Fab Teachers: California

Gretchen Ruch

Gold Arrow Camp in Clovis | Assistant Director 

How long have you been teaching? I was a high school English teacher for four years and a middle school English teacher for one year; this is my first year working in a different educational capacity as an assistant director for a residential summer camp. I’m also currently in my second year of a doctoral program for education leadership at Fresno State.

What inspired you to be a teacher? I wanted to pursue a profession where I felt like I was making a tangible difference; I also love reading and working with young people. I also loved the idea of having the freedom in my classroom to plan lessons and design an engaging curriculum for my students.

What is your greatest joy in teaching? It is so rewarding when a student tells me they finished a book that they chose to read independently or decided to write a story on their own. My greatest joy is seeing my students become lifelong learners. In my new role as an assistant director at a residential summer camp, I love seeing campers grow in other capacities. Whether they are overcoming homesickness or participating in an activity that is outside of their comfort zone, it is amazing to see campers grow in non-academic ways.

What about your greatest challenge? One of the greatest challenges I’ve faced in my classroom is addressing students’ social emotional needs. During the 2020-2021 school year, I taught all of my classes remotely for most of the school year. School is important not only for academic growth, but for social emotional growth as well. Many teachers are facing more problems related to social media addictions, and students need more support connecting face-to-face. This is why I’ve loved working for Gold Arrow Camp; at Gold Arrow Camp, campers and counselors are technology-free for the summer. As a result, campers report being happier, making more friends, and improved overall wellbeing. 

If a student can have only one takeaway from time spent in your classroom/camp, what would it be? In my graduate program, a professor told me that students remember how you make them feel more than any content you cover. I hope students leave my classroom feeling loved and cared for. I would love for each student to leave my classroom (or camp) choosing kindness and choosing to continue their journey as a lifelong learner.