Mary Schobert was a professional tailor for more than a decade when she decided to use her talents in a different way.
“After working retail for several years – nights, weekends and holidays – I quickly realized that if we were going to have a family someday, something needed to change,” said Schobert, of Naperville. “I decided to go back to school and complete my degree in family and consumer science education.”
Schobert said becoming a teacher was an opportunity to combine her “her love for family, children, sewing and decorating” into a career that had a “family-friendly” schedule. Twenty-nine years later, the Waubonsie Valley High School teacher calls it the “absolute best decision” she ever made.
“Not only do I love what I do, but I was able to be a role model for our own children at home by continuing my education and becoming a lifelong learner,” she said.
After graduating from Northern Illinois University, Schobert started her teaching career at Newark Community High School in Newark and then was hired by Waubonsie Valley in 1999.
We sat down with Schobert to learn more.
What and where do you teach? Child development (the prerequisite course for Waubonsie’s on-site preschool), parenting and senior foods at Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora
How long have you been teaching? 29 years total, 18 at Waubonsie.
What degrees do you have? A bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University and a master’s from Rockford College.
What advice would you give to a new teacher? Be real, be yourself and be approachable. Be able to laugh at yourself and admit when you’re wrong. The classroom environment is extremely important. They need to feel safe to share! Make connections with your students and faculty/staff.
If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be? I would probably go back to my first career as a tailor. I am also an antiques dealer.
What’s the best part about being a teacher? As humans, I believe we all just need to be needed and appreciated. Teaching to me is at the heart of this endeavor.
What’s the worst part? The saddest aspect is making all these connections with students and most likely never seeing them again after graduation.
How have students changed over the years? Kids are kids. The names and faces have changed but teen drama/problems/anxiety are consistent.
What concerns do you have about today’s students? The biggest concern I have is the use of social media and privacy. Everything they do does not need to be documented for the world to see. They laugh because I’m “off the grid.” I tell them I was never on the grid. Phones have way too much control. I understand the need for general communication but the almost compulsive need to have it in their hands 24/7 is just scary.
What do you do on your summer vacation? I live on a farm so I spend time enjoying the farm life: watching crops grow, praying for rain, watching the cows and calves in the pasture, mowing and goofing around on anything motorized.
What do you like to do in your free time? Hang out with family and friends. I’m blessed with an amazing husband of 40 years, two grown married children and five grandchildren. We all live within 15 minutes of each other.
What was the funniest excuse a student gave for not finishing homework? The best one I had recently was “my homework got sucked out the sunroof in my car.”
Have you seen former students go on to be educators? What’s it like for you? One student in particular, Nicole (Price) Hopkins, was a student of mine during her sophomore year. She is now an amazing colleague in our building. The kids love hearing the stories of Mrs. Hopkins when she was 15 years old. I love seeing former students succeed in our field and even more in our district.
Jane Donahue is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
Is there is a teacher you would like to nominate for a Teacher Feature profile? Send their name and a little information about what makes them a great teacher to ksorensen@tribpub.com.
