Dara Balch Ury
Dara is teaching ESL in grades K-5 at May Whitney School in Lake Zurich, IL. She says her Beloit College experience makes her, “open to new ideas.” She has been teaching for 12 years in Chicago, Evanston and Mundelein, 3 of which she spent teaching middle school Spanish. She says, "Not all districts are looking to 'get rid' of new, first year teachers in order to save money. Lake Zurich looks to keep and help good teachers become their best!" updated 4-30-07
Rob Kleinschmidt
Rob taught secondary math for nine years. He spent eight years at a large high school near Milwaukee and one enjoyable year at a small high school in Spring Green, WI. Unfortunately, because of the financial troubles many schools in Wisconsin are now facing, paired with a failed referendum to support the current level of education in the school district, he had to leave teaching for a position in private business. Rob would like new education majors to know that teaching is indeed a noble profession, and if they can find a position where they can enjoy the influence they have on the young people they work with, the rewards are enormous. He also says that unfortunately, education is still under-valued and under-funded in many areas and new education majors should be prepared to have people underappreciate their efforts. Rob states, "Many times you don't know how much impact you had on people until many years after you actually worked with them."
Shelly Weigel
Shelly has been teaching high school math, algebra, algebra II and geometry for 11 years: 3 years at Waukegan High School in Waukegan, IL, then 4 years at Watertown High School in Watertown, WI (while teaching there, she completed a Master of Education degree at Carroll College), in 2001 moved back to Illinois and took a job at Warren High School in Gurnee, IL where she taught for two years, and in 2003 had the opportunity to take a job at Wheeling High School in Wheeling, IL which she says is incredible. Shelly is currently working on a certificate to become an administrator. She says, "In addition to teaching, I have coached many sports and been involved in many activities through the years. I am currently the head girls basketball coach, and we were 25-6 last season."
Paul Weil
Paul worked at Howard Brown Health Center in Chicago, IL for two years as the director of Suburban Gay and Bisexual Men's Health Outreach, then taught French in Beloit, WI for a year, and is currently teaching French at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in the Chicago area, where he has been for the past six years. He is proud that Stevenson High School is always on the top 100 lists of best high schools in America. It is one of the most competitive (and largest - 4,800 students) high schools in the country. He joins four other French teachers at his school and sent us a school yearbook photo.
