The last thing in the world Yvonne Verschueren wanted to be was a teacher.
But that is exactly what she became and after nearly 37 years, the Brandon teacher has retired from the profession with no regrets.
When Verschueren began attending Oakland University in the 1960s, she says the career options were few for women, she could be a teacher, a nurse, a housewife or a secretary. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1969.
Verschueren had been a substitute teacher while in college, but took her first full-time job teaching fifth grade in the Ferndale Schools. She was hired at Brandon in 1971 to teach sixth grade reading at Brandon Middle School and would later teach electives up to eighth grade.
Verschueren, a self-described ‘city girl,? recalls that in her first fall at Brandon, a student asked her if he could leave a jar on her desk until it was time for his science class. She asked him what the things floating in the jar were.
‘He said, ‘We castrated our bull last night,??? Verschueren remembers. ‘I said, ‘No, take it to Mr. Duran now.? I thought, ‘What have I gotten myself into out in farmland.??
The 59-year-old Rochester Hills resident also recalls that her first year at Brandon was also the first year female teachers were allowed to wear pantsuits. Previously, they had to wear skirts with blouses or dresses. However, the pantsuit couldn’t just be slacks, it had to have a jacket to match. Verschueren was written up for wearing a sweater and blouse.
Verschueren notes that Brandon was a ‘novel? school district in the 70s that allowed women to continue to teach all through pregnancy. She taught while pregnant with both her sons, now 29 and 26. She has been married to Edward Brouhard for 30 years.
In 1976, she received a master’s degree in teaching in learning disabilities and in 1984, she began teaching special education, first at the middle school and then later that year, at the high school.
‘I loved watching them go from their freshman year to their senior year and watching them grow,? Verschueren says. ‘Understanding that by their junior and senior year that you can sit and have a conversation with them. It’s a unique thing to watch them become young adults.?
Verschueren enjoyed teaching special education because she was able to get to know the kids. Her job, she says, had a lot of variety as she had to be a ‘jack of all trades.? She didn’t have her own classroom, but went to other classrooms to team teach math, social studies and computers.
‘I like to see the spark when kids have confidence, when they understand things,? Verschueren said. ‘I liked being able to guide them, open up choices for them, let them know what’s out there.?
What she didn’t like about teaching was the misconceptions some people have about it, like the idea that teachers have ‘summers off? or the day ends when school ends.
‘It’s a very draining profession and people don’t understand that,? Verschueren said. ‘You take it home with you. It’s not the same as taking home a marketing report. You’re dealing with people and problems, how do I get through to this child so he can understand??
At school, Verschueren said because she giving a presentation five hours out of six in the work day and 30 students demanding her time, she had to be on her game all the time.
As she has gotten older, she says the kids have expressed more that she has made a difference in their lives.
‘It’s a rewarding profession,? says Verschueren, who plans to take a year off just for herself, winter in Florida and travel in retirement. ‘You leave your footprints in the sand. Somewhere, in almost 37 years, I’ve made a difference.?