Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

39 years as an educator

For 39 years, Jackie Heron has been an elementary school teacher, but when this school year finishes, so will she.

Its been a long journey for the retiring school teacher. Heron began her career as a teacher in Okolona and spent 19 years there before that school was closed. She was hired as a second grade teacher in Gurdon, and after a year was transferred to first grade. Thats where shes been ever since.

Although much has changed over the years, one thing has remained constant.

Children are still children, she said.

The childrens disciplined has changed somewhat over the years with more and more seeming to have limited training at home, but Heron said they are not all that way.

I still have some good ones, so theyre still getting something at home, she said. You just like them all  theres just no way around it.

An increase in state mandates has changed the way the classroom functions on a day to day basis, Heron said. Though the same subjects are still being taught, the method is not the same.

One example of the changes is seen in the way reading is taught to the students. Reading programs have changed many times over the years. Shes even having to adjust to a new program in her last year on the job.

Any time you change to a different reading program youre going to have challenges, she said.

Another thing that has been altered over the years is the make-up of the family unit. Heron said it was not as common when she first began teaching for a student to come from a family where both parents worked. It was also uncommon for students to come from single-parent households.

Both are now becoming more and more common.

The thing that has kept Heron going all of these years has been the children, she said.

I just like the interaction with the students. I get a lot of hugs from the kids. They seem to care a lot.

In retirement, Heron said she hopes to have more time to spend with her grandchildren, although the youngest will be starting kindergarten in the fall.

I wish Id retired a year earlier to be able to spend some time with her, she said.

Heron also hopes to have time to do other things shes been neglecting like working in her yard and even taking a much needed vacation.

It may have been 39 years since she first began teaching, but Heron said it doesnt feel like it.

I never though it would go by so fast.