Mrs. VanOverbeke, or “VanO” to most kids, is a staple at Kearsley High School. As a sophomore English teacher, AP Literature and Composition teacher, and head of the English department, VanOverbeke is truly vital to this school. As an educator, VanOverbeke is beloved due to her laid back style and caring nature. If something needs to be done, VanOverbeke is always a go-to.
VanOverbeke is one of those people that feel like they’ve lived seven different lives. When talking to her, you get the sense that she has a lot of experience in different aspects of life, despite being in the same district for a long time. VanOverbeke has two kids, Paul and Kate, and a husband named Sean, as well as a close group of friends. She demonstrates what it means to be devoted to both her job and her family.
As an English teacher, VanOverbeke expressed a love of reading, writing, and teaching literature. When asked to narrow down her favorite book to teach, VanOverbeke responded immediately with Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.
“There’s something in that story that I think is important in all its gut-wrenchingness,” VanOverbeke said. “I think there’s something really beautiful in all its ugliness. It’s important for kids to see how Steinbeck is pushing the boundaries of the time, like ‘how are we treating african-americans, women, disabled people, people with cognitive impairments, etc?’ and the end really reflects the wrongness in society. Like, we really don’t have solutions for people like that, and the criticism still lives 100 years later, which is horrifying… It’s definitely the most engaged I can get the students as well so I really enjoy teaching it.”
One of the most compelling things about VanOverbeke is her perspective on her craft. As a teacher, VanOverbeke expressed great value in the connections she experiences between herself and the students that she teaches. She shared a perspective, not based upon the best test scores necessarily, but instead the best advice and help she can give them for their life moving forward. She tries to mix her passion for literature and this value in her classroom.
“I gotta deal with what’s in front of me, like I can… say that it’s not my job but at the end of the day, resources are resources,” VanOverbeke said. “I have to help my people the best that I can… Like we have to do this today because life is going to make you do things.”
In this approach of hers, everything feels like it has purpose, from the boring reading logs to the ever important tests, VanOverbeke puts purpose into the day of her students outside of the intrinsic academic value. She expressed a desire to teach students how to become “productive citizens” as opposed to just good English students.
VanOverbeke continued this sentiment by saying, “Let’s just eliminate that question of ‘why do we need this?’ because sometimes we just gotta do what we gotta do.”
Overall, it’s easy to see that VanOverbeke places value not on just academic success, but also the “grit and stamina” she can help a student develop.
VanOverbeke also placed great importance on Kearsley as a whole. She expressed a love for her friends within the district who make her job much more manageable.
“Friends are essential in this job,” VanOverbeke said. “Otherwise, I imagine this would just grind on you so much that you’re jaded, you’re angry… Even with our flaws as a district here, family is big here.. They really get you through the day.”
Ultimately, after being a student of Mrs. VanOverbekes and also her interviewer, it’s become extremely clear that she is truly focused on being the bridge for students. Her focus is less on how many questions they get right, but more so the personal growth they go through. In her many commitments she shows loyalty and dedication to her role. As a whole, VanOverbeke is a team player who is selfless, loyal, and caring. Her values show through not only these interviews and the subsequent article, but also her approach to students.
