Teacher Has Special Insight

By Tabitha Deans, Close-Up staff, Salt Lake Tribune
Thursday, July 27, 2006

When Granite High School teacher Charlene Koplin showed up for her first day of teaching at the Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic, she had her work cut out for her.

Most of the students in that California clinic were involved with gangs, and all attended it because extreme behavioral problems had gotten them expelled from public schools.

Despite the conflict and anger that existed at the school, Koplin said she wasn't afraid of the students or the job she had to do.

"I knew I was in love with the profession. I found the students interesting, and I also knew I had a lot to learn," said Koplin, who has taught in the Granite School District since 1987.

That experience was 23 years ago, and Koplin said her time there with the troubled youth helped her decide to build a career teaching special education. She acknowledges she wasn't a stellar student herself and understands that each student learns differently.

She has been with Granite School District since 1987 and has taught academically challenged students in several district schools, including Wasatch and Eisenhower junior highs, Cyprus High School and Lincoln Elementary.

Heather Romney, a recent Granite High graduate and former student of Koplin's, said she may not have graduated from high school if it hadn't been for her teacher's persistence and dedication.

"She was awesome. She helped me learn to read and write better, and she always made me feel good about myself. I wouldn't have made it if she hadn't become my teacher," said Romney, whose mother, Judy Nielsen, echoes her sentiment.

"She helped Heather improve her reading so dramatically. Heather looked forward to going to school, and Mrs. Koplin really helped motivate her to work hard and graduate," Nielsen said.

Koplin said she believes her life's experiences have helped contribute to her teaching success. She was a single parent for many years, and worked her way through college and eventually earned a teaching degree from Brigham Young University and a master's at the University of Utah.

She's also is afflicted with multiple sclerosis, which she said actually has helped her relate to her students on a personal level.

"Several years ago I had a really bad episode, and I thought I would have to stop teaching because it affected my short-term memory seriously. I understood what my students go through when they can't form proper thoughts," Koplin said.

She dealt with the memory loss with humor in the classroom and said her students have been very supportive of her.

Koplin also has an interest in American Indian history and culture, so she started the Native American Student Council at Granite High.

Married with a combined family of five children, Koplin became a grandmother for the first time seven months ago. She enjoys swimming, traveling and cross-country skiing. She also loves cold temperatures.

Koplin will continue teaching at Granite High when it opens in the fall as an academic academy.

This story appeared in The Salt Lake Tribune.