Marlene L. Bell (’68 B.A., ’71 credential)
Assistant Executive Director, Region II, California Teachers Association/CTA
Marlene Bell knows what it takes to succeed in education. For Marlene, an important “first” was being one of the fi rst three students in the UC Davis EOP (Equal Opportunity Program), which was funded through the personal generosity and commitment of Davis faculty in January 1966.
Marlene’s passion for public education is proven through her 27 years as a K-4 teacher in Davis Joint Unifi ed School District, as a mentor of new teachers, a leader in writing the first multicultural curriculum guide, a teacher leader, and now in her demanding CTA role. She was among a small group of African Americans to teach in Davis and served as the first African American president of the Davis Teachers Association.
I thoroughly enjoyed my years as a classroom teacher before I took on the work of an advocate for students, teachers and public education full time.
Marlene now manages CTA’s largest region, covering 73,000 square miles in 31 counties--from the Oregon border to the LA county line, and from Davis east to the Nevada state line. As manager, she is responsible for the coordination of most CTA programs and services throughout the Region.
Why did you choose to get your credential and become a teacher?
I was intensely interested in teaching, having worked as a student in Bay Area and Davis classrooms. I wanted to teach the children who others thought would be the least successful. My desire was to work with children who struggled socially and academically and to help them reach a comfort level in both areas. My advocacy for children in my first year of teaching evolved to become an advocate for teachers during my second year. I never stopped! I thoroughly enjoyed my years as a classroom teacher before I took on the work of an advocate for students, teachers and public education full time.
What was your most important goal as a teacher?
As a kindergarten teacher, the best aspect was the partnership that developed between the parent, child and the classroom teacher. An important first objective was to identify the learning goal or dream of each child and their parents. Nearly every child has the same dream; they want to be able to read before the end of the year. Their parents had the same goal. The partnership in that effort was fabulous. My job was to make that dream come true, to expose them to the magic in reading and the love of learning.
We succeeded. More than 90 percent of our kindergartners became readers by the end of kindergarten. As a mentor with new teachers, my goal was to help them to see that if they wished to be considered a great teacher, they must be successful with children with the greatest challenges. The real workin teaching is finding the strategies for success for each child. Good pedagogical practices combined with an enriching curriculum are core to achieving success with every child. Lastly, it is paramount that neither gender, ethnicity of socioeconomics cause differentiation in the application of best practices.
What are some of the biggest challenges of public education? What areas need changing?
California’s biggest challenge is its ability to properly fund public education. The fifth largest economy in the world continues to shortchange students and teachers. Despite the lack of funding, teachers, and parents create amazing learning opportunities for students.
Just as critical as the funding level for education is “No Child Left Behind.” There’s a regime of high stakes testing. Our teachers spend more time in test preparation than in providing a rich learning experience for students. To test the child who speaks little English in English only contributes to a poor self image, which does not support a successful academic career. Our students work to make the grade; teachers struggle to ensure the success of every child, and districts wait with crossed fingers for each year’s test result. The joy of teaching, learning and the development of the whole child needs to survive.
What advice would you give to new educators?
Know that education is very political. It is not enough to be well-grounded in curriculum; teachers must understand the powerful infl uence of the legislature on public education. They will always need to be an advocate for children and an advocate for their fellow colleagues. They must be outspoken and fi rmly grounded in the institution of public education.
Never be silenced. Stay closely connected to the reason they went into education, their students. Our democracy, our civilization, and our culture is dependent upon the survival and improvement of this institution.
What do you plan to do when you retire?
The work of an advocate is not really conducive to retirement. The need for positive, productive environments for children has no end, and I’m not sure I could give up the work completely. It’s my plan to return to working directly with children, but this time with children escaping a violent environment. I don’t see myself stopping work, just shifting my focus!
Marlene is married to Bob Bell. They live on a walnut ranch in Winters, California. Their son, Maurice Bell, and his wife, Bridgette of Dallas are parents of fi rst cherished granddaughter, Briana. Maurice manages the largest para-transit system in the country. The Bell’s daughter, Sharaine, an accomplished artist, lives in San Francisco.