By STEPHEN MILLS, Times Argus
MONTPELIER, Vt. Mary Mello will say farewell to Union Elementary School after 50 years of teaching at the end of the school year.
Its very, very good work (in kindergarten) at the beginning, when they come in, theyre so full of enthusiasm, they think they know it all and they cant wait to learn more, and thats a wonderful setting for a teacher, Mello said. Your big job is to keep that going. You dont want them to lose that incredible curiosity about the world and the thrill for them when they learn something.
Born in 1946, Mello grew up in Boston and received a bachelors degree in English from Northeastern University in 1969 and a masters in education from Johnson State College in 1980.
Mello first started teaching in the 1969-1970 school year at a private school in Boston before moving to Vermont in 1972, when she started at UES, teaching first and second grades, and then in kindergarten from 1983 onward, where Mello said she found her calling.
Mello said when dealing with children with attention deficits or lack of focus, she would adopt a more individualistic approach to teaching and learning.
With young children, youre going to do less work with large groups and more work with small groups, so individualizing is a very natural part of what youre doing in kindergarten, Mello said. You would have to know your children pretty well to group them.
Even in math, were doing more small-group work, and we have set up for them to work independently when working with small groups, so you can take every child when they come in as far as they can go, she added.
Mello said she focused on teaching children to read to help them develop other academic skills later on.
If they can become excited and engaged about reading, I make sure that I keep that going, Mello said.
Milestones in education for Mello include a 1975 law that said special-education students should not be isolated from mainstream learning.
Ive seen things evolve over time ... with special education, which required that all students receive an education in the least-restrictive environment, Mello said. That meant that all children could be included in a public-school education.
Now, we find ways to support children so they can feel included and at home here, no matter what cognitive, physical difficulties, challenges they had. Vermont was a good pioneer in that, the idea that all children belong here and its our job to make sure we understand any challenges theyre dealing with, she added.
Mello also noted changes, over the years, in racial and ethnic diversity in the school system.
National Life is bringing in a lot of families from overseas, so our children are getting to know people they wouldnt have known until they were adults, Mello said. Weve had a lot of families from India, but Ive also taught children from Russia, Nicaragua, and two years ago, there were seven different languages spoken in my classroom such as Japanese, Russian, Hispanic, Indian (and) American Indian. It really does add a lot to the richness of the education of these children.
Mello said the school systems English language-learner teachers encourage children and families to preserve their lingual and cultural origins, and UES encourages children of different nationalities to participate in presentations about their family backgrounds, bring in flags of their home countries, and bring national dishes to potluck dinners with families to share with others.
You want to make every child know that theyre welcome and that they belong here, but you also dont want them to lose the things they have from having that special background, too, Mello said.
Another milestone for Mello was teaching the grandchild of a child she once taught.
It was only once, but that was a milestone when I had the grandson of one of the children I first taught, Mello said. I taught his grand aunt, and then a couple of years later, I had his grandfather and then I had his mother, and then two years ago, I had him, she said.
It seems like Im participating in something that teachers must have done a lot when you had the old one-roomed schoolhouses, that the school was the center of the community, and Miss whoever, she had your mother, she had your father, Mello added.
Fellow teacher Dena Cody has worked for 11 years with Mello on the kindergarten team at UES.
Mary has inspired me her dedication to the children and families in Montpelier is unwavering, Cody said. I always think of her as the child whisperer. She just has a way of working with children that helps them to grow and learn.
I always meet people and tell them I work at Union and Im a kindergarten teacher, and they always say, Is my teacher still there, Mrs. Mello? Just the other day, I was at the orthodontist and the dental hygienist said, Mary was my teacher, and this woman is so successful and happy and had such great things to say about her.
Cody recalled how Mello would teach an embryology class in kindergarten.
Ive only known her 11 years, and every year, shes hatched in every single class, Cody said. In the spring, shes always hatching chicks.
Cody also noted Mello has always maintained a rigorous professional development regimen through her years as a teacher.
She never stopped learning, she kept up with her studies ... best practices in math, best practices in literacy, best practices in science, Cody said. She always wanted to do what was best for kids, so if (that) meant a course, she took it. Thats an inspiration in itself. She herself is always learning.
Cody said Mello would also care for other students in the school.
She goes above and beyond for every kid in her class, and even in my class she looks after all of them, Cody said. Its not just her class. Shell peek out and see someone who needs help and is always there to help. Im really going to miss her, and its hard for me to even say. I wish she would stay. I dont want her to leave.
Mello taught Montpelier parent Emma Bay-Hansen and her brother, and her daughter.
Mary Mello was my kindergarten teacher 37 years ago in 1983, Bay-Hansen said. I was thrilled to learn that she would become my daughters kindergarten teacher a few years ago.
Mrs. Mello is the type of teacher that children fall in love with. My daughter goes back to visit her all the time. She is an incredible educator. Her patience, calming energy and depth of experience give her this magical quality a surreal, perfect version of what you dream a kindergarten teacher to be. We will all remember Mrs. Mello as one of the greatest teachers Montpelier has ever known, she added.
Mello said shes retiring to allow a younger generation to succeed her.
I think people tend to leave teaching sooner because they know they have to be very active, Mello said. I didnt want to get to the point where someone said, You cant do this anymore. I wanted to leave before then.
Mello plans to continue writing for The Bridge, and will volunteer to teach early literacy in a pre-school class at The Family Center in Montpelier. She also plans to spend more time with her grandchildren.
Online: https://bit.ly/2QlXRj6
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