Adobe Photoshop, a program publically released in 1988 which has immensely evolved over the past years has become the platform of editing software for photographers. Another adobe product, illustrator, was introduced 28 years ago and is now the professional software for graphic design. Forward a couple of centuries to 2003 and both programs have now upgraded almost a dozen times, both introducing the advanced CS versions. Currently, both programs enhanced through CS6 to now a CC version. This evolution of a digital phenomenon is an experience Mrs. Therese Page has witnessed and practiced at North Penn High school for the past eleven years. Teaching the electronic art and digital photography courses has gifted Page with the account of working with a viral evolution of technology.
Although only officially teaching for eleven years at the school, Page has been involved in the North Penn community for over thirty years when her husband also taught here as an art teacher. After considering taking a sabbatical and then coming back, she decided that without that many years logged in, a retirement is her best option. Page accounts her journey here, stating:
“I’m retiring after 11 years but in some ways its 30 because my husband began here about thirty years ago. When he started he was an art teacher so I was in all of the time. It’s funny, when I came in 11 years ago I had already knew half of the faculty because they came to our house for [gatherings]. So I am leaving the North Penn family [and] quite a few people that I have known for over a long time.”
After visiting Paris for a few days, Page is ecstatic to announce that in the beginning of 2015 she plans on travelling to temporarily reside in Paris with her husband while studying art courses including drawing and painting. She exclaims that these arrangements will be her primary focus after retirement. Page expresses her excitement by exclaiming:
“[I feel] over the top. I wanted to do this since high school. My college did not offer a study abroad program so I have just been waiting my entire life for this.”
Although she is leaving the North Penn family, Page describes retirement will not hinder her voluntary action within her own community. Not only will she begin sharing personal art lessons to her young grandchildren, but she plans on continuing her legacy at the Peterbecker community where she claims membership of the board.
Throughout the past decade, however, Page has perceived the downfall in the education system throughout the county. The transformation of technology and education has not boded well with Page.
“All subjects are just teaching for the test. That’s the only thing that is important anymore, not critical thinking or [comprehension], it’s all just to teach for the test. That makes no sense to me. Whoever is in charge of this hasn’t figured it out yet. When they do, I think there will be a better system,” pronounced Page.
Page recognizes how things have changed and perceives the differences in the edcuational world over the span of her career.
“I will miss what it was. It was very different than when I first came. I don’t want to blame it all on the students. I think a lot of it [is] the system that is keeping them from what they could [accomplish] … I see it everywhere. A lot of schools in this county have just crashed and maybe something new and better will grow out of it. I hope, because I don’t think we are meeting the needs of the students,” she declares.
From the evolution in the digital world to the changes in education, Page’s departure is bittersweet. While finally accomplishing her dreams, she is leaving an influential family of individuals. Her journey undeniable, Page has witnessed both the excitement and the seemingly inevitable changing world of education while teaching at North Penn.