Member Spotlight

Patty Conner
Cumberland Valley EA

Patty Conner considers herself pretty typical of school teachers across Pennsylvania.

“Just like me, they want to do the best they can for their students every day,’’ said Conner, a third grade teacher in the Cumberland Valley School District in suburban Harrisburg. “I take my profession and obligation to my students seriously.’’

But there are also frustrations and that those frustrations, combined with her passion for students, brought her to the state capitol in June to join other teachers and parents in urging legislators to provide adequate state funding for public education in this year's budget.

Conner points to her own classroom as a case study. As a third grade teacher, she begins the year with students who have just left second grade and must now move from writing letters correctly to writing in narrative, persuasive and informational form by spring. And not just write - read and comprehend the literature as well. Then there are other subjects with similar demands, including “best practices in teaching’’ guidelines that say teachers should differentiate teaching among students.

An ideal third-grade classroom should have 15 to 17 students. Conner had 28 pupils in her class this past school year.

“My students did not have the chance to learn all that they were capable of learning simply because I ran out of time with them,’’ Connor said. “There is only one of me and so many of them.’’

She equates that situation to a boxer going into a ring with one hand tied behind his back. He tried to fight the good fight, but the odds are tough.

Conner feels if teachers are going to have a fighting chance, they need a strong public education funding commitment from the state. So, she walked up the capitol steps on a steamy hot June day and lent her voice to the cause.

The Harrisburg Patriot News featured Conner's comments in media coverage of PSEA members' visit to the Capitol to advocate for school funding and pensions.

Hands Off Her Pension
Patty also appeared in the PSEA video "Hands Off Our Pensions," featuring educators from across the state talking about the pension issue and it's affect on PSEA members.