Who am I?
My name is Mrs. Linda Eckman Wissler. This is my 13th year teaching here at Columbia High School.
I would like to take a minute and introduce myself to you and tell you a little bit about my background. I was born and raised here in Lancaster County. During high school, I was a People-to-People student ambassador and traveled around Northern Europe, including England, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the Soviet Union. I left the area when I graduated high school and traveled overseas as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student. I lived in Umtata, Transkei, South Africa for a year. When I returned to Pennsylvania, I promptly left for the University of Georgia (Go DAWGS!) where I obtained my degree in Newsprint Journalism with a minor in Global/African studies. I returned to PA and went to grad school at Millersville University, where I received my Master's of (Secondary) English Education with a specialty in African and African-American literature and a specialty in teaching English as a Second Language.
With all that education under my belt, I decided to continue my career in retail management! I stayed in retail for about 15 years where I gained valuable human resource, recruiting, interviewing and personal relationship skills. I finally decided that I had enough of retail and went back to school to Wilkes University where I attained my teaching certification. I moved back to Lancaster County and started substitute teaching. I taught at Hempfield High School for almost a year before I finally found my home here at Columbia.
Here is a list of the things I have either taught or been involved with over the past 10 years:
*9th grade English (all levels) * 10th grade English (all levels) * 11th grade English (all levels) * 12th grade English (all levels)
*Speech * Mythology * Newspaper/Journalism *Alternative Education * Film and Literature *Lyrics to Literature *Student Teaching Mentor *Staff Mentor
* 7th & 8th grade Study Island tutoring * EAP Coordinator * Class Adviser
*Color Guard Coordinator * Swim Coach * Work Study Coordinator * Career Camp Coordinator
*Student Mentor *Homebound Instructor * NJHS and NHS Adviser * Student Council Adviser
As you can see, I have been and still am very involved here at CHS! I LOVE teaching here and believe that my life experiences have brought me back home for this reason. When I was hired, the Superintendent at the time talked about "rightness or goodness of fit". He said this was not the place for anyone who just wanted a job....he was looking for staff who belonged or fit with the CHS environment. How true those words were for me. To me, teaching was not just a career but something I felt was right for me. I found that here at Columbia!
I would like to take a minute and introduce myself to you and tell you a little bit about my background. I was born and raised here in Lancaster County. During high school, I was a People-to-People student ambassador and traveled around Northern Europe, including England, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the Soviet Union. I left the area when I graduated high school and traveled overseas as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student. I lived in Umtata, Transkei, South Africa for a year. When I returned to Pennsylvania, I promptly left for the University of Georgia (Go DAWGS!) where I obtained my degree in Newsprint Journalism with a minor in Global/African studies. I returned to PA and went to grad school at Millersville University, where I received my Master's of (Secondary) English Education with a specialty in African and African-American literature and a specialty in teaching English as a Second Language.
With all that education under my belt, I decided to continue my career in retail management! I stayed in retail for about 15 years where I gained valuable human resource, recruiting, interviewing and personal relationship skills. I finally decided that I had enough of retail and went back to school to Wilkes University where I attained my teaching certification. I moved back to Lancaster County and started substitute teaching. I taught at Hempfield High School for almost a year before I finally found my home here at Columbia.
Here is a list of the things I have either taught or been involved with over the past 10 years:
*9th grade English (all levels) * 10th grade English (all levels) * 11th grade English (all levels) * 12th grade English (all levels)
*Speech * Mythology * Newspaper/Journalism *Alternative Education * Film and Literature *Lyrics to Literature *Student Teaching Mentor *Staff Mentor
* 7th & 8th grade Study Island tutoring * EAP Coordinator * Class Adviser
*Color Guard Coordinator * Swim Coach * Work Study Coordinator * Career Camp Coordinator
*Student Mentor *Homebound Instructor * NJHS and NHS Adviser * Student Council Adviser
As you can see, I have been and still am very involved here at CHS! I LOVE teaching here and believe that my life experiences have brought me back home for this reason. When I was hired, the Superintendent at the time talked about "rightness or goodness of fit". He said this was not the place for anyone who just wanted a job....he was looking for staff who belonged or fit with the CHS environment. How true those words were for me. To me, teaching was not just a career but something I felt was right for me. I found that here at Columbia!