TEACHER'S CORNER: TEACHER SHARES JOY OF LEARNING AND ADVENTURE WITH HER SECOND-GRADE CLASS

Has your student created a culinary delight in class lately?

Rosemary Sullivan and her class of second graders at St. Vincent de Paul School made edible insects recently.

The class project was a review of science lessons about insects and spiders, said Sullivan, who is in her first year teaching.

"We used bread dough for the bodies and antennas, pretzels for the legs, shortbread cookies for the wings and M&Ms for the eyes," she explained. "The students were allowed to create an imaginary insect or model a real insect."

The catch was that they had to make a sketch of the insect on paper before making it with the treats.

After the students created their insects, Sullivan baked them at home and shared the food with the class on a Friday afternoon.

"If you ask the students about insect legs and body parts today, they will answer correctly without hesitation," she said.

Teaching is something that Sullivan had always wanted to do. She played school as a child. "As I got older, I realized that teachers did not make much money so I decided to be a nurse," she said.

But it took one freshman college course and some needles to change her mind. "I took my first nursing courses and realized I hated needles. Since I knew nurses had to give a lot of shots, I switched my major to my one true love: Teaching.

"I can say without a doubt that I do not regret my decision and I pray to God every day I never do," Sullivan said.

There are gratifying aspects to teaching, and sometimes they come in simple forms.

A thank-you note from a parent brightened Sullivan's day. "I had been having a very bad week and doubting my ability as a teacher when a student handed me a note," she said. "It was a simple note that told me I was doing a great job and that her son loved having me as a teacher. She finished by writing thank you for returning her son's love for school."

The note couldn't have come at a better time, Sullivan said.

Seeing a smile on a child's face is another gratifying part of teaching. "The smiles don't stop from the first one in the room in the morning to the last one out in the afternoon," Sullivan said. "There are many different kinds of smiles from pride to excitement. I love seeing the smiles after they share a story with me and know that I am listening."

Sullivan likes waking each morning and looking forward to a new day. "I know that no two days are alike, and so today holds a new adventure for me."

Sullivan earned a bachelor of science degree in education from Southeast Missouri State University in 1999. She is engaged; a wedding has been set for July 15.