Three members of the Masur family work at Pius X High School this year. Erin Masur (author of the cover letter for this month’s newsletter) is a former math teacher and current assistant principal; Danielle Karre is a math teacher and department chair, and Mark Masur is in his first year at Pius X as an industrial technology teacher, after 25 years teaching at David City Aquinas. Mark is Dani’s father, Dani and Erin were good friends even before becoming sisters-in-law, after Erin married Karre’s brother, which made Mark the father-in-law of Erin. We asked Karre and Mark Masur about their father-daughter teacher relationship.
Danielle Karre:
What did you learn growing up with your dad as a teacher that still impacts you today?
“Wooo, that’s a big question. I would say the biggest underlying lesson that I’ve received is to build on a foundation of faith, and to love, and I mean really love, one another. I think if there are things that I do well, it’s because of those underlying values that he instilled in me. I have many memories of conversations we’ve had that specifically spelled this lesson out, but also so many more memories of actions that have spoken that message even louder to me as well.”
You now have a sister-in-law and a dad in the same building as you. What emotions have you felt throughout this year (for your dad) and throughout past school years (for Erin) seeing them at Pius X?
“My dad versus Erin: two very different questions, I think!
“Erin and I started our first year at Pius X together, and we became friends long before we were sisters-in-law, which made the transition to family even better! In fact I think a lot of people on staff assume that we are simply sisters at first. I feel like the word “joy” can be pretty vague or overused, but that is the best way to describe what working together is like. We are both passionate about learning and our different responsibilities to ensure that happens for all students, and it is a joy to work with someone who is a “sister” and a friend.
“When my dad talked about making the move to Pius X, I felt so excited that my parents would be moving to Lincoln, but it also stuck me that he would be such an asset to the mission and vision of the school. And for him, as well as all of our technical skills teachers who come to us and bring their perspective of the working world outside of school and share their trade skills, these are people who have mastered their craft and have returned to the classroom to share that knowledge with students. That is also certainly true for my dad! He is and has been a contractor of many large projects outside of teaching, and he stives to bring that knowledge of real-world skills back to his students. I don’t get to see him as often as I see Erin, but I think my main emotions are peace and thankfulness that he is close to me, and here at Pius X!”
Do family gatherings inevitably end up as sort of a PLC-lite at times?
“PLC-lite is funny. As with any family, our conversations often drift toward what we are passionate and excited about, which includes teaching for sure! Sometimes my dad will talk about a strategy that he tried in class that he was excited about, which of course leads to me talking about something that I was excited about, etc… I’m sure when we get on these themes, others in our family must oscillate between fascination about the profession and sheer boredom. And at other times, when Erin or my dad or I have a challenge that we are facing, we are quick to seek each other’s perspective and quick to offer our own. I have certainly been helped and comforted by those discussions, and I hope they have too.”
Mark Masur:
How does being a dad of young kids then teens impact you in terms of how you want to work with kids in the classroom?
“Helping students want to learn is a big part of the teaching picture. It is perhaps easier when the student is younger, although there can be difficulties there too, as we know. Helping the student see that much of their own personal happiness depends on them using their God given gifts to the full, can be huge. Who doesn’t like to be happy? The next step is helping them to become good at this “using His gifts” stage. As we know, it just doesn’t happen, it has to be practiced, the same as we adults/teachers must do. It’s anticipation of how to use our gifts to help. Squandering these talents only leads us to emptiness, boredom and loneliness. No one wants to wear those shoes for long. Hopefully the students are able to feel how loved they truly are by the Father, through our experience together.”
Now that you teach in the same building as your daughter and daughter-in-law, how has that impacted you personally?
“It is so nice to have a capable helping hand in these two ladies and they are so quick to respond. They make me more effective.”
Are there any shared traditions or moments that have become special since you started working together?
“I have grown closer to them in our teaching relationship, and am very grateful for their assistance. They seem to make time for the questions I have of how to handle the process as I learn, now at Pius X High School.
“And I get to see my grandkids grow up, what a perk, huh?”
