Ms. Zerbe is a new teacher at DHH Lengel Middle School. She teaches ELA, helps out with the Lengel Lingo and also works in the Schuylkill Achieve program. She studied at Temple University and PennWest California. She’s currently studying at Drexel University. We had asked her some questions to learn about her and her interests. We asked her first what career did she have previously to this one?
“I was a journalist for 22 years before becoming a 7th and 8th grade ELA teacher at DHH Lengel Middle School this year. I’ve worked in big newsrooms at the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News and NBC 10. I’ve also worked for magazine and digital media companies, like “Men’s Health,” along with smaller newspaper outlets like the local Pottsville Republican. I loved it all!”
She added, “Early on, my journalism career focused on covering crime. But as I found my specialty in environmental health reporting, my job shifted to reporting on how we can improve the health of the planet, which in turn benefits people, too.”
For the last five years, she’s also been teaching environmental education in after-school ACHIEVE programs in about a dozen schools throughout the county.
She also appeared on CNN once to discuss a missing persons case that she was the first to report on. She was most proud that she was able to bring the missing woman’s case to the national level.
One very important question was, “why do you want to be a teacher?”
“When I was in first grade, I wrote a little story about my horse named Chief. My teacher made a big deal about it, turned it into a little book for our classroom, and I even got to eat breakfast with the principal. That encouragement early on helped me believe in myself as a writer.”
Ms. Zerbe said she had had many excellent English teachers throughout her life. “Now that I’m in my 40s, it’s my turn to give back and encourage the next generation of writers. I want to help students believe in themselves so they can help use their communication skills to make the world a better place for everyone.”