Queen Anne’s Frantz H. Coe Elementary School said goodbye this year to two of its most popular teachers. Second grade teacher Ruth Camper and fourth- and fifth-grade teacher Elsie Miller.
Camper, who has been teaching for 22 years, leaves Coe after six years. She said part of her motivation to retire is to spend more time with her two granddaughters. She also plans to spend time travelling. She is planning a trip to Europe this summer and also wants to spend more time with her son, who lives in New York.
When asked what she will miss most, Camper answered simply, “the kids.”
“I always liked how easily little kids get excited,” Camper said. “Everything is new to them.”
Camper said she spent a lot of time reading about different approaches to teaching. She is fascinated about the different ways that kids learn.
“That is one of the interesting things about the field of teaching,” Camper said. “It is always changing.”
For Elsie Miller, teaching has been somewhat of a family affair. Miller began teaching 25 years ago when her two sons started attending the school. She was actually her son David’s fourth-grade teacher. Miller acknowledges that the situation was awkward for her son at first, but he got over it and she certainly knew what homework he had to complete.
Like Camper, Miller said she plans to travel. She has her eye on Europe and spending more time at the family’s second home in Scottsdale, Ariz. In her spare time, Miller plans to volunteer tutoring homeless mothers who are living in temporary housing in the Shoreline area.
As for teaching, Miller said her favorite part of the job was being present at that moment of discovery.
“The best thing about teaching is watching the ‘eureka moment’ for children when they learn something for the first time,” Miller said. “It’s a wonderful feeling. Just watching their growth is so much fun.”
Miller said she will also miss the cohesive community that is part of the Coe Elementary experience.
“Being one member of an entire team that is focused on the children has been wonderful,” Miller said.
[[In-content Ad]]