TEACHER'S CORNER: JODY GRIM TEACHES THIRD, FOURTH GRADE AT ST. AMBROSE

CHAFFEE -- Jody Grim knows what it's like to be a school principal as well as a teacher.

She has done both at St. Ambrose School in Chaffee.

But her present position is not the norm for a teacher. She teaches both third and fourth grade.

"Teaching a double grade is especially challenging," Grim said.

"You have to budget your time even more than normal. While teaching one grade, you have to keep your eye on the other class to stay on task."

Grim is in her 15th year of teaching at St. Ambrose. She was principal for three years.

She received her bachelor of science degree in elementary education at Southeast Missouri State University where she also took six graduate hours in administration.

Grim says she finds nothing more gratifying than seeing children learn.

"When they have mastered a skill," she said, "you can always tell by the happiness on their faces."

Her most memorable experience happened when one of her students brought a puppy to school for her.

"The pup spent the day in the principal's office, which was different," Grim said. "Today, my pup is 10 years old."

She recalls that last spring, her students were taking a math test.

"It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop," she said, "until one third-grader announced, `There goes a swimming pool!' The whole class roared. A wading pool was blowing through the yards across the street."

Grim lives with her husband, Jerry Grim, in Cape Girardeau where he is a teacher and coach at Notre Dame High School. They have four stepchildren, ranging in age from 13 to 22.

In her spare time, she enjoys walking, eating and latch hook.

Her other interests are centered around sports, including watching the Notre Dame High School ball games. She has played slow pitch softball and has participated on a bowling team.