A 101 Chat with Ms. Schierman   Sherman Elementary School's very own Maria Schierman takes us behind the scenes of the teaching world. By JASMINE JACKSON   As I wait for 3:35 to hit the clock I take a glance around room 7. Bright colors, Large numbers, Letters and a variety of words cover each wall from top to bottom. The Room is slightly chaotic, as the kids scramble around to grab their back packs, reading folders, and art work. Unique collages of student portraits are hung along the wall with their name above in bold print. In most of the portraits the students are smiling, some with goofy grins, a few with missing teeth. Below the wall of students is the backpack area, across from that is a wooden shelf where the students place there writing boxes. "Miss Schierman!" one of her students calls out. "Tomorrow is my birthday" Maria turns and makes a surprised, yet excited gesture. "Well looks like we're going to have to make you a birthday hat, huh?" Her student smiles seeming pleased with her reaction and continues to get ready to go home. Maria gets up from her desk and begins to prepare for the rush of incoming parents coming to pick up there kids. Her long black boots "click clack" around the classroom making it hard to not notice the rest of her stylish outfit. A perfectly fit black sweater hangs on her slightly broad shoulders and a pair of fine denim jeans flows from her hips covering her black boots. She wears her hair cut to fall just below her ears with her bangs naturally swept over to the side. A pair of dark framed, and rectangular shaped glasses are worn on her face making her beautiful blue eyes pop out even more. The bell rings and the door flings open welcoming a swarm of parents. As they line up to get there young ones, Maria stands there greeting them. Most by name, all with a warm smile. The crowd begins to gradually decrease, leaving only a few kids behind. When the last student leaves she turns to me with a nervous grin and says "You ready?" Maria Schierman: How did you decide you wanted to be a teacher? Jasmine Jackson: "When I was in elementary school, I found writing to be very difficult for me. My 5th grade teacher yelled at me when I asked a question to clarify something I was struggling with. It was from that day on that I became too afraid to speak up and ask questions. It was shortly after that point that I realized that I wanted to be a teacher. I never wanted a child to feel the way that I did." JJ: What are some perks of being a teacher? MS:"One perk about being a teacher is that I love my job! I knew in the beginning I was not going to make a lot of money, but my life is full of amazing experiences. As a kindergarten teacher, I am surrounded by smiley 5 and 6 year old, excited about learning. It doesn't get much better than that!" JJ: What are some of the downfalls of being a teacher? MS:"I would have to say that I struggle the most with the politics surrounding education. It is sad to see the lack of funding for our children. Every year, more and more funding is cut, yet the demands continue to increase. It is heartbreaking to see what is being taken away from our students." JJ: Do you think that you have to be dedicated in order to be a teacher? MS:"I definitely believe that dedication has been key to being an effective teacher." JJ: Did you enjoy teaching first grade more than kinder garden? MS:"My true love is having the opportunity to teach beginning readers and writers. I don't know if I have a preference between both grade levels. I do have more experience teaching first grade, but I have really enjoyed my time in kindergarten." JJ: Do you use your personal money for supplies for your classroom? MS:"Yes, Unfortunately I have to. I believe it is important that my students have certain materials. Due to severe budget cuts, many necessary supplies are no longer purchased by our schools. I end up spending hundreds of dollars each year. But, the kids are worth every cent"       JJ: What is something that you would like to have different about your profession? MS:"I wish that more people were aware of what is going on with our education system. I would like teachers to have more of a say as to how our district spends their money. It becomes frustrating to hear about different Acts that are mandated by our government, yet not funded. I wish kids these days were given the opportunities that I had. We need to bring back the arts, athletics, and lower class sizes to ensure that all students feel successful. This I believe would be a start to decreasing the current rise in our dropout rate." JJ: How many years of college did you go to? MS:"I went to the University of Portland for 4 years, where I received my bachelor's degree in education. Although I was fully credentialed, I attended a 2 year program at Portland State University, where I received a Master in Special Education. This past summer, I completed my Math Specialist Certificate from San Diego State. Overall, I have received 8 years of college education." JJ: How does teaching affect your personal life? MS:"Currently, I have been very stressed with the demands of my job. Although I don't take my paperwork home with me, I often find my mind racing about different ways I can improve my students learning. This year, I have 48 students on my caseload. I often feel overwhelmed with the amount of work and lack of time. Seeing some of my students struggle and not having them for a full day has been very difficult. My boyfriend, friends and family have been very supportive in lending an ear as I constantly attempt to reorganize my schedule to better meet the needs of my classes. I think that the hours I spend at school have also been difficult. I am generally at school an hour before and an hour to two hours after the day has concluded."