In the Q&A that follows, Mrs. Berger shares her story, her message for educators, and the classroom tradition behind a big Iditarod dream.
Introduce yourself to your fellow SDEA members. Where did you grow up, who makes up your family, and what led you to teaching?
My name is Christina Berger. I have been a teacher for over 20 years, primarily in 3rd grade. I currently teach at Liberty Elementary in Harrisburg, SD.
I grew up in a small rural farming community in Minnesota and received an education in a K-12 building. I grew up babysitting everyone in the neighborhood and with three younger siblings, taking care of others was just part of my life. After graduation, teaching was a natural next step. It was a profession rooted in service, and I knew I wanted to be all in.
I could not do what I do without my family as an anchor. My husband and I have been married for 22 years and are blessed to be raising two teenage children. A senior, who loves robotics, scuba-diving, and soccer and a freshman who loves horseback riding, theater, and country music. We live with a 5-year-old pomsky and six backyard chickens. I also share my classroom with a devilishly handsome bearded dragon.
What went through your mind when you heard you’d been named South Dakota Teacher of the Year and SDEA Teacher of Excellence, and what do these honors mean to you?
When my name was called, out of the group of high caliber people, I was stunned. The evening was a whirlwind of emotion, and it honestly is still a blur in my mind. It was and still is, a humbling experience. This role is not about just one individual. It is about all the people we have met along the way that had a hand in shaping who we are. It is about the students that walk through our classroom door and the colleagues that work alongside us.
We work in a place where we invite learners to be their imperfect selves. Where mistakes are forgiven and grit takes center stage. Classrooms are filled with people who spend an extraordinary amount of time thinking about other people’s children. I can’t imagine a bigger honor then representing South Dakota’s hard-working educators. Being chosen by the state of SD and SDEA, are not roles I expected in my career, but they are ones that matter. I believe in education fiercely and I am proud to be a voice for educators across our great state.
Over the coming year, you’ll represent South Dakota educators across the state and nationally. What are you most looking forward to, and what message do you hope to share?
I look forward to meeting individuals that are passionate about education. So often we are immersed in our own classrooms that we don’t have a view of other people’s journeys. I am excited to be surrounded by incredible teachers and listen to all the voices in the room. As is so often true, the smartest person in the room, is the room.
My message is one of hope and unrelenting support because my favorite kind of people are educators. People that give so much of themselves to others get my attention every time. Educators, all across South Dakota, turn off the light and close the door at the end of each day, but never truly clock out. We need the world to see what it means to be a teacher.
The work we do is amazing, but teaching is only one small piece of the job. Teachers give out hugs and snacks, they buy supplies, they locate winter gear and then . . . they teach. Teachers cut lamination, record data, and spend countless hours thinking about their students... and then they teach. We welcome students that arrive anxious, tired, or hungry and these people love them anyway. We hug them a little tighter during Friday dismissal and hold our breath that they’ll be ok over winter break. These are the worries educators carry quietly, often without anyone knowing.
We have the privilege, in some cases, to offer learners the best six hours of their day and that is not a responsibility to take lightly. We work hard to find our playful side, we practice magic tricks, and we show up to their ball games. Teachers show up in ways that rarely make headlines but matter immensely.
We get to celebrate incredible moments; like when a student finds their voice or when they take a risk because we’ve got their back. Because of teachers, there is a child out there that learned to believe in themselves. And another who accomplished something they once thought impossible. It is in these daily interactions that we quietly shape confidence and inspire curiosity. Teachers know test scores and reports cards will fade from memory, but the legacy of a relationship has staying power. Teachers do the things that matter and they deserve to have people who understand this mission.
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing public school educators and students right now, and how can SDEA members work together to meet them?
Educators are a committed lot, but we face an ever-changing landscape. We endure shifting educational policies, navigate political distractions, and overcome budget deficits in our schools... but we teach anyway. We watch as standards get rewritten and take a deep breath when, yet another new curriculum arrives. We stand in front of generations that evolve so quickly they are sometimes unrecognizable. But ... we teach anyway. Amid a plethora of acronyms and new initiatives, there is a teacher standing at the classroom door greeting children by name.
We do what needs to be done, even with pressure from above and a ground that shifts under our feet. This work takes deep care and sacrifice. It takes dedication to show up for students every single day. You may look at a teacher and see a superhero, but don’t forget that underneath that mask is a human being. It is easier to call educators superheroes because then we don’t have to admit that we are asking too much of them. We believe in what we are doing, but we cannot fill every need that comes through our door. We can, however, stand in the gaps and try to block out the noise. We are people just like anyone else. We do our best to offer learners a solid platform for learning, but our plates are full.
The truth is that education was never meant to be carried out alone. It takes a village, as they say. Learners need strong communities and present adults, and educators need a profession that supports them in return. I am grateful for the work that SDEA does to protect our rights and amplify our voices. They advocate for educators in ways that matter. When we support the people who dedicate their lives to children, we strengthen the schools those children depend on.
I urge you to stand with educators. They need someone in their corner too. For anyone out there not in education, if you want to see what this job really feels like; I implore you to substitute teach. What educators really need is your time, your trust, and your grace. We need people willing to stand in for us when the job gets too heavy. So, I ask you... Who is taking care of the people that take care of everyone else?
What advice would you give someone in their first year of teaching, and why should they get involved with SDEA?
I remember my first year of teaching and would describe it as eye-opening. Now over 20 years later, I shake my head at how much has changed. I hardly recognize the world we live in from the one I grew up in. It’s no secret that today’s students are growing up in a faster and more distracted world. They are overstimulated and over-scheduled. These are the children who entered classrooms across South Dakota this year. They are in search of a place to belong. A place to slow down and simply breathe. A place where the highlight reel is not the focus, but rather an invitation to be their imperfect selves. Teachers are the ones that create spaces where children can be human, and educators deserve that same understanding and support themselves. When life gets messy and the unexpected happens, it can feel like we live in an unforgiving world. It is in these moments, that your local union and the SDEA are there to support you.
When entering the profession, teachers put so much mental energy into landing that first position. Then comes the annual room set-up, getting your eyes on the class list, and wondering about the names on that paper. They represent equal parts incredible possibility and unknown. Before you jump into what can feel like the deep end, surround yourself with people that advocate for you. Your local union and SDEA are doing important work behind the scenes, and they will always invite you to take a seat at the table. I hope that you never need their protection, but you’ll be grateful it is there. I encourage you, in year one, to sign up as a member and become a part of something bigger.
What’s something your students know about you that most people don’t, such as a tradition, a quirk, or a hidden talent?
Most people who know me know that I love dogs. In fact, I have a side hustle that lets me care for other people’s fur babies. But what my students know, that other people don’t, is that I have a secret dream. It is the top item on my bucket list, and I am crazy determined to see it through. Have you heard of the Iditarod?
Every March, my third graders and I track the famous Alaskan dog race. We read musher biographies and fall in love with the faces of these amazing 4-legged athletes. I love the heart that goes into this event, and it is my favorite classroom tradition. These dogs eat better than we do and they LOVE to run. I am convinced they are the most well-cared-for dogs on the planet. I don’t just want to watch the race; I want to be part of it. I want to take a ride with a team, feed the dogs, massage their paws... the whole works. My dream? Apply to be “The Teacher on the Trail.”
Years from now, what do you hope your students remember about your class?
I hope my students look back at their time in 3B and know that I gave it everything I had. It is likely why teachers need a summer break; it takes that long to recover. I want them to remember the little things, like our skip counting songs, the salt dough maps, pumpkin Jack, and the book, Stone Fox. I want them to know that once they have been a 3B kid, they will always be a 3B kid... no matter how old they get.
