Intro: Welcome to the Teacher Interview Podcast. I’m your host, Wes Kriesel. I work as Director of Innovation and Instructional Support in Fullerton School District, and every week we sit down and get to know a teacher better. My goal is to learn what drives and guides teachers, especially when venturing into that risky territory of trying something new. Join me. Today on the Teacher Interview Podcast, we spend time with Amy Sylvester. She teaches at Golden Hill Elementary in Fullerton.

Wes Kriesel: All right. So, we’re going to talk for about 20 minutes or so and the topic is just the idea of taking risks, innovation, trying new things, and to start off with, I was wondering if you could just tell me a little bit about you and your journey into teaching. How did you get started?

Amy Sylvester: How did I get here? Well, I started teaching about 20 years ago but it wasn’t my first career, but I thought it should have been my first career. So, I was that kid in first grade that would race home and set all my stuffed animals out and teach them whatever I learned that day. I was that dorky little kid. And then, I progressed through high school and whatnot and I happened to be good in math and science and other things, and I ran into a counselor that I really feel did not like her job, probably. So, she told me like, “Why would you want to be a teacher? You’re so good at math and science. You should be an engineer.” Well, just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean it’s a passion for you.

Wes Kriesel: Yeah.

Amy Sylvester: So, I started out in engineering. I didn’t last long. Long story short, I wound up getting a degree in environmental design, like the words of “don’t be a teacher” were in my head. Then, I wound up moving to California. I got involved in the hotel industry, did all sorts of stuff with that. An opportunity came up where the hotel I was with was sold and I had that moment of saying, “You know what? I always wanted to be a teacher. I’m going to go back and get my credential.”

Wes Kriesel: That’s cool.

Amy Sylvester: And so, that’s what I did. And at long last, I don’t have to teach stuffed animals anymore. I teach real people.

Wes Kriesel: Real people. That’s cool. So, we interviewed three people ahead of time, so Alex, your daughter, Matthew, your son, and Lauralyn Eschner.

Amy Sylvester: Aw.

Wes Kriesel: Yeah. So, I’m going to start with Matthew because one of the questions we asked was, “As a bonus, is there anything that we should know about to ask?” And he said, “You know what? My mom used to work in the hospitality/hotel industry,” and he’s like, “I don’t know the answer to this, but I wonder what she would say if you asked her what relation that had or what impact that had on your teaching.” So, what do you think about that question?

Amy Sylvester: Oh. That’s a really—that’s interesting. I think, based on the story I just told you, that me wanting to be a teacher had an impact on when I was a general manager of a hotel because I’m going to tell you, our break room had the best bulletin boards out of any break room.

Wes Kriesel: Oh my god.

Amy Sylvester: Truly, it was like this frustrated side of me. I think one of the things though is that when you’re in the hospitality industry, you have to think on your feet all the time. No day is ever the same. And when you think about it, teaching is kind of the same deal. No year is the same, no day is the same, hopefully. I mean, if it is, that’s kind of sad. So, I think that that’s part of it, is that to be in the hospitality industry, and I worked my way up from being, you know, I was a bartender and a server, to being general manager of a hotel and a regional vice president and whatnot.

Wes Kriesel: I like how you just say “and whatnot,” you know, “regional vice president and, you know, all those other things.”

Amy Sylvester: Yeah. Yeah, I was…anyway, yeah, I think it’s…

Wes Kriesel: Oh, you’re bashful about that? You worked your way up quite significantly.

Amy Sylvester: I did. Yeah, I did.

Wes Kriesel: Yeah, and one of the things Matthew, he was trying to express like you were in charge of all these kind of big events, right?

Amy Sylvester: Yeah.

Wes Kriesel: So, what kind of events?

Amy Sylvester: Gosh. Well, I would work a lot at trade shows. And so, a lot of times we would have vendor events where we would invite our clients to come, and so that would be going into a city and trying to figure out like, “Well, where am I going to take them?” You know, not McDonald’s. So, and trying to work with that. And then, initially—well, not initially but for a large part of my time, I was a catering director and a director of sales, and so that’s where people would come to me and say, “We have $10,000 and this is what we want to do.” I’m like, “All right. I’ll spend your money.” So, they varied from just your regular banquets to setting up complete trade shows to galleries. We did some gallery things and weddings and, I don’t know.

Wes Kriesel: Can you connect those events to teaching?

Amy Sylvester: I think what I can do is connect it to some of the things I do outside of my teaching day. So, for example, Arts Fest at Golden Hill, that’s my wheelhouse.

Wes Kriesel: Tell us about that in case people don’t know.

Amy Sylvester: So, Arts Fest is this awesome, awesome thing where it’s a full day devoted to kids just exploring the arts. And so, we set out all sorts of tables with different stations for them to visit, and they just get to sit and explore and find out like what it’s like to sit behind an easel and try to draw a still life or what it’s like to try to use cardboard and make sculptures or to do a puppet theater. And so, it winds up being about 25 different stations. So, that involves making sure you have the tables and the tablecloths and the materials and people to man it.

Wes Kriesel: I get the connection.

Amy Sylvester: Yeah.

Wes Kriesel: That’s cool. So, I’m going to jump to something Lauralyn said. And I said, like the bonus question, “What would you want me to know?” And she literally said you live and breathe the arts. So, tell me about that. Why would somebody say that? You’re doing this outside the classroom, but just expand on, what does that sense mean to you?

Amy Sylvester: I do live and breathe the arts. It’s just who I am. I didn’t realize that I look at things differently until I took one of those like personality tests in a cohort when I was getting my master’s, and I kept answering the questions [00:06:49 thinking, “That’s what everybody thinks. That’s how everybody sees.” Apparently not. It was really shocking to me that I am like this 1% of a person that just, you know—and that doesn’t make me better than people or anything. I’m just different that I look at everything through a lens of either it’s a story to me or I see a painting or, you know, music makes me see colors. So, I go to a lot of concerts, I go to a lot of plays, art galleries. That’s how I relax, is to be able to do something like that.

Wes Kriesel: Yeah. That’s great. Let’s go back to that sense where you say, “So, I’m the 1%.” So, how do you then work with colleagues who seeing things differently than you? And, describe the kind of professional relationship, how do you manage that when you’re very kind of uniquely focused and maybe they aren’t? But, what’s that like?

Amy Sylvester: So, it is challenging, I am going to say that, and unfortunately, people won’t see but I know that I’m this person where there’s just this chaotic whirlwind around me and in my head and whatnot. And I know that there are some people that they are the parallel-line person, and I know that I have to really try to focus and work with that. Fortunately, for example, the two people I work with, they are very similar that way, maybe not quite as much. And so, they understand that I’m going to come at them in the morning and go, “Oh my gosh, I just had this idea and I think we should try this.” And both Matt and Sean are like, “Oh yeah, and then we could do this and let’s go ahead and do that.” And so, I’m so fortunate to work with them. And the people that I know are vastly different, I love working with. I think that’s what makes the world go round, and I think that our kids need to have teachers that are all sorts of different types of teachers so that they get to experience that and have people that are like, “Oh, you’re just like me. I get you.” So, you just find the path and you find something that you have in common with them.

Wes Kriesel: Oh, that’s a good—I was just going to ask for a strategy. Can you think of a time where you were trying to navigate something and you were able to find common ground? Or, how would you help somebody else do that?

Amy Sylvester: So, I think, fortunately, being at Golden Hill and with us having a focus on the arts, a lot of times that can be the common ground, that there’s something either that they can help me with or I can help them or that we are bouncing an idea off because we’re working together. And working with Arts Fest is a good example or doing the play is a really good example, because if it was only me and my whirlwind of yarn and color and everything, it might not be as successful. So, you need other people that can say, “Did you think that maybe we might need to do ABC?” And I hadn’t yet. I probably would have got there, but it might have been that then I’m like the day before going, “Oh my gosh, I forgot to order chairs,” or whatever it might be. So, it’s good to have all those types.

Wes Kriesel: Yeah, and that actually coincides with the rest of what Lauralyn said. She did mention that you go to a lot of concerts, and she also talked about being a team player. So, she said that you would do anything you could to help other people, and she mentioned developing the strategic plan for the arts at Golden Hill, that was like a specific time when she saw that.

Amy Sylvester: Yeah. No, that’s neat. So, yeah, we’ve been working really hard to develop that and trying to make it so that it’s also not overwhelming, not overwhelming for a new teacher that walks onto our campus and looks at this and says, “Hey, I’m not an artist. What am I supposed to do with this?” Because, you know, that would be horrible, to be a new teacher and realize, “Gosh, I don’t belong here.” But, really, anybody can be at our school and teach the arts and have fun with it.

Wes Kriesel: Oh, that’s good.

Amy Sylvester: Yeah.

Wes Kriesel: That’s really cool. All right. So, I’m going to choose another quote. Looking for—okay. So, it’s interesting, too, two people, I think it was both of your—so yeah, Lauralyn and Alex, both talked about during a play when you’re in the back, and they talked about that moment where your, Lauralyn called, she used this phrase about being, you’re completely engaged with the kids and you’re like supportive but subtle, like you’re not the star of the show but you’re… I don’t know what that looks like, I don’t know that I’ve seen that, but how would you describe that moment? And that also is, like Alex, your daughter, said, talking about being in the back and watching you, like there’s the MacBook and you’re just directing the backstage crew from your MacBook, and she talked about the dimly-lit table at the back. So, what’s your recollection of those moments?

Amy Sylvester: Those are kind of the favorite moment—well, I love directing a play. It’s definitely a labor of love and, you know, or else I wouldn’t do it, I guess. And sitting at the back, by that time, there’s nothing else I can do because they’re on a stage. And so, you’re just, you know, except for say a prayer and cross your fingers and hope for the best. And so, at that point, I’m more like the proud mom, I think, just to see everything and see them all being there best and just thinking back to like what they were like even when they auditioned. Because every year, and last year was such a great example of that, but every year, we have one or two kids who are like, “I don’t want to do it. I just want to be on the crew or the ensemble,” and then they rock it. They’re amazing. So, our lead last year, he goes like, “I just think I’m going to do crew.” And so, we have, the first time when we roll out everything with the play, we have everybody come and we just do some group singing and we’ll walk around and kind of listen, and I listen to see and I watch who’s kind of enthusiastic, but you wouldn’t think they would be. And so, those are the kids I always go up to and say, “I know you were thinking about doing crew, but just come to a couple auditions. Let’s just see how that goes for you.” And two of our, actually our lead lead, Joseph, because he was our lead, that was him, and then one of the brothers was the same way.

Wes Kriesel: Wow.

Amy Sylvester: Yeah.

Wes Kriesel: That’s cool.

Amy Sylvester: Yeah. So, it’s really neat to see that.

Wes Kriesel: So, you’re open to like when they come to you, they may not know what the outcome is going to be and you also don’t know, so you’re just being open to… So, you said you’re watching them and they’re into it. What do you see when a kid’s just like at the first rehearsal and they’re into it? What are you looking for?

Amy Sylvester: So, are they smiling? Are they singing, opening their mouth? I mean, that’s part of it, and some of them will start to actually move a little bit. And so then, it’s like, “Okay,” because you have to be able to move and sing at the same time if you’re going to be in musical theater. It’s kind of a thing. So, yeah, so if they seem like they’re just enjoying the whole process, then I know that they have a possibility.

Wes Kriesel: That’s awesome. How do you relate that back into the classroom and watching students and looking for engagement? How do you tie that in?

Amy Sylvester: Totally the same thing for me, and one reason why a few years ago I really, really pushed hard to try to make the seating in my classroom flexible was because I was kind of that kid that didn’t want to sit still either and I learned differently when I was comfortable. And so, when you start seeing kids that are, you know, they can’t sit in this seat or they want to stand up, and when you let them, then all the sudden their product comes out. And so, that’s one element, is just making sure they’re in a comfortable and safe learning environment. And then the other, just today, we were [00:15:20 sneaking them] a little math on how to do percents, but we talked about how we’re smart in many different ways and then, how are you smart? Are you art-smart? Are you math-smart? Do you think you’re 40% art-smart and 10% math-smart? And created a graph out of it and had discussions. And some kids struggle with that and I’ll go over and I’ll go, “Gosh, but you know, I really loved what you wrote that first day, so maybe writing is your thing. Do you think writing’s your thing?” So, you just have to talk and see what they have to say, and clearly, I have no issues with talking to people.

Wes Kriesel: That’s great. That’s a great tool to engage people. And sometimes I think, I mean, it’s like you’re treating them like they’re adults, right?

Amy Sylvester: Yeah.

Wes Kriesel: You’re getting them to think about their process or their feelings in the midst of like this cognitive or artistic process. So, that’s really, really cool. Anything you want to add?

Amy Sylvester: Just, you know, I think, because I teach upper-grade kids, this is the time where they start thinking, “I’m not good at art. I’m not good at math.” And so, anything we can do to make them see differently, I’m all about that.

Wes Kriesel: Kind of shift respect their perspectives and kind of—yeah.

Amy Sylvester: Exactly.

Wes Kriesel: Yeah, and help them hold on to something that’s going to be meaningful for that year or possibly a lot longer.

Amy Sylvester: Right, and that’s one reason why I really love the play and the variety show, is that if they don’t get up on a stage in elementary school, they probably are not going to all of a sudden decide as a freshman in high school, “Hey, I’m going to go get on a stage.” So, it’s really neat because then when I’ll go and see plays from the high schools and I’ll look in the program and there’s kids from Golden Hill all over the place, backstage, front of stage, yeah. It’s really neat.

Wes Kriesel: That’s really cool. One of the questions I asked people was if they had to sum you up in one word, so I’m just going to call Matthew out for cheating because he said multifaceted. I was like, “That’s slick, multifaceted in one word.” But, what do you take his answer to mean?

Amy Sylvester: Well, I think—I think—he means that I like doing a lot of different things and nothing really stops me from thinking I can’t do something. So, even like directing the play, honestly, I didn’t really have that much experience walking into doing it, but nobody else was really stepping up and I’m like, “Hey, I like plays and I like music and I know how to organize people and deal with kids, so I can do this. Let’s do it.”

Wes Kriesel: Let’s go, yeah. That’s great.

Amy Sylvester: Kind of like, “Let’ s put on a play,” and we do. So, I think that’s part of it and that’s, yeah, I think that’s, I don’t know.

Wes Kriesel: That’s interesting. Okay, so I’m going to throw out another word. So, Alex said brilliant. So, I don’t know what that means precisely, but to you, if your daughter says you’re brilliant, how do you interpret that?

Amy Sylvester: Wow. I think it kind of relates back to that, too, is that just I’m willing to try things, but to try things sometimes you have to learn a little bit before you can do it. So, I love learning. I’ve always joked like if I won the lottery, I would go back and get more and more degrees. I would be that person that goes to college because I just love that opportunity.

Wes Kriesel: That’s cool.

Amy Sylvester: So, I think that might be part of it because both, luckily, I don’t do that to them, but both my kids who are in college, they’ll tell me about the classes they’re taking. I’m like, “I want to go sit in on that class, not because I want to see you’re doing but that sounds fascinating.”

Wes Kriesel: “That sounds interesting.”

Amy Sylvester: Yeah.

Wes Kriesel: That’s great, and what a great, I mean, like posture as a teacher because then the whole road in front of you, I mean, every year, if you teach the same grade, but then you have like, “Oh, but there’s so much more we can learn,” and I’m sure you sense the depth that you want to go with them.

Amy Sylvester: I hope so. I think so, and I think like that is true, like every year it’s something a little bit different and because that would be boring if it wasn’t, right? And that’s one reason why I’ve changed grade levels, is once I start to feel like—I love teaching fourth grade, but I knew it was time to look at a different grade level when I went to Mission San Juan Capistrano and I was like, “It was good, but it wasn’t the thrill that it had been. So, it’s time to change it up.”

Wes Kriesel: Yeah. It’s interesting especially talking about risk-taking, innovation, something new, so you have kind of this internal sense of like, “I think I need to move.” It’s interesting. I mean, I’m sure it’s different for everybody, but do you want to talk about that a little bit? How do you know, like you talked about shifting grade levels, but how do you know, what does it feel like to you when you’re teaching and you’re like, “You know what? This needs something new.”

Amy Sylvester: I think like when I start realizing that it feels stagnant to me and that I’m not passionate about it that it’s time for me to either switch it up completely or look for ways to make it different. Or, one of the things that I, and I love, again, teaching older kids and having iPads, but by the time, like by December and they’ve got all the patterns and all of our routines down and they start exploring more and showing me things, it’s like, “Oh, let’s try this then. That’s a great idea. Let’s apply it over here.” Because part of it, too, is, and this is kind of a bird walk, but it makes me sad that a lot of kids walk in and like they would rather put a pencil in their eye than talk about history or do anything like that. But, for most of them, it’s been like, “Memorize the states and capitals,” or “What year did this happen?” but that is boring. I mean, that’s what Google is for at this point.

Wes Kriesel: Right.

Amy Sylvester: So, looking for ways to make it different for them and that entertains me, that. So, Hammurabi’s law, we do a People’s Court spin on it. And so, they think it’s hysterical to be, you know, I show them a little clip of Judge Judy and how they can be, then it’s a little bit more relevant for them.

Wes Kriesel: Yeah, and it’s interesting it’s overlaying that flair for the dramatic, that theater on top of the content.

Amy Sylvester: Right. I don’t think you can be in my classroom and not walk out like a little bit of having the flair for the dramatic by the time you’re done.

Wes Kriesel: Yeah. One of the quotes, I asked Lauralyn, “Can you sum up Amy in one word?” and she said, “Sure,” and then she gave me like eight words. But, one of the last ones was a phrase. She said, “She’s a real theater person, you know,” and then she said you’re helpful with the arts, team player, positive, supportive, enthusiastic. So, pick one of those and just talk about why that resonates with you enthusiastic, supportive, positive, team player, helpful with the arts, a real theater person.

Amy Sylvester: They’re all wonderful. I don’t know which one to…

Wes Kriesel: I was like, “Lauralyn, pick one.”

Amy Sylvester: Pick one, I know.

Wes Kriesel: She was so nice. I didn’t even go there. I was like, “I’ll take them all.”

Amy Sylvester: Hmm. I like enthusiastic and I like positive, so I’m trying to—I like all of them, but I think that’s the best way to be as positive. If you go into it with a mindset of “I can’t” or, even like today, I was tired, it was Friday, last night was back-to-school night and so I could walk in and just be like, “Uh.” Or, the more bling I have on it means the more tired I probably am, so like, “Let’s do it.” Put on a gold chain, blingy shirt, and I walk in, I’m ready to go. That and Starbucks.

Wes Kriesel: That’s a way to read your mood, the more bling you have, you’re trying to [00:23:44 unintelligible] that up.

Amy Sylvester: Psyching myself into it.

Wes Kriesel: Yeah. Well, that’s about the time that we have. I was wondering if there’s anybody thinking about trying something new, let’s say they’re at their school and nobody’s directing a play, or there’s iPads and they’re just sitting there and nobody’s using them, like what would you say to a teacher who’s looking at that risk?

Amy Sylvester: Jump in, both feet. It’s sad to me when people don’t want to try something, and it’s okay to fail. And I think I’ve been that way since I was a child, I’m that person that I’m just going to go for it. And I’m not going to make a big deal about it, and if it works out, that’s fantastic, and if I fail, then I’m going to look and see like, “How can I tweak this to make it better?” And the other thing is, there are so many people available to ask for help and I think that’s hard, and I think sometimes in the situations where we work, sometimes we get so involved in being maybe a little bit competitive or just like kind of in our own world that you fail to realize like you’re working with a field of experts. Everybody’s good at something and everybody knows a little bit about something that might help you. So, that’s where, with the play, I’m like not a great dancer, but I know people that can choreograph a play like crazy.

Wes Kriesel: That’s awesome.

Amy Sylvester: So, they’re on my team.

Wes Kriesel: Yeah, yeah.

Wes Kriesel: Yeah. So, that’s what I think, just try and find the support people. Find your people.

Wes Kriesel: That’s great, try and find the support people. That’s great. Well, that’s going to do it for this time. Thank you so much.

Amy Sylvester: Thank you.

Wes Kriesel: And see you next time, people.

Outro: This has been the Teacher Interview Podcast. Thank you for joining us.

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