Stuck in the Middle With Youth
Rev. Peter Semeyn

Her enthusiasm is genuine and contagious. When Corrine Hansen says, “I love my job,” you sense that it is not a trite saying, but something that comes from deep within her. She loves being a teacher and, most importantly, she loves her students. 

“Every day parents trust us with their kids. We spend the entire day with them. It is not just teaching lessons, it’s accompanying kids on the journey, the ups and downs of being a middle school student,” Mrs. Hansen says. 

Corrine had her own unique journey to becoming an 8th grade language arts teacher. She attended Timothy Christian Schools K-12 and then Olivet Nazarene University where she was headed for a degree in social work. After two years, she realized that she wanted to teach and changed her major. When she graduated from Olivet Nazarene, she went to Honduras with the intention of teaching for one year. She actually taught English there for four years before returning to Chicago’s western suburbs. Much to her surprise, she found herself teaching Spanish at Timothy. She taught Spanish for one year and then moved to language arts.

“I had a plan, but God had a different plan for me,” she says. “I’ve learned to listen to God and to allow God to work things out according to His timing.” That’s not only the way it worked out for her to teach at Timothy, but also in getting married. She and her husband, Andy, who is a fireman, met in 2009 working together in a program called Special Camps. They became friends and maintained contact with one another until she returned from Central America. Eventually they started dating and were married a
year ago.

“Mrs. Hansen displays compassion, grace, and expertise in her subject area each and every day to her students and all with a smile. Her students believe in themselves because they know their teacher believes in them.”

When asked what gets her excited to come to Timothy every day, without hesitation she says, “The relationships! It sounds cliché, but for me our middle school staff is like a family. We share ideas about teaching, how to handle challenges, and brainstorm about strategies. We also share our lives with one another. I know I can count on my colleagues to help me with anything.”

Language arts in 8th grade also includes writing and reading. Students are learning how to best communicate ideas and to analyze various kinds of writing. All of that is done at Timothy within a Christian context. In reading, students choose three books to read out of many choices. They then become a member of a book club (otherwise known as small groups) with others who have chosen the same book. In book club, they discuss the books they are reading, but they are also learning about how to share ideas, how to respect others, and how to work together as a team. 

Middle school kids are going through a lot of changes. They have one foot just outside of elementary school and one foot into high school. For many students it’s an awkward phase physically, emotionally, and intellectually. They are trying their best to navigate all of that, and it requires people that understand, listen to, and guide them. When asked what keeps her up at night, Corrine says, “One of the primary concerns of middle school students is how to fit in. With all the outside influences, we continue to encourage our students to find their worth and value in Christ. This is the greatest lesson that can be taught. A firm foundation will guide their everyday actions, thoughts, and relationships both in and out of the classroom.” 

Middle school principal Justin Horne affirms Corrine’s value to the teaching team. “Mrs. Hansen displays compassion, grace, and expertise in her subject area each and every day to her students and all with a smile. Her students believe in themselves because they know their teacher believes in them.”

“I love my job!” If you love your job because of the relationships you have with colleagues and with students, you are a great teacher.

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