Nancy Wojack’s 23-year career allowed her to witness the major changes in kindergarten instruction.

“It’s really changed. We went from a half-day kindergarten singing ABCs, learning colors and taking a nap and going home to a full day teaching them how to read and write and add and subtract and measure. So it’s really, really changed,” she said.

Wojack spent three years in Homewood District 153 before accepting a position in Flossmoor District 161, where she spent 20 years in a kindergarten classroom. She retired from Serena Hills School.

“I just loved that age group. I see them light up when they learn something. It’s just that age group that really appealed to me, their enthusiasm for school and love of learning. It’s quite a challenge,” she said.

The classroom would vary from 14 to 25 children. Wojack said she always took into consideration that every child is different. She would have some students who came in able to read and others who had never been to school or had any experience around other children.

She never had a classroom aide, although she would have paraprofessionals who would work with children who needed special help.

“We try to use videos multiple times a day. They’re drawn to it. It holds their attention. They’re used to it. They want screen time,” Wojack explains.

“One of the big differences in the children now a days is they’re not used to anyone speaking directly to them. They’re used to someone having their head in a phone or device” and Wojack said kindergarten is a perfect time to teach social skills because many children are not used to sharing until they’re in a classroom with 20 other children. 

“A good part of kindergarten, I think, we do need to dwell on the social skills that are going to be necessary to succeed in school and in life eventually,” she said.

Wojack got her teaching degree from Illinois State University, and substitute taught for a year. She took a summer job at Blue Cross/Blue Shield and stayed 15 years because the money was good.

She kept her teaching certificate current, and when her daughter was in kindergarten she began volunteering. When staff learned she was a teacher she substituted until she accepted a kindergarten position.

She went back to school at age 58 to earn a master’s degree in reading from Concordia University “because it became quite clear to me that the push was to start teaching children how to read.”

Wojack said teaching isn’t for everyone, but if you have a passion for children it is the best profession. 

“You never know what you’re walking in to every day, particularly in a kindergarten world. You have no idea what things they’re going to tell you, and (sometimes) it’s too much information,” she laughs. “It’s a great profession … I’ve always loved it. Even with all the changes. It’s what I was born to do,” she said.

But now she’s retiring to take time for herself. Her children are getting her a puppy. She says she’ll have time for gardening, enjoying walks and reading a good book “that’s not related to school.”