By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Monica Dreiling believes in engaging her students in learning.
This could mean dressing up as a Revolutionary War figure, designing cardboard boats or making care packages for the elderly in one of her class's many community service projects.
Dreiling was nominated by two people for the Hays Post Teacher of the Month Award.
Alexis Campbell said, "[She] has always done above and beyond for USD 489 and deserves to get recognition for it."
Shayne Wilson said, "Mrs. Dreiling is a wonderful and caring teacher."
"To me, that is the biggest gratitude you can receive is just a thank you from a student or staff, or they see you in the community after they've left fifth grade and they can remember a memory from fifth grade," Dreiling said.
Dreiling, 44, a native of Bunker Hill, has been a teacher for 21 years.
Dreiling is a graduate of Fort Hays State University with a bachelor's degree in elementary education, master's degree in special education with a gifted endorsement, and endorsements for English as a second language and administration.
She began her career in special education in her home district of Russell. She taught there for a year before moving to teach special education in Hays. She taught for 14 more years in special education in Hays before transferring to teaching fifth-grade general education.
Dreiling's mother was a special education teacher, which initially discouraged her from entering the profession. She saw how much time was involved and how much it took away from her family. However, when she entered college, she said she knew that was the career she wanted to pursue.
She ultimately decided to switch from special education to general education so she could spend more time with her family.
"When a child moves in that has an IEP, you don't just pull a textbook off a shelf. You're creating materials and curriculum to do with that child," she said.
She also wanted the opportunity to teach grade-level science.
This year, Dreiling incorporated a Santa Fe traveling museum into her curriculum, which honored the anniversary of the trail in Kansas. The Kansas State Historical Society sent the school a trunk filled with artifacts.
The students dressed in period clothing and gave presentations to fellow students on artifacts from the trunk.
Dreiling tries to incorporate life skills into her lessons, such as requiring students to iron their own costumes for their Revolutionary War play.
Hands-on learning fills several needs for students, she said. They have immediate access to information. The students interact with each other, and they have opportunities to showcase what they're good at.
"My favorite aspect of being a teacher is helping kids find what they're good at," she said, "and helping kids persevere with things they might not feel comfortable with or they need extra assistance with."
Her favorite lesson is her students' cardboard boat races, which are set for May 5. Students learn about buoyancy and density throughout the school year and use those principles to design their boats.
Dreiling saw the Big Brothers Big Sisters cardboard boat races and was inspired.
"I woke up in the middle of the night and asked my husband, 'Do you think we could do that with fifth graders?'" she said.
Dreiling also said she enjoys teaching civics and involving students in community service projects.
This year the students rang bells for the Salvation Army, baked dog treats for the Humane Society of the High Plains, delivered gift baskets to assisted living and nursing care centers, and wrote letters and delivered treat baskets to veterans and military personnel.
The class also decided to adopt their school neighborhood for a year. They dropped gifts on their Lincoln neighbors' porches, including wooden pumpkins at Thanksgiving.
"I think volunteerism is a good life skill," Dreiling said. "I think it's an essential component of good citizenship.
"It's also important for the kids who have difficult home lives or who struggle with self-esteem or social-emotional issues. It builds empathy and allows them to feel good about something that they're doing."
Dreiling said it was community service projects that meant the most to her when she was a student.
"Those were the projects that stuck with me the most and were more memorable — anything that involved other people and either making someone's day better or giving them something that they needed," she said.
Dreiling is personally involved in a variety of community service organizations outside of school, including Girl Scouts, 4-H, Daughters of the American Revolution and St. Joseph Catholic Church.