A Q&A with credit recovery teacher Marsha Keith
The Pirates’ Hook (PH): What is your role here at Riverside?
Marsha Keith (MK): I am the credit recovery instructional assistant.
PH: Why did you decide to work here?
MK: I actually saw some interesting flashes of this school on social media, and I was like, “That seems pretty intriguing.” That made me just look to see what y’all had available, and I applied. I was very excited to get a phone call offering me an interview.
PH: Where did you work before coming here?
MK: I worked in Wake County Public Schools, in their clerical and office settings.
PH: How is your role different from a regular teacher?
MK: I’m the only one in there so it’s a little bit more hands-on than what I’m used to.
I’m used to the clerical office setting. I did help students and spent time with students. Now, I get more of that one-on-one interaction with kids, which I’m enjoying. I’m getting to learn personalities and different things like that, and how I can best help them. So I’m enjoying it.
PH: What’s the process like for a student taking credit recovery?
MK: Credit recovery is an opportunity [to retake] a class that a student might have failed or did not do well in. They redo the work, learn the work, retain the information in their head to help get to the next level of classes. Overall, I just help them get across that finish line for graduation. Credits are very important, especially if you plan to go to college. There’s a specific GPA that most colleges have. They have a firm deadline that they won’t accept below.
PH: What’s one challenge you’ve noticed?
MK: Preparation of [students] getting logged in and, most importantly, having their device charged up.
PH: Do you have any advice for the students you currently have?
MK: Don’t look at this as a shortcoming or a failure. It’s a second chance to learn from. Take the initiative to be more organized. Take the initiative to raise your hand and ask the question and not be shy. 9 times out of 10, there’s a kid in your class who doesn’t understand it as well. They’re just waiting for somebody else to say they don’t understand it, so never take the opportunity to not advocate for yourself. I want the kids to learn how to ask questions and learn how to advocate for themselves.
PH: So far how do you feel about the riverside community?
MK: My hallway, the other staff members in this hall have been extremely welcoming, and they’ve made the transition process very easy. As well as Ms. Monroe, Ms.Newman and Ms. Aguilar, they have been amazing. I cannot thank the administrators enough for always checking in and especially just asking me how I’m doing.
PH: Is there anything that has surprised you from this school?
MK: The kids, previously for years I’ve done middle school and I always said I never wanted to do elementary school, and I never wanted to do high school, but here I am. The respect level, just coming in and doing what is asked of them without any pushback is truly appreciated. It’s a breath of fresh air.
PH: What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
MK: Reading is my guilty pleasure. I love to read. My goal at the end of this year is to have read at least 550 books. I’ve been reading and have loved reading since I was probably in second grade. I started out with The Babysitters Club books and Sweet Valley High. In my older years, I read history books and different things like that. So far this year I have read 340 books.
PH: Is there anything else you would like to share that I didn’t ask you?
MK: I’m a mom of two. I have a son, he is a freshman in college and I have a daughter who is 14, and she is in early college. One of the things that really has been eye-opening for me on this side is knowing the importance of having those credits because some things you don’t know until your senior year. I don’t want these kids to get to their senior year and not realize how important their credits are for their freshman year and their sophomore year, how important those things are to your bottom line GPA at the end of the year.
