Wallman leaves after 28 years of teaching in Fremont

Many adults might wish that Deb Wallman had been their English teacher.

An seventh-grade English instructor at Fremont Middle School, Wallman has worked to make the subject enjoyable while still helping students learn the basics. She’s taught vocabulary words using PowerPoint games of “Jeopardy” and “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” or with the Easy Button.

“I say the word and whoever can hit the Easy Button fastest can say the definition,” she said.

She’s brought her dogs, Bailey and Zoey, to school on warm Friday afternoons when the students were outside.

And she’s dressed up as the Cat in the Hat on March 2 �” Dr. Seuss’ birthday �” to teach principles learned from his children’s books.

What do students learn from Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham”?

“That you can’t say you don’t like something if you haven’t tried it,” she said, grinning.

Wallman has tried various ways to help local students learn. Now after 28 years of teaching in the Fremont Public Schools system, Wallman is leaving. She hopes to teach special education in the Omaha Public Schools system.

“I’m also thinking of going back to school and maybe pursuing a doctorate degree,” she said.

Wallman’s decision comes after 33 years of being a teacher.

A 1976 Dana College graduate, Wallman was a resource teacher for kindergarten through sixth grade at North Bend Elementary School. After five years of teaching there, she came to Fremont Junior High School in 1981 as a resource English teacher for grades seven through nine. She earned her master’s degree in 1986 from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Wallman then became a seventh-grade teacher when the junior high became a middle school in 2000 �” something she continued after the new building was constructed on the east side of town.

She teaches literature, writing, grammar, vocabulary and some poetry. Wallman said she strives to help students gain confidence in their reading, writing and speaking.

One of the biggest challenges is to turn students on to reading and writing �” to help them think outside the box and expand their knowledge so they can make correlations between topics.

Part of that involves finding interesting literature.

“I try to find books that students today will find more relevant to their lives,” she said. “It’s difficult to get some middle school students to read so you have to find things that they will find interesting. ... You know you’re a success when the students will go to the library to see if they can check out the book to read ahead of time.”

One favorite book this year has been “Freak the Mighty” about a young man who’s physically disabled who makes friends with another young man with a learning disability. By the end of the book, readers discover that the person with the learning disability isn’t dumb �” he just needed to find the right method to learn.

And just as readers may enjoy the discovery they make through that book, Wallman enjoys seeing students make discoveries in class.

One of the best parts of teaching, she said, is “when you see the light bulb go on” �” when students grasp what she’s trying to teach them.

To Wallman, teaching also is a way to stay young.

“These kids keep you young,” she said. “They keep you on top of what’s current and they’re always energetic ... the fun part is that they enjoy life at the moment. That’s what’s fun and it’s a good lesson for all of us to learn.”

Wallman leaves the middle school with many good memories.

She’s been touched by the way students have become involved in collecting canned food to help the community and how kind students can be when the parent of a classmate has died.

“This last month, my mom has been really sick and the kids have been very kind and supportive �” always asking how she is,” Wallman said. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

Wallman also has enjoyed �” and will miss �” the staff, the camaraderie and support she’s found at the middle school.

She’s seen many changes throughout the years from purple mimeographs to Xerox machines; from typewriters to computers and chalk boards to Smart Boards and PowerPoint programs.

Through it all, she’s tried to make English fun.

“English is not the favorite subject of all people,” she said. “I try to make it bearable.”

Even if that means dressing up like a cat.