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Paraprofessional Marie Bleile reflects on 50 years with Dubuque Comm School District
Summary
Marie Bleile, a paraprofessional with the Dubuque Comm School District, recounted five decades of service, saying she began working “two hours a day,” later preferred library duties over recess and urged that anyone entering teaching must love working with children.
“My name is Marie Bleile, I've been employed with the School District for 50 years as a para,” Marie Bleile said, opening remarks that recounted a half-century of work in local schools.
Bleile said she started with “two hours a day” on hall duty and gradually took on more hours until she worked full time. She said colleagues and students sometimes call her “grandma,” a nickname she accepts: “I don't care. I'm a grandma, I'm a great grandma.”
She said she enjoys working in the school library most and that she no longer wants recess duty after a long stretch in that role: “I had enough of that for 30 years.” Bleile described how, when she reads to students, she tries to select books both she and the children will enjoy and that many students asked to read the same book again after she finished.
Bleile closed with advice for people considering teaching: “If a person is really interested in teaching, I think that's a good thing for them to get into. But remember, they have to love working with kids, and expect everything.”
Her remarks concluded with music following the recorded segment.
