“I have taught English in grades 7 to 12 and I also taught art but I now teach 10th grade English grammar, composition, literature. It’s a little bit of everything,” she said.
She started teaching on Tinian where she worked for four years before moving to Saipan.
Staffler said a teacher should be interested in what she is teaching, otherwise, the students will not pay attention.
“I like to show the students that I can be silly. And I’m not afraid to express myself. To be loud and exuberant about something even though it is just grammar. But when I do that it perks them up,” she said.
Staffler is the accreditation chairwoman of Kagman High School.
“Accreditation is not just a report but a lot of data gathering and information as well as getting teachers to know what else is going on in the school besides what is going on in their classroom. Because it is all intertwined,” she said.
Students do a lot of cooperative learning in her class such as art, poetry and reading.
She believes in an open relationship with her students and shows them that she cares.
Once the students know how concerned she is not only with their school work they do better in class.
“They’re more apt to do the work because they don’t want to disappoint you and they also feel that it is more important to them because you are part of their life,” she said.
Staffler tries to connect whatever it is that she is teaching to what students already know.
“For example today we are learning about imagery. And one of the things about imagery is having to do with the senses. And so by just asking them simply, who has had cold? — connects them already, they understand the idea of a cold.”
Staffler has her own garden at home. She sings and plays the guitar as well as make jewelry.
But she is happy being a teacher and is fulfilled whenever she sees her students excel in class.
“Being a teacher, you are not just teaching, you are a counselor, an advisor, a crisis management person. There are so many tasks. Those students need teachers who actually care,” she said.
