a job teaching 8th grade English and American History at West Junior High in Madison, WI. Marcia and I were now married, she had a job teaching 2nd grade at Spring Harbor School. I loved 8th graders. The Junior High was 7th-9th, so they weren’t top dog yet. After a shaky first year I did very well, being fun, firm and fair as Emery Fritsch had suggested was the key to success. I held onto 8th graders 1962-1968.
Because I had a major within a major, sociology in social science, when an opening presented itself in the high school, I applied and got it! It was also the year that the junior high was discontinued, and the Middle School came in. I did not agree with the Middle School philosophy, so my jump to West Senior High was perfect.
The first two years in the H.S. I had sociology, American History and an Education class. By my third year it was strictly soc. During that second year in the H.S. I told the kids I could offer 6 or 7 units in the semester. They voted on four they wanted. Luckily all five sections of sociology chose the same four. Over the next year the four units blossomed into two semester long classes. We called one
Social Issues, all about the criminal justice system, and one Social Development, all about psychology, human development (including sex education.) For one year I team taught the Social Development class with a home economics woman, Eileen Smith, who was offering something very similar in the Home Ec. department. Team teaching was hard work. We agreed to go back to solo teaching.
The seniors vote on a teacher to speak at commencement. I was selected in 1974 and 1978. I really loved the H.S. teaching and received lots of praise. I still have former students talking to me about the classes and what they took away.
The frustration I had at West was the administration and lack of concern from the superintendent. I did not want a job counseling, library or administration, so I applied at Madison Police Department to become a police officer. It should be noted that in my Social Issues classes I brought cops into the classroom. I did a ride along and was encouraged to apply by several of the cops. I held on at West High 1968-1983.
Yes, a 42-year-old recruit police officer. It was a great challenge physically and mentally. Off to solo patrol in March 1984. In 1986 the administration invited me to apply for a position on the training team. Now I would be teaching adults in the academy and veteran officers during in-service. I needed certifications. Firearms, physical fitness, Emergency Vehicle Operation, crisis intervention, interview and interrogation. I assisted in those teaching situations and ended up lead instructor for Emergency Vehicle Operation (EVO).
I continued EVO even as I was promoted to Sergeant and Lieutenant. After a two-year stint in Internal Affairs as Lt. I was able to convince the chief to move me training. I was the director of the academy, supervised a staff of four and inserted myself in more teaching there. I retired in 1998. MPD 1983-1998.
In retirement I taught driving to the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile class of twelve each June. Later the Peanutmobile team of nine was added for three years. Oscar Mayer 2002-2022.
I volunteered as a “Driver Safety” instructor for AARP for about ten years. I taught 3-4 classes a year all over Dane County.
Additionally, I have occasionally done behind-the-wheel “driving reviews” for some elderly folks or 16-year-olds.
You can probably tell from this report that I really love teaching.
