Issue link: http://tcnj.uberflip.com/i/1543060
22 The College of New Jersey Magazine MARISOL GUTIERREZ '02 Ben Franklin Elementary School, Lawrence Township Marisol Gutierrez walked into her first kindergarten classroom 23 years ago wearing a pantsuit, two-inch heels, and a giddy smile. She was ready. By day's end, her pants were covered in chalk dust, and her feet ached — but the smile was intact. She ditched the heels and kept the joy, channeling it into a classroom philosophy that revolved around connecting with students. "I CARE ABOUT THEM outside of the classroom, too." Over the years, as she moved to third and then second grade, Gutierrez prided herself on knowing her kids. But one day, she met a student she couldn't crack. So she tried something new, surprising the girl at her softball game. That Monday, the girl shared the news in class: "Mrs. Gutierrez was at my game!" "I saw her excitement," Gutierrez says. "And everything changed." Word spread, and a flood of invitations followed. To basketball games and birthday parties and dance performances. Gutierrez didn't hesitate. "I said 'Yes' to everything," she says. Over the years, she's been to karate tournaments, piano recitals, and soccer matches. She's watched a student dance in The Nutcracker, cheered through football games, and attended exactly one wrestling match. ("It was so stressful!" she says.) "I want them to know I'm not only their cheerleader in the classroom. I care about them outside of the classroom, too," she says. Clockwise from top L: Emely Taveras, Marisol Gutierrez '02, Ava Headley, Robert Raj, and Odin Gonzalez It's a lesson she's shared with dozens of TCNJ student teachers, not only by telling them how important it is but also by showing them how it is done, as she visited Packer Hall to watch their basketball games, too. "Connecting with students is really important," Guiterrez says. "It's the first thing I teach my student teachers, and I emphasize it all the time. Students are not going to learn from somebody who doesn't respect their uniqueness, their individuality." ■ Liz Leyden is a frequent contributor to TCNJ Magazine. She has also written for The Boston Globe and The New York Times. Peter Murphy specializes in portraiture work. His photos have appeared in Wired, The Atlantic, and GQ.