FACULTY


A Teacher for the Generations SUE LARSON, SECOND GRADE


F


or Lance Killian ’89, entering his child’s Second Grade classroom


is a nostalgic experience. His daughter not only attends the same school he attended, but she has the same teacher—Sue Larson. “It feels like seeing a good


friend from years ago,” Lance said. “You haven’t seen them for years, but when you go back you have that connection that’s always there.” One thing Lance likes about


Sue’s class is that it is OK to make a mistake. On the first day of school, each child makes a sign that says “OOPS.” Then they brightly color the signs, which they keep to remind themselves that every mistake is a learning opportunity. Just say “Oops” and try again. Lance clearly saw the


self-confidence that attitude nurtured in his daughter. For her “hero project,” she chose Laura Ingalls Wilder from the “Little House on the Prairie” books, and her fearlessness was evident when she portrayed the character in an oral presentation in front of all the parents. Owen is another “second-


generation” student in Sue’s class this year. His mother, Sarah Bechen Raymond ’91, says Sue was her favorite teacher and that she has kept in touch over the years, even inviting her to her wedding. She was thrilled when she found out Owen would be a student in Sue’s Second Grade class. “Sue just so obviously loves kids and loves teaching and


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loves learning,” Sarah said. “She is so enthusiastic and makes it so fun for them.” Lance says some things, such


as the close sense of community and robust academics, have not changed since he was a student at OES, but one big difference is that Mindy Sue arrived in Sue’s class in the mid-1990s. Mindy Sue is a large troll doll who gets into trouble and has difficulty learning math. “When Mindy Sue is


naughty, there is always a report at home,” Lance said. Mindy Sue is so real that she


even has a library number, and the students check out books for her to read.


WINTER 2011 OES MAGAZINE 11 11 “Second graders are so full


of wonder and awe,” Sue said. “Mindy Sue is magical, so she fits right in. They know that she’s not real but they like to believe. She has adventures and lots of times she’ll make a mistake and then say she’s sorry. They learn from her.” One can’t help but suspect


that Mindy Sue is a thinly disguised alter ego of Sue Larson herself. Both of them are magical. They never grow old, they never lose their sense of humor, and they never graduate from Second Grade!


Sue Larson: Second Grade teacher Marylhurst College, BS Appointed 1975


“It’s an amazing feeling to see former students walk in as adults. You see the potential when they are students but now it’s realized and they are remarkable adults who are doing an amazing job as parents.”


— Sue Larson


Sue Larson with Mindy Sue and this year’s “second-generation” students.


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