Sister Doris Marie: Old School Is Often The Best School

Sister Doris Marie Knebel, a Sister of St. Benedict of Ferdinand, knows full well the reputation she has as a math teacher at Resurrection School in Evansville.

 A strong disciplinarian. A stickler on her expectations of students. And strict.



But none of that bothers her. Because she knows her approach will benefit students.  Even if it’s not always appreciated by them at first, it will be later, when they rely on the grit and determination learned in her class to face life’s inevitable tougher challenges. Not to mention high school math.



Sister Doris Marie, in her 18th year at the school, teaches two 6th grade classes, two 7th grade classes and one 8th grade pre-Algebra class. Her career also includes 23 years as a school principal, preceded by another 10 years of teaching. 
Being in the classroom is where her heart lies, because that’s where she can best see students working up to their potential. Her demands are often the catalyst to make that happen.

It’s no secret she pushes kids academically. She makes them learn.



“If you don’t set high standards for them, if you set the bar here (she puts her hand at chin level), that’s about as far as they’ll go,” says Sister Doris Marie. “But if you set the bar up here (raises her hand to forehead level), they may not get all the way there, but they’re going to be a heck of a lot further than if you set it down here (at chin level).



“I want to challenge them to do the best they can. If I lower my expectations, then I’m not doing them justice. They may have to struggle, but there’s victory in struggle, too.”



She expects students to submit math work that is neat, correct and above all, shows the steps taken to solve the problem. If the steps aren’t there, the work is done over. Then she knows the student really understands the material, rather than getting lucky or maybe using a calculator.

Sister Doris Marie often says she is still of the “old school,” firmly believing that the only way to get better at something is to practice. So she requires students to complete extra problems. She knows many teachers don’t do a lot of review with kids, yet she won’t budge on practicing to ensure understanding.



Just last spring, a former student she had battled about not showing his work came to the school to pick up his younger brother. He made a special trip to Sister Doris Marie’s classroom to tell her ,“I didn’t appreciate your strictness as a student, but now that I’m on my own, I appreciate it, because I was ready to face what I was to face, because you insisted that I do it.”



She also periodically receives notes of appreciation from parents for what she’s trying to do for their children.
 She recalled that her first year of teaching “was a disaster; the kids ran all over me.” The next year she was determined to not be taken advantage of again.


“I can’t teach when there’s chaos, because I don’t think students can learn,” says Sister Doris Marie. “There has to be an orderly environment where they can concentrate. I don’t put up with a lot of foolishness. I have very few discipline problems, but I can’t do it any other way.



“Some days it would be much easier to let students do what they want, but my conscience won’t let me. Because then I’d be failing in my duty towards them, if I didn’t expect their best.” 



Yet she knows one can’t just run roughshod over people.
 A former student, Bill Theby, now 60, jokingly said his class “tested her vocation,” but he characterized her as “very caring, she treated us right, was not judgmental, was always concerned about us, she’s what you want in a teacher.” She could be all business, but could also enjoy a laugh with the class. 


Last spring, a 6th grade student, Grant Riordan, nominated her for a Teacher of the Year award sponsored by a local business, Brown Orthodontics. The firm received nominations from their patients for about 100 teachers in the Evansville area.
 Sister Doris Marie was the winner, based on Riordan’s essay: “I have heard from older students that she is a very good teacher and you will appreciate her when you get to high school. Now that I am in her class, I understand what they were talking about. Sometimes she is really tough, but she does it because she knows it is important for us to know math really well. Sister Doris Marie comes in early and stays late every day to help students that need extra help. You can tell she really cares about her students and wants us to do good. She is truly an inspiration and great role model.”