Please introduce yourself and tell us when and how long you were a teacher in the Watchung Schools?

Hi, I am Wendy Amo. I taught in Watching from 1965 - 2000, with 2 years off when we adopted our son who is 55.  I had just graduated from Springfield College with degrees in Biology and Physical Education.

What grades or subjects did you teach? Why did you choose that grade level or subject?

I started in Watchung as a Physical Education (PE) Teacher at Valley View which was grades 6-8 at that time. I was from Rochester NY, but my new husband was from NJ and had a job, so I just followed. Valley View was close to the school where he had accepted a job.  Back then women PE teachers were very scarce, and it was easy to find a position as a woman.

Why did you choose to teach in Watchung? Tell us about the hiring process you went through. 

Because there were so many jobs available for women PE teachers, it was an easy choice for me.  Watchung actually called to ask me to come for an interview and even offered to fly me down for it.  The PE teacher before me who was leaving was very good, and Springfield College has an excellent reputation for their Physical Education and Biology programs.  I interviewed and was offered the job right then.

What are your most memorable experiences relating to the schools?

There are so many wonderful memories over the years, foremost among them are the students.  After a few years at Valley View, the population increased and they were in need of another science teacher, and I fit the bill so I had science classes in the morning and "gym" classes in the afternoon. It was a great combination and I was able to get to know the students in two entirely different environments.  I think having the students in both the classroom and in the gym made for a wonderful combination. After 3 years splitting my time between the gym and the science lab, I became the full time science teacher.

As the "gym" teacher, one of the favorite activities of both the students and myself, was the obstacle course. It was a little hair-raising watching them trying to better their scores and helping fellow students get better and better, but equally wonderful to watch.  Another memorable activity (believe it or not) was square dancing! When it was first announced many students complained and complained, but after a week they were asking to come in at lunch and during their study halls to dance. It was fun! 

In the classroom, which really was a very well equipped laboratory, we would run experiments 3 of the 5 days a week. We had enough lab stations for the kids to work in pairs. It was a complete lab that included Bunsen burners, microscopes, and other equipment found in well equipped labs. As you can imagine, we had both great successes and also a few failures. During the Biology Year, we studied all life forms - from the microscopic level to humans. We also completed dissections of animals ranging from grasshoppers to cats. In the Physical Science year, we studied chemistry and physical science. We completed so many interesting experiments from electrical to crystals, and we even had a bubble day. I was so sorry to hear that the lab has been demolished, I think the best learning is hands-on.

Please share your funniest memory serving as a teacher in the Watchung Borough Schools. 

I laughed every day!  On one of the bubble days (which I saved till the end of the year as it was so messy), we had all of the lab stations, floors, windowsills, and classroom equipment covered with this soapy polymer mixture. It took hours to clean up, and many of the kids stayed late to help in the cleanup efforts. We were laughing, slipping all over the place, and soaking wet. We even ordered pizza for dinner. 

The lab was always open and the kids could come in as early as 7AM or after school. It was always busy!

Along with my teaching assignments, I also coached field hockey, basketball, and track.  I would assist the music teacher and co-directed school plays. I also had the honor to work on the yearbook.  Seeing all the students in so many ways was great for both them, as well as for me.

What was the hardest part about being a teacher and were there any particular challenges that you faced during your time with the school?

I don't want to skip the hard part, but I never found teaching hard. I will say that towards the end of my career (because of the way of the world and social pressures), there were more and more restrictions on teachers as to what they could teach and the availability for the students to just come and go before and after school. A school should be open and teachers should be able to teach without all the restrictions. Also, teaching to tests is no way to allow students to question and to think!

What changes did you witness during your time with the school?

I think I touched on that before, but there were too many restrictions and teaching to tests, and not allowing the students to make mistakes and learn from them.  By 7th and 8th grade, students should be able to handle failure, learn from it, fix it, and get better. If not then, when?

How did involvement with the Watchung schools affect your life?

Being a teacher in Watchung resulted in lifelong friends, many became close and are like family now.  As for the hundreds of students, many have "friended" me on Facebook and it is great to see their successes and their families. I have been so lucky to have been able to stay in touch with so many of them. 

If there is any advice you could give to students as you reflect upon your career as an educator what would it be?

Advice to students would be to get to know your teachers, in more ways than just the classroom. Join a team, student government, music, art club, or anything that makes you feel you are a part of the school.

Anything else you would like to share about your experience as a teacher in the Watchung Schools?

No comment.

Interview by Helena Ruta, part of her Gold Award Project - August 2023