AMY SZPARA

PHOTO: Sharon S. Joseph sits at her desk shortly after her 18 students have left for the day. As a transition teacher at Fifth Ward Elementary School in Reserve, she prepares fourth-graders who did not pass the LEAP test the previous year to re-take the test and move on. (Staff Photo by Amy Szpara) The classroom walls were covered with signs instructing students on proper grammar and punctuation, the rules of constructing a productive essay and points about competent writing. More tips for writing were taped to the tops of all the desks in the class. The room serves as a constant reminder to the students that good writing is important, and the 18 fourth-graders who spend their school day in the space should not forget that they must take it seriously. The woman who spends her days teaching the students in the Fifth Ward Elementary School classroom is a transition teacher, and her job is to get children ready to take and pass the LEAP test. Her students are fourth-graders who did not pass the test the year before and must repeat it before they can move on to fifth grade. Sharon S. Joseph, a teacher since 1984, has 18 students who need to re-take the test and she helps prepare them for the academic areas that they have trouble grasping. She teaches the kids regular elementary subjects but adds more emphasis to what the students need for LEAP. Chosen as St. John Teacher Spotlight for the month of February for her work with the transition class, Joseph spends a lot of time focusing on reading comprehension and writing (with her students). Joseph said that some students failed LEAP by only a few points and others failed one section but not the others. To move on to the next grade, the students must pass all sections of the test. Though Fifth Ward had the highest number of students in the parish to fail the LEAP test in the 1999-2000 school year, Joseph said, many of those students went on to pass the test during summer school. The ones who did not are in her class. “Some of them are pretty bright, but they just aren’t good at taking tests. A lot of them can articulate things but aren’t good at writing them down on paper,” said Joseph. Joseph divides mornings into 20 and 30 minute increments, and the students break into groups to visit “stations,” which focus on a particular subject. After one group finishes at one station, they move on to another. There are five stations designed to help students prepare for the test: Language Arts, Reading, Writing, Math and Composition. For example, Group I may spend 30 minutes on essay writing, then they would move on to another station. The afternoon is dedicated to “dailies,” test-like questions that are given to the students to answer. They also work on vocabulary and enrichment, physical education and library time. Joseph said she visits the parents often. “If I have a problem and I can’t get the parent on the phone, I go to the house,” she said. She said she does that if there are behavioral changes or learning problems or just to visit. “I want them to know that I’m concerned, and I want them to know what their child is doing. I don’t want them to be surprised,” she said. Joseph said that she enjoys teaching and has always wanted to teach. “The teachers I had in elementary school were very knowledgeable. They were people you could look up to. Teaching was always something I wanted to be in. It’s a noble profession. Learning is everything. If you want anything in life, you have to go to school,” she said. Joseph, who has one daughter and three grandchildren, said that teaching is a 24-hour job. “You never leave it behind. It’s not easy, but the people I admire most are teachers.” In addition to teaching the transition class, Joseph is also the chairperson for the math fair and one of the coordinators for Math and Family Science Day. She was also involved in the LEAP fair, which began this year and got parents more involved with their children’s LEAP preparation. The parents went to stations with their children. Though Joseph said times have changed and children have become more difficult over the years, she still loves her job. She encourages parents to take a larger part in the learning process. She also works hard to get her transition students interested in reading, something most of them do not enjoy. “Reading is something that takes time. Reading is the key to everything. If you can’t read, you can’t do anything. But it’s so wonderful to be able to put yourself into the character’s place, to use your imagination,” said Joseph. Joseph calls her teaching a learning experience. She said she gets up everyday and learns something new. “It’s a life-long process,” she said. “I learn from my students and the students learn from me. Everyone has something to share.” Joseph added she has always been inspired by her love for children. Two of the children she taught are now teachers in St. John Parish, and she hopes more of her students will choose the noble profession.