Nancy Boersma — ‘You get to experience the world through their eyes again’

--- Published on April 03rd 2015 ---
FILED UNDER:
News & Alerts

Nancy Boersma's mother was a teacher and her father was a scientist, so her career was a no-brainer: Science teacher, at least in the beginning.

More than three decades later, Boersma is a 2nd-grade teacher at Two Rivers Elementary School and, by all accounts, a very good one.

Looking back on her career, Boersma has seen huge changes in curriculum, standards, technology and teacher collaboration, but what hasn't changed is what attracted her to the profession in the first place: Kids.

Teaching remains, at its core, a person-to-person interaction that can boost knowledge, bolster self-esteem, motivate, and perhaps change the course of a child's life forever. Boersma said she remains passionate about trying to inspire kids.

"Fundamentally, kids' learning is basically the same, it's about taking their natural curiousity and fostering it and teaching them to ask questions," she said. "Not just handing them information but teaching them to think for themselves and to do research - setting them up to be lifelong learners."

Principal Leslie Sargent calls Boersma a "consummate professional."

"You can walk into her classroom at any time on any day and you'll see students engaged in meaningful learning," Boersma said. "She is a quiet leader on campus who gives 100 percent to her students and school on a daily basis."

Boersma said she gets a particular kick out of teaching 2nd graders, who still get a big thrill out of something like a popcorn party, which she offers each month to kids who master perhaps 100 addition, subtraction or other problems based on their ability level.

"There's a lot of satisfaction in watching kids learn and grown," the 2nd-grade teacher said. "The beauty of working with this age level is that you get to experience the world through their eyes again. There's a lot of joy in that," she said.

Much of Boersma's wall space is filled with examples of class work, artwork, or learning tools. Her 2nd graders recently created their own book, featuring a Super Hero in the shape of a triangle or quadrilateral and a theme that addresses other shapes - rectangles, perhaps.

"I love it when you're talking about things with them, and you ask, 'Now why did you think that?' You'll hear answers that you never thought of - it's just a joyful experience," Boersma said. "It's wonderful."

In her spare time, Boersma enjoys music, travel, reading and family. She has three grown children, one of them a teacher.

As a veteran teacher, what advice would she give to a rookie? No matter how much you know, you don't know it all.

"You have to be very flexible, be a little eclectic," Boersma said. "Don't come in thinking you've arrived and you've got it all figured out, because you never will ... Always be open to what's out there."