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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1978)
OCTOBER 20, 1978 PAGE 7 ew Teachers Are Learning the Rapes Ms. Billie Brown - Grade 5 Laura Fuentes - Grade 4 Laura Fuentes didn’t know she was going to be a teacher until she went to college. But she seems to be happy with her work. “It gets better every day,” she says. Getting all of her students up to grade level is one of Laura’s goals. Her feelings are too many students are in the sixth grade ’and Junior High that really ^shouldn’t be there. She would like to prepare them so when they’re in Junior High, they’ll be up with the other students, and not still at the grade school level. Another goal set by Laura is to develop a positive self-image ¿within the students. The only problem Laura will confess she’s faced so far is classroom control or discipline among the students. “I started ou^ nice admitted the first- year teacher. ‘Tm not a discipli nary person. Mrs. Fuentes is glad to be teaching at Warm Springs Grade School because she wanted to be here. “I was happy when I got my job here.” When asked how does she like teaching, Laura replied, “It’s a lot more work than I thought.” The “work” Mrs. Fuentes talks about is correcting papers in the evening and on weekends. But to Laura, “things have been pretty good.” The twenty-three year old teacher received her teaching degree at the University of Oregon. Fuentes is from Madras where she was formerly a gro cery clerk. Community Calendar October 21-22 St. Patrick’s Cowdeo in Madras 28-29 All Indian Rodeo in Nixon, Nevada 31 Halloween (trick or treat and carnival at CC) 'November All Indian Rodeo in Warm Springs (OICA) 4 District meeting Simnasho longhouse General Election - Vote at Teen Club Veterans Day (observed) No school (509-J) 10 9-10 National American Indian Cattleman’s Association Conven tion at Kah-Nee-Ta MHS District Volleyball tournament in Burns, Oregon fi 4 & 18 Patchworkshop at Adult Learning Center 23-25 Indian National Finals rodeo in Salt Lake City, Utah NAIWA NEWS Marie is returning Marie Calica, President of the Oregon chapter of the North American Indian Womens Asso ciation (NAIWA) recently was appointed by Hildreth Venegas NAIWA National president, to serve on the committee for the “International Year of the Child 1979”, which is the coming years theme for NAIWA. today (October 20) from Aberdeen, South Dakota, where she attend ed a planning meeting, to devel op projects, and to backup the 1979 NAIWA theme. The commit tee also discussed the 1979 NAIWA National conference to be held in Yakima, Washington, June 18-20, 1979. When school got underway in the first week of September, Ms. Brown was teaching both fourth and fifth grades at the Warm Springs Grade School. The reason for this, ex plains Ms. Brown, is because more fifth and sixth graders were expected. But because the students anticipated failed to appear for some reason or an other, the other grades were di vided and Brown has only the fifth graders now. “It’s just like the first week of school all over again,” said Brown of the change. “But everything will be great eventu ally,” she predicted. This is Billie’s first time she had only one grade in a class room and she says, “I don’t know if it’s nice, but it’s different.” Before Brown came to In dian country she taught for four years in Harney County where she also had a mixture of grades. “I like teaching,” Billie proudly admits. “I have enjoyed every room I had. I like the kids and I like what I’m doing. Only thing I don’t like is the field burning,” commented the tea cher. Billie doesn’t have any goals set yet, but she said she would like her classroom to work to gether. “I think we could do a lot more if we get together as a group,” is her thinking. Instead of seeing the same ones answer questions she would like to see the entire classroom participat- ing, such as in discussions, read ing, etc. Brown hasn’t had any real problems yet except her students are a little shy to answer. “But that’s normal because they don’t know me,” answered Brown. Because she was raised in a teaching family, Ms. Brown didn’t think she was going to be a teacher. Since she wasn’t happy with what she was doing, she decided she needed a change. For nine years Billie was working in an automotive parts company in inventory control. The job wasn’t satisfactory with her so now she is teaching and she thinks this is where she’ll stay. Denver Sensibaugh - Grade 4 ‘Tve always liked this area ■ because it offers recreation,” said Denver Sensibaugh, fourth grade teacher at Warm Springs. “We (different certified teach ers) were interviewed for differ ent schools. I wanted to be placed somewhere in Central Oregon.” To be a teacher was Den ver’s goal for the last three years. “My aim was towards teaching,” stated the youthful 22-year old teacher. Now that he completed his first goal, Denver has set goals for himself and his students. Denver would like to have his students up to fourth grade level so they’ll be ready for Junior High. “If that goal isn’t reached I hope they get the basics. I think they need more of the basic education. I want them to be confident in math and reading. I’d like to encourage them to read on their own. I’d like them to learn to like to learn. It seems that self-motivation is low. It’s hard to get them to go. I like my students to enjoy learn ing,” said the fourth grade teacher of his goals. “I feel I can really accomp lish something,” beamed Sensi baugh. “Discipline hasn’t been too much of a problem. I consider myself strict,” said Denver in a half-stern voice. “I’m proud of my students already,” he said about his well disciplined stu dents. Denver says he will stay at Warm Springs Grade School if he feels that he’s making a contri bution. But he also considered taking a year off to vacation and travel, since he’s “fresh out of school.” The University of Oregon graduate said he would like to take some time out and go in the wilderness and just hike around. In the winter time he would like to go to ski resorts. During the summer he would like to hike along the Skyline trail. In the fall, he would like to go to Oklahoma and visit his grand parents. He said he’d also like to tour the Mideastern United 'States with his brother. Denver’s hobbies are skiing and hiking, most outdoor activi ties, most sports, some micro filming (which he would like to use in his classroom), and study ing the Bible.
