Teacher Spotlight: Media Elementary's Sandy Gruber

Media Patch is offering a feature called Teacher Spotlight where we will feature a local teacher who deserves recognition. Teachers give a lot to their students, schools and studies and we'd like to recognize them and say a simple, thank you, for all that they do.

This Media Elementary School fourth grade teacher has taught at the school for more than 14 years and says she grew up knowing she wanted to be a teacher. She believes teaching is her vocation, not just her job.

Teacher: Sandy Gruber

School:

Grade/Subject: Fourth Grade

Years in the Industry:  26 years total, 14 years at Media Elementary

Teaching History:

Prior to Media Elementary, Gruber taught for 12 years at Media-Upper Providence Friends School and taught preschool in Newtown Square. She attended West Chester University for both undergraduate and her graduate degrees.

What do you like most about your job:

I like that every day is different and you never know what each day will hold. It's never boring, there's always something to learn, you never stop learning.

Why did you become a teacher:

I always played school in my garage with the neighborhood kids when I was a kid. I had a blackboard and the neighborhood kids were my students. I attend Catholic school and was always involved with a service project which lead to me wanting to help in high school, where I tutored at an inner-city school. I think that all contributed to me wanting to be a teacher. A big part of teaching is the service. It really is a vocation, not just a job. You do it because you love it and there's a lot of satisfaction in that.

What do you like best about your current school:

It sounds trite, but everyone is so supportive. If there's an issue, we band together. You don't feel isolated here. It's a hard job to do if you're not supported and I do feel supported here.