Debbie Eastman, Harvest Hills Elementary School

Teacher Feature
Debbie Eastman, 3rd-Grade Teacher, Harvest Hills Elementary School

Through the years Harvest Hills Elementary students, parents and staff have thought of 3rd-grade teacher Debbie Eastman as being the heart of the school. Eastman began her career 32 years ago, and below takes some time to reminisce about her three decades of teaching.

My story began when the Harvest Hills principal, Dwain Jindra, called and made an appointment to meet with me at 6 p.m. one day. I took a wrong turn and ended up being 45 minutes late for my interview. I walked into Mr. Jindra's office and he got up, shook my hand and went right into the interview. After the interview, he said to come back and meet the team the next morning. I had my very first class with 31 children that morning beginning at 10 a.m. My prayers were answered through Mr. Jindra, who took a chance on me, guided me, believed in me and supported me through the years. Our families are still friends today.
Debbie Eastman

When I began teaching at Harvest Hills in 1976, the school was located in far north in Oklahoma City. All you could see were fields, Harvest Hills Elementary, and the beginnings of a new neighborhood west of the school. There was little traffic back then, and we used to walk our children to nearby Superbia Retirement Village to sing and do plays for the residents. We used to have big 89er celebrations with hayrides, and the students could search for coins in the bales of hay that were brought from Mr. Jindra's farm. We had no kitchen at the school, and food for lunch came every day from Wiley Post Elementary. On the days when it was icy, we didn't eat until 1 or 2 p.m.

Harvest Hills went through a growth period at one time, and we had a student body as large as 1,100 students. We had to have six portable buildings where the city park is now. 1st-grade and 2nd grade teachers taught our own specials like music and art during those days because we could not get all of the children seen by the specials teachers in the course of a day. Back then we also had 6th graders in our school. The school was hopping!

It has been a privilege to be at Harvest Hills all these years. My life has been blessed with the many souls that have passed through here. If the corners of this building could talk! They have heard and seen sessions of crying with each other, sharing burdens and lots of laughter, growing up together and of course, lots of learning.

It is important to be honest with your students, parents and staff members. It doesn't mean I don't make mistakes. I do! You ask forgiveness and keep on. Children know whether you love them or not. When someone genuinely cares about you, it helps you develop self-worth. You have a reason to keep striving. Education is all about constantly working and changing.

Putnam City teachers and administrators are here to make a difference. We do what it takes to make it work for students. Like other teams of teachers, my 3rd grade team has spent many more hours beyond our planning time to help our children. We vent, we laugh, and we get back to creating successes. It’s working.

My favorite part about teaching 3rd grade is they always have something to say. They tell you what’s on their minds. We laugh a lot!

3rd grade is such a transitional year. Students come from writing in a workbook to using a hardback book and transferring their thoughts onto notebook paper in cursive. They are processing a lot, not to mention the fine motor skills they are applying.

Success stories are why I am still teaching today. When a child yells out "I get it! I get it!" or "Did you see that, Mrs. Eastman? He did it!" this is success!

I feel very humbled and blessed, and I thank the Lord every day for the love of children He gave to me. Students come back every year, and we laugh as we recall the talent shows, the recitals, the games and just growing up together. Listening and laughing are universal languages for love.