Pictured: Wanda Schaap taught from the resource room at SWC Elementary school for the past 13 years.

By Jill Fennema –

Wanda Schaap has been a teacher all of her adult life. Sometimes that teaching took place in a classroom, and sometimes that teaching took place in her home. 

Wanda grew up on a small farm south of New Holland, South Dakota, which is between Corsica and Platte, S.D., with her parents, Royce and Phyllis Van Zee, and her two siblings.

“I think I always knew I was going to be a teacher,” Wanda said. “I loved school – the sights, the smells, the sounds. Buying school supplies was always so exciting!” 

Even though she loved school, she was not too excited about going off to college. She graduated from Dordt College in 1977, but college was not as enjoyable as the rest of her education had been. She found that she was homesick much of the time. She graduated with her degree in elementary education. 

Wanda’s first teaching job was at Edgerton Christian Elementary School. She was hired to teach the second grade. After moving to Edgerton, she met Conley Schaap at a young adults event. At the time she shared a house with two other ECES teachers.

After five years of teaching 2nd grade Wanda took a break from the classroom. She and Con were blessed with the birth of their first child – Brian. Wanda opted to stay home and started doing in-home daycare, as well. 

She ran a daycare in her home from 1985 until 2000. “I did a lot of teaching, because there is a teacher in me,” Wanda said. She would read with the older children in her care and work on writing and other learning activities while the babies and toddlers were napping.  

In 2000, Wanda closed her daycare. Finding teaching jobs was a little bit challenging at that time. She joined the Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) program at Edgerton Public School, where she worked with other teachers with preschool-aged children. The ECFE program no longer exists, but at that time the program was very popular. 

Wanda worked with ECFE and the EPS preschool program for seven years. She also went back to Dordt University and the University of Sioux Falls to get her MN teaching certificate renewed. Around that time, Edgerton Christian Elementary School enrolled a student with special needs. She started working with that student as a paraprofessional through the public school special education program. 

Over time, the number of students at ECES with learning differences increased. In 2009, ECES employed her to work full time for them, doing the same type of work she had been doing as an employee for EPS. 

From her current position in the resource room, Wanda helps students with all subjects. On an average day, she will see about 35 students. In the mornings, she teaches reading groups from each classroom in grades K-4. Each group of 2-3 students practices skills and stays for about 20 minutes in the resource room. As they leave, the next group comes in. 

After lunch she teaches some math small groups. Groups of 2-3 from each classroom come in to practice math skills. She knows the lesson beforehand, so she essentially “pre-teaches” the lesson to the students who need extra practice.  Then when they return to the regular classroom time, they already have some familiarity with the subject and benefit from the repeated lesson. 

In the afternoons, Wanda also helps small groups of junior high students during their study hall periods. Sometimes she helps students study for tests, other times she helps with assignments, or simply helps a student with their organizational skills. 

“My favorite part of teaching is definitely the kids,” Wanda said. “They are so genuine and honest. They are receptive to new ways of learning.”

“I have often said I have the very best job that anyone could have,” Wanda added. “I love spending time with the kids and I love school. It’s the best of all worlds to me!”