'It's A Job I Love': Teacher Uses Inspiration From Daughter To Help Students Learn

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- This week we head to Eagan to surprise an Excellent Educator. Mrs. Carolyn Schindler teaches kindergarten at Woodland Elementary School in Eagan.

She loves her students so much, she can't hold back the tears when talking about them. However her inspiration for being an Excellent Educator, comes not from them, but from her daughter.

Schindler has been in the classroom for nearly 30 years, and not a day goes by she doesn't love her job.

"I love the joy they have for learning and when they learn something new, it's just the sparkle in their eye that I love," she said.

It was a teacher of her own who saw a spark in her years ago that gave her the bug to teach.

"When I was in third grade I had a wonderful teacher that saw my talents and I still remember that," she said.

But she says her greatest inspiration, comes from someone not in the classroom, but at home.

"I think I'm a better teacher because of my daughter," she said.

Her daughter, Madison, has special needs.

"I've learned that patience and I've seen that talent in all individual kids and I know they all have something special to share," she said.

An Excellent Educator, with a big heart, for all her kids.

"It's a job I love, makes me happy," she said.