Editor’s note

This one’s for you, Mrs. Pugh

I recently came across a letter I wrote 10 years ago to the husband and family of an elementary school teacher of mine. The teacher had died, and I wanted not only to convey my heartfelt sympathy but also to share my deepest gratitude for what I learned from Mrs. Helen Pugh. You’ll hear more about her in a bit, but first, the back story.

I was three years old when my sister started kindergarten. I was sad to lose a playmate and more than a little jealous that she “got to” go to school and I didn’t. This classic case of sibling envy manifested itself early and often. As soon as Kristen began bringing reading books home, I wanted to read, too. I wished every day that I could be just like her. That’s how I got my jump start on reading—and readiness for school.

Finally it was my turn to start school, and this is where Mrs. Pugh comes in. As I wrote to the Pugh family in 1997: “I feel very lucky that as a somewhat bored kindergartner in the fall of 1964, I was one of a chosen few who got to make the walk every day over to the first- through third-grade cluster to get more advanced (phonics) reading instruction from Mrs. Pugh. I remember very clearly the excitement and anticipation each morning as we integrated and interacted with the first-graders and read at their level. Meeting that challenge and striving every day to read just as well as them (or better) is what enabled me to ‘skip’ up to the first grade in January of 1965. Bless the cluster system for allowing me the privilege of being taught reading and writing by Mrs. Pugh for the subsequent two years.”

Mrs. Pugh’s nurturing personality, steady encouragement and ready smile made learning seem easy. I know for certain that those earliest school years were the foundation for academic success and my ability to communicate effectively. My letter to the Pugh family concluded: “I’m proud to say that every
day I use what I learned from Mrs. Pugh … and I would not be as successful in my career and in my life as I am today if not for the fundamentals I learned from her.”

All children deserve to be nurtured and encouraged in school so they can be successful in their future endeavors. But modern life’s social and economic pressures make it much harder to provide that nurturing and encouragement. Children, parents, teachers and school governance leaders today have to contend with many more challenges than my generation did.

A few of those challenges are explored in this issue of California Schools. In “Minding MySpace,” you’ll read just how tricky it is to balance freedom of expression and prudent controls when it comes to the ever-increasing student use of social networking Web sites. In “Getting to the Heart of the Homeless Problem,” we point out the prevalence of children who lack stable housing and offer suggestions to help nurture and encourage students experiencing that sad condition. And in “Putting Science to the Test,” we take an in-depth look at science education, including teaching methodologies and the impact of state and federal assessment requirements.

Education isn’t easy. Then again, it never has been. And it’s a good bet that the challenges of tomorrow, next week, next year and beyond will be no less daunting. That realization confirms the need for us as local education leaders and advocates to continue fighting the good fight and providing inspiration and opportunity for the children of California.

A long time ago, I aspired to be like my sister and I was inspired by a great teacher. Today my sister serves on a school board and I have the honor of working here at CSBA on behalf of school districts and county offices of education throughout the state. It may sound corny, but I’m proud to help educate our communities about the value of public education and the importance of local school governance. I’d like to think that Mrs. Pugh would be proud, too.