Minneota again

Today I sat in on a couple minutes of a study hall class at Minneota High School. I’m writing a story for the 9/26 paper about teaching from the perspective of a veteran teacher and a newbie.

Jim Rolbieki has been at MHS for 35 years. I asked him if he was burnt out and he said no, he tries to be enthusiastic and make the class interesting.

I know, as if he’s going to tell me he’s counting the days until retirement.

I then interviewed two students, a junior and a senior, about their teacher. I said, “How is he as a teacher — does he drag his butt into the classroom every day and just go through the motions?”

They said he was enthusiastic, lively, eccentric. He makes the class exciting. It was great that they actually answered me without mumbling, “he’s nice” or something boring. Instead, they used interesting word choices. I was impressed.

I know if I had been teaching 35 years and kids said that about me, I would consider that the greatest compliment and that my life’s work had been worthwhile.

I wonder if he paid them?