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Alumna Crystal Kochendorfer, Graduate of the First Year of UC Irvine's Teacher Credential Program, Spoke to Teachers of Tomorrow Members About her Career Trajectory from Student to Elementary Teacher, School Board President, Elected Official, County Commissioner, and National Level Advocate for Special Education Funding
Crystal Kochendorfer has the distinction of being a graduate of the first year of the UC Irvine teacher credential program. Crystal initiated her higher education studies at University of Southern California (USC) as a Sociology major and upon graduation was employed as a social worker by Los Angeles County. In recalling those days, Crystal explains, “As a social worker, I saw people poorly educated and ill prepared for life. This realization led me back to the classroom and teaching. I knew that if I taught children to read, I would help them unlock the doors to life long learning and independence.”
Crystal was one of three students who enrolled in UC Irvine to begin the newly-established teacher credential program in 1967. At that time the Department of Education was called the Office of Teacher Education and was a sub-division of the School of Social Sciences. “The university looked completely different then: “Immature trees and few buildings gave the campus a stark appearance. You could name every building. Parking was never a problem.”
Under the School of Social Sciences umbrella, Crystal and the two other students were required to select a major in Social Sciences. Crystal selected Social Psychology and attended classes in her major with Ph.D. candidates. Dr. Kenneth Bailey, the sole Education Professor, taught the education courses and supervised the students’ independent study. “We didn’t realize how fortunate we were, how brilliant and caring this man was. We’d gather for dinner, sometimes in graduate housing, and the evening would be spent discussing our readings and talking about the profession of education, just the four of us.”
Crystal did her student teaching at Top of the World School (TOW) in Laguna Beach the year it opened. She was able to participate in developing a model program of team teaching and differentiated staffing. Both the teachers and the students continually changed classrooms throughout the day in order to create a learning environment best suited for each student in every subject. Crystal loved teaching at TOW but after graduation from UCI accepted a job in Placentia school district where she could work with disadvantaged students. “It was a teacher’s market and school districts were courting the most desirable teachers. I was able to select the class I wanted at the school I wanted. I chose a junior first grade (a class for children who placed developmentally somewhere between kindergarten and first grade) at Van Buren Elementary.” While Crystal enjoyed the children and valued her contributions, she found the professional climate at Van Buren differed markedly from TOW. “I was able to partner with another new teacher, but Van Buren was a school where the other teachers went into their classrooms and closed the doors. The teachers were good, but I missed the collaboration and the innovation at TOW.” After one year Crystal returned to Laguna Beach where she taught four additional years, until her first child was born.
When Crystal and her husband Paul started their family, Crystal decided to focus on raising her children. Continuing to use her talents, she joined her parents in their interior design business, which gave her the flexibility to spend time with her children and volunteer in their classrooms once they started public school. In due course, she incorporated her teaching experience into her children’s school by developing and implementing a gifted and talented program, teaching in the Junior Great Book program, tutoring in the classroom, and serving on the PTO/PTA and as PTO President for both elementary school and high school.
As her children advanced through the grades, Crystal ran for and was elected to the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) Board of Trustees. She served 18 years on the CUSD Board, including three terms as Board President. Additionally, she served two years as the President of the Board of Trustees of the Capistrano-Laguna Beach Regional Occupational Program, as President of the Orange County School Board Association, and 15 years as a delegate to the California School Boards Association. Other activities have included Chair of the Children and Families Commission (First Five Commission of Orange County); membership on the California State Senate Select Committee on School Readiness; President of the Board of Directors for the Niguel Children’s Center; President of the Laguna Beach Girls Club Board of Directors; member of the south county council of United Way; and member of the Advisory Board of Beta Foster Care. During her years of service, Crystal regularly communicated with her state and national congressional representatives. She was appointed by the President of California School Boards Association to join with their executive committee in representing school board members from California and traveling to Washington D.C., where they met with the Secretaries of Education; Health and Human Services; Labor and Transportation; and the Drug Czar.
When Crystal chose to retire from her leadership role in CUSD, the district issued a news release praising her years of dedicated service and highlighting the progress that had been achieved under her enlightened leadership. Today Crystal remains active in education, responding to requests from those who seek her advice. On April 15, she addressed the Teachers of Tomorrow Club at UC Irvine. Future teachers listened carefully as Crystal described the challenges she faced in the 1960s and 1970s. “We teachers didn’t have the content and performance curriculum standards we have today. For the most part we developed the curriculum, designed our own teaching aides, and devised many ways of evaluating our students for progress and for grouping purposes. There was no BTSA (Beginning Teachers Support and Assessment). While we enjoyed the excitement of getting together to design the curriculum and fashion our own support networks, it took an enormous amount of time. There are many advantages awaiting you now.”
Crystal emphasized that teaching is a profession. “Teachers should conduct themselves as professionals in their dress, in their actions, and in their instruction.” Additional words of advice included: arrive at school fully prepared; be flexible with lesson plans and capture the teachable moments; communicate with colleagues, planning and teaching together when possible; love and treasure your students; and maintain a sense of humor.
UC Irvine is fortunate that Crystal Kochendorfer will be joining the Department of Education’s new Leadership Council, where the Department will be able to draw upon her years of experience.
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