MONROE - On the classroom walls are pictures of states drawn by fourth-grade students and an apple sits on teacher Lynne Rufenacht's desk.
Children ask for her help with assignments or show her pictures they've drawn.
Rufenacht, who retires today after more than 38 years as a fourth-grade teacher at Northside Elementary School, smiles when she talks about her career.
"There's never been a dull moment. I've never been bored," she says.
Rufenacht always taught fourth grade and never has wanted to teach a different age group.
"I love this age," she says. "They can do a lot but they're still excited to learn."
Fourth-graders have the capacity to say things that can make a teacher feel special, she adds.
"I was gone Monday and a girl came up to me Tuesday and said, 'This is our last week together. We want to spend it with you, not a sub.'"
She's looked forward to the daily talks with the students about any topic that might come up. Students are curious, she says, and want to know what she thinks of things they see on the news.
"They're more aware of things and more involved with things," she says of how students have changed over the years. "When I began teaching you never heard a student say they had soccer practice or wrestling practice. Now we make the most of what we can get done in class because they're so busy."
Teaching came naturally for Rufenacht. She grew up in a big family and early on her mom suggested she choose teaching as a profession. When she was a student, she volunteered to help other teachers.
As with any teacher who has been in the same school for many years, some of the students from her earlier days now have children who are in her class.
"One student I just loved had a son and a daughter in my class, and they couldn't believe I was their mom's teacher," she says with a laugh.
As much as she loves to teach, she looks forward to retirement.
"I'll have a choice how I spend my time. I can catch up on all the things I haven't had time to do," she says.
Catching up means she can spend more time with her husband, David, and her children, Jessica and Claire.
The years she taught at Northside "flew by," she says, as she learned an important lesson about her career choice.
"It's demanding but if you enjoy it, it's worth it."
Children ask for her help with assignments or show her pictures they've drawn.
Rufenacht, who retires today after more than 38 years as a fourth-grade teacher at Northside Elementary School, smiles when she talks about her career.
"There's never been a dull moment. I've never been bored," she says.
Rufenacht always taught fourth grade and never has wanted to teach a different age group.
"I love this age," she says. "They can do a lot but they're still excited to learn."
Fourth-graders have the capacity to say things that can make a teacher feel special, she adds.
"I was gone Monday and a girl came up to me Tuesday and said, 'This is our last week together. We want to spend it with you, not a sub.'"
She's looked forward to the daily talks with the students about any topic that might come up. Students are curious, she says, and want to know what she thinks of things they see on the news.
"They're more aware of things and more involved with things," she says of how students have changed over the years. "When I began teaching you never heard a student say they had soccer practice or wrestling practice. Now we make the most of what we can get done in class because they're so busy."
Teaching came naturally for Rufenacht. She grew up in a big family and early on her mom suggested she choose teaching as a profession. When she was a student, she volunteered to help other teachers.
As with any teacher who has been in the same school for many years, some of the students from her earlier days now have children who are in her class.
"One student I just loved had a son and a daughter in my class, and they couldn't believe I was their mom's teacher," she says with a laugh.
As much as she loves to teach, she looks forward to retirement.
"I'll have a choice how I spend my time. I can catch up on all the things I haven't had time to do," she says.
Catching up means she can spend more time with her husband, David, and her children, Jessica and Claire.
The years she taught at Northside "flew by," she says, as she learned an important lesson about her career choice.
"It's demanding but if you enjoy it, it's worth it."