Shelbi Domjen Earned a bachelor's degree in psychology • Met husband Sam at ST. Xavier University • Grew up in Greensburg, Indiana • Mother of 3 • Cincinnati Bengals and Purdue Boilermakers fan
Shelbi Domjen doesn't have to think long about what or who influenced her to enter the field of education. The daughter of an elementary school teacher, Domjen said she spent many hours in the classroom with her mother while her father worked long hours on their family's farm.
"My entire childhood was a classroom with my mom," said Domjen, who now has a classroom of her own as a fifth-grade teacher at Monroe School.
Domjen said that other than the family's agricultural business, she never considered another career. After a few years with the family's business, she earned a master's degree from Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy before beginning her teaching career as a substitute for a teacher on maternity leave in Western Springs. That was followed with a yearlong stint as an instructional assistant at Monroe. The job of the instructional assistant, Domjen said, is to assist students in need of extra support.
"You're all hands on deck for that student or group of students all day," she said. Now, as one of three fifth-grade teachers at Monroe, she's all hands on deck for 18 students.
A native of southeastern Indiana, Domjen headed north for college, where she met her husband. The pair headed to Chicago, and after expanding to a family of four, explored the suburbs for a new home.
"Hinsdale felt like the place to be," Domjen said.
Domjen said the differences between life in southern Indiana and Hinsdale are stark, but one of the things that amazed her most upon starting her job at Monroe was the children's ability to go home for lunch.
"Kids here have a different freedom," she said.
Domjen said fifth grade is a time of transition as students finish out their primary school years and prepare for middle school.
"I'm really excited about helping them make that transition," she said.
A day in Domjen's classroom is filled with lessons in reading, writing, math, social studies, science and social-emotional learning. It's also filled with opportunities for conversations, opportunities for self-expression and room to make mistakes.
"They need to feel like this is their classroom," said Domjen, who looks to her mother's teaching style as she strives to make every student feel safe and seen.
Domjen's favorite part of the school day is the beginning. She greets her most enthusiastic students and pays special attention to those who might not be as excited.
"I do whatever I can to make them smile," she said.
Looking toward the year ahead, Domjen said she's particularly excited about outdoor ed. The outdoors is a place where Domjen feels particularly comfortable, and she looks forward to sharing something she enjoys with students who might not have spent a night outdoors.
Living and working in the same town means Domjen often sees students and their parents while shopping, visiting the library or running errands with her children. She said it's part of what makes Hinsdale the right choice for her and her family.
"That's what Hinsdale is," she said. "We all learn, work and play together," she said.
- story by Sandy Illian Bosch, photo by Jim Slonoff
