Tribute To A Teacher

One of the most meaningful compliments educators can hear is that they have made a difference in the lives of their students. For Christal Daehnert (above right in her 6th-grade class picture from 1965) , the lifelong connection she had with her teacher, the late Virginia “Ginny” Koyen (above left), shaped her future in a profound way. Daehnert orginally composed the following article on the occasion of her mentor’s 80th birthday. The essay reminds teachers that their influence often lives on after students leave the classroom.

Good Morning, Mrs. Koyen! Forty years ago, these were the words around which my day was organized, as I raced to school to be the first student to enter the classroom each day. Many of us dearly loved Mrs.Virginia Koyen, our 6th-grade teacher at the elementary school in Sheboygan Falls and coveted a few minutes with her before the other students arrived.

Mrs. Koyen conveyed respect for each of her students, utilizing her natural warmth and genuine interest in us to encourage our individuality. She expected a great deal from her students, and was confident in our abilities. Mrs. Koyen was sophisticated and articulate, expanding our souls and intellects by opening us to ideas and cultures that extended far beyond the boundaries of our small town world. At the same time, however, she continually demonstrated her deep pride and affection for Wisconsin and its history.

The highlight of every day consisted of those precious moments during which Mrs. Koyen read to us. All worries and external concerns melted away as we were carried into another world and mesmerized by the adventures of Caddie Woodlawn and the emotional intensity of “Old Yeller” and “The Yearling.”

At that time, Mrs. Koyen lived with her now deceased husband, Dr. Roland Koyen, and their son on the campus of Lakeland College, where Dr. Koyen was a professor of education. Mrs. Koyen taught at Sheboygan Falls Elementary School for only one year, then continued her career in education by teaching at Jefferson Elementary School in Sheboygan until her retirement.

I suffered through band and chorus all through junior high, for the sole purpose of participating in the music festival held each year at the Lakeland College campus, thereby having an excuse to visit Mrs. Koyen. After I obtained my driver’s license on my 16th birthday, I drove directly to Mrs. Koyen’s house.

While in college, I visited her classroom at Jefferson Elementary School each time I returned home for a holiday, welcomed by her and introduced to the class as though I were a celebrity. Each time I left, she hugged me, then cupped my face in her hands and said, “My shining star,” refueling me with support and motivation to continue my academic and professional goals.

Christal Fasse Daehnert, left, and Roland and Virginia “Ginny” Koyen prepare to take a ride in an antique car on their way to a picnic in 1979. Daehnert remained close to Ginny Koyen, her 6th-grade teacher, until Koyen’s death in 2006.

It was during my college years that I had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with her deeply warm and accomplished husband, Roland, who, along with Mrs. Koyen, immersed himself in my adventures. Together, they succeeded in making me feel that my ideas were intelligent and original, and that my dreams were attainable. After I married, and then had a child, I had to share my time with Mrs. Koyen, as my husband and my daughter insisted on becoming part of the yearly visits.

Many years later I had a dream. It occurred during a particularly burdensome time in my life. In the dream, I felt dejected, mulling over various aspects of my difficult dilemma. I then reached into my pocket and discovered several coins. As I clutched them and then began to jingle them playfully, my mood began to shift. Delighted with my cleverness (the type of cleverness I only seem to evidence in a dream!), and with a rather sing-song voice, I said to myself, “But, I still have some coins (Koyens) in my pocket!” When I awakened the next morning, my problem, of course, had not been solved, but my heart felt lighter and I smiled a deep smile of comfort and satisfaction as I remembered jingling those coins (Koyens) in my pocket.

I am now 52 years old, and have doctoral degrees in both clinical psychology and psychoanalysis. I am in private practice with my husband in southern California, and have taught at several colleges and graduate programs in the area. I attribute my success to the support of my parents and the foundation provided by the education I received in Sheboygan Falls. Throughout my life, Mrs. Koyen’s belief in my abilities served as a source of strength and encouragement.

Virginia Koyen died on November 16, 2006, following a brief illness, just four weeks shy of her 84th birthday. Until her final days, Virginia Koyen brought people together through her deep capacity for friendship, her love of music, and her lifelong involvement in the Philanthropic Education Organization, a group committed to raising funds for women pursuing higher education under difficult circumstances.

And so it is with sorrow and deep gratitude that I now say, “Good night, Mrs. Koyen.” I still carry coins (Koyens) in my pocket, and I want to thank my teacher, my mentor, and my friend, for her many years of service to the children of Sheboygan County and for instinctively knowing that everybody needs to be somebody’s shining star.

- Christal Fasse Daehnert, Ph.D., Psy.D.

Posted October 10, 2007