Former Landscape Architect Now Cultivates Learning

Charlene Dupler's face lights up when she describes her second career as a 4th grade teacher at in Wind Lake. The former landscape architect had made a career change, but also has seemed to find her own place.

"I loved being an architect, but I was ready for a change. I had seen the work schools and teachers were doing with my own children and I thought it was something I wanted to be a part of," she said.

Dupler, who joined he Lakeview staff in 2006, was recognized for her efforts in cultivating her classroom with a 2012 Compass Award, the highest honor given by Muskego-Norway School District to its staff.

In presenting her with the award, Superintendent Dr. Joe Schroeder called Dupler an "exceptionally committed educator, collaborator, innovator and caring, student-centered teacher, whose can-do attitude and take-charge initiative has a VERY positive impact on those around her."

Dupler said her perspective of working on teams in her previous career has translated to the classroom environment.

"I have the perspective of a person who has run her own business, where you have to be innovative, creative and work with initiative, so I apply that to my teaching as well," she said.

However, beyond a career change, Dupler said teaching was something she felt drawn to vocationally.

"It's like a calling; my mom said she'd always thought I'd be a teacher, so when I started the process in 2001 and 2002, she was not surprised," she said.

Her team-oriented background also shows in her involvement in and out of the district. Schroeder said she is a key member of Lakeview’s school improvement team, the district’s technology committee, a five-year member of the district’s strategic planning committee and category teams, and an enthusiastic participant in the Columbia Teachers’ College Literacy workshop training.  Dupler is also an active participant in the Educational Communications Board, the Wisconsin Historical Society, and the Wisconsin State Reading Association.

Dupler is a voracious reader, and tries to instill that in her students as well as their parents. She recently bought "The Book Thief," which is set in World War II Germany, asking parents to read it first, and then see if children would like it, too.

"If the kids see their parents are reading, that is a great example, and they want to read, too. I especially love historical fiction because it also presents history to students for them to learn from as well," Dupler said.

However, it's apparent that her favorite subject may well be her students and the time of their life that they are in.

"I love teaching 4th grade — it's the greatest! These kids have a lot of skills and you can start taking them to the next level," she explained. "It's also the first year they get their hands on a text book and learning can really take off."

Dupler models the idea that if you find a job you love, it's like never working a day in your life.

"I have loved this from my first day... I thought, 'Finally — here I am!' This is my room, and it's always been. It's just been the greatest."