New teachers among new faces at school
By Suzanne Werre, BHG News Service
There are a lot of new faces at the Underwood School as the 2012 school year starts. It’s not just new students, there are a few new teachers gracing the halls as well. This week the News will introduce two of the new teachers to the area. Lana Zimbelman is the new first-grade teacher at Underwood, a 1993 graduate of Minot State University with degrees in deaf education and elementary education. She isn’t actually “new” to the Underwood school, as she was a substitute teacher in Underwood last year, but this is her first year as a full-time teacher in Underwood. Originally from Deloraine, Manitoba, Zimbelman and her husband, Garth, lived in Juneau, Alaska between 2004 and 2007, but following the birth of their son, they moved back home to North Dakota, and now live in Riverdale. When asked what she likes about being a teacher, her answer came easily. “I like working with the younger kids,” she said. She likes tackling the challenge of finding the best way to reach each child, because not all children learn the same way or at the same pace. “I think trying to match what you’re teaching to the kids’ abilities, that’s the biggest challenge,” she said. “And staying cool in the classroom,” she added with a laugh. With recent 90-plus-degree days, keeping the children focused on their schoolwork can be a challenge, but it’s just one of the challenges that come with teaching.
