Gretchen Hahn’s roots trace back to New York, where she was born. As one of seven siblings, she recalls moving around a lot before her family settled in Perry, Michigan.
Hahn’s love for learning blossomed from the outdoor adventures her father, Robert, an Industrial & Operations engineer and later a financial controller in the steel industry, would lead the family on. Her mother, Catherine, a lifelong advocate for public education, continues to serve on the Perry Board of Education at the age of 84.
After graduating from Perry High School, she went on to the University of Michigan to study mechanical engineering. While she really enjoyed math and science, she decided she needed a career that had more interaction with people. After completing a Project Outreach course in an elementary special education class in Ann Arbor Public Schools with Mindi Bender, she realized that she was destined for a classroom. Once she graduated from U-M, she completed a Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education at Eastern Michigan University, with an emphasis in special education.
Her teaching journey began at Slauson Middle School, where she dedicated 27 years as a 6th grade science teacher.
Early in her career, Hahn served as a liaison teacher for Ann Arbor Public Schools and the University of Michigan’s Center for Highly-Interactive Computing in Education, and the Middle Years Digital Library. During this time, she pursued a Master’s in Science Education, collaborating with fellow sixth grade science teachers to integrate technology into their curriculum.
After teaching 8th grade physical science for several years, Hahn embarked on a new chapter in 2022, joining the staff at Clague Middle School and returning to her roots teaching sixth grade science.
Clague Principal Kyron Harvell, who nominated Hahn for this honor, says the Clague feels fortunate that she joined the staff.
“She came to us last year from Slauson and instantly hit the ground running in terms of building relationships with staff, students, parents, and community members,” says Harvell. “Her instructional delivery practices are top notch and we are fortunate to have her here at Clague.”
Hahn lives in Ann Arbor with her four-legged friends, Mugsy and Loomis.
Why did you pursue a career in teaching?
My parents were great teachers, even though that wasn’t their career. I also kind of couldn’t escape teaching. I had lots of younger siblings, so I was always helping with homework. Since I often finished my classwork early, my teachers would have me help others. One of my good friends had muscular dystrophy and he needed an extra set of hands to help him complete a lot of things at school. I even learned to fix parts of his electric wheelchair. I got halfway through college before I realized that I was happiest when I was helping others learn.
When did you realize you wanted to teach science?
I loved science from the start. My parents always had us outside exploring. I spent a good part of my youth wading through muck in the “lake” at the end of our neighborhood. We had dozens of pets. We went to every free museum day my parents could find. When you asked my dad a question, he would always say “Well, what could we do to figure that out?” I decided to teach science because I always had so much fun taking things apart or figuring out how things worked.
Describe an average workday.
There is no “average workday.” That is what I love about teaching middle school. Every day is different. In middle school, you are definitely teaching kids before you are teaching science. You have to be flexible so you can respond to whatever emotions or group dynamics they bring in the door. The only thing I can say that characterizes a typical day is that there is more to do than I can get done. My prep period flies by. In science, there are always materials and equipment to set up or put away. I teach four classes of 6th grade science and advisory and end my day with a class of 8th grade science. I have five minutes between classes to switch out materials between 6th and 8th grade. I get home and do the “paperwork” of planning and checking work. None of that gets done at school.
Why did you want to work for Ann Arbor Public Schools?
AAPS has a great reputation, so I wanted to be a part of that. I love the diversity of the community, and it is my home.
What do you like about working at Clague?
I love the support of my administrators at Clague. My first year here was during the chaos of construction and Mr. Harvell and Mrs. Fluker were fantastic at asking teachers what they could do to support us. Mr. Harvell and Mr. Hull continue to listen to our ideas and concerns with a problem-solving approach. My teaching colleagues are awesome at welcoming new staff members. They taught me what being a Clague Cougar is all about. The support network for students is rock solid at Clague. The social workers, counselors, nurse, intervention specialist, paraprofessionals, TCs, office staff—the whole staff—are super accessible whenever you need them.
What’s the happiest part of your workday?
The happiest part of my day is when the first bell rings for kids to enter school. My 6th graders race in to be the very first one inside the room. Their energy is great and they always have something new to share in those first few minutes before the tardy bell rings.
What do you want most for your students?
I’m going to steal John Lennon’s line: “I want them to be happy.” I also want them to learn responsibility for each other so they will be part of a successful community.
How do you feel about the district’s focus this year on dignity, belonging, and well-being?
Our district statement starts with: “Through our intentional actions each day…” I feel like the intentional part is always a work in progress, and it must be. Reflection about what we do on purpose to help our community be one of dignity, belonging, and well-being is critical. Our kids need to feel that their well-being is at the forefront. In order for teachers to be able to model that for their students, we have to feel that our well-being is also important.
Favorite podcasts, websites, apps:
Like many people, I am a Houz junkie. I’m a big gardener, so I like “Let’s Argue about Plants” and “Cultivating Place.” I also like “Pod Save America” and “The Accidental Creative.”
What have you changed your mind about recently?
I love this question! So many things. I loved the idea of designated bike lanes downtown. I have changed my mind. No one knows how to deal with them, especially when they end. But seriously, a couple of years ago, I was convinced that I would retire the moment that I had my 30 years in. Part of that was teaching through the pandemic. It took all of the connection out of teaching and just left the hard parts. Now that I am in Year 29, and I’m back in the 6th grade, the joy has returned. I have changed my mind about retiring right away. As long as it is still fun, I will do this for a little longer!
Was there a teacher who had a particularly strong influence on your career? If so, what did you learn?
I had a high school chemistry teacher, Mr. Chartier, who made learning chemistry a blast—literally, explosive at times. He made great connections with the kids in class, so even the kids who hated chemistry loved his class. When I got bumped ahead in high school and had taken every class we had, including arc welding and auto repair, he gave up his planning period to teach a Chem 3 class as an independent study for me. I learned a lot of chemistry, but I also learned about what it means to be an awesome teacher.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging part of my job is keeping up with grading and doing the prep work for our new science curriculum. We have been adding new units to each grade level for several years now, and being on a sharp learning curve while your school is under construction can be exhausting. Add to that the record keeping. It is sometimes hard to imagine a work-life balance.
How is teaching different from the way you imagined it would be?
No one told me what an emotional ride it would be. I was totally prepared to have fun with kids every day while focused on learning. I had multiple classes on different science topics, learning styles, and IEP modifications, but not a single class where they told you how to cope with the emotional load of students who had to fight cancer (and some would lose), or deal with their parents’ divorce, or figure out their gender identity while trying to learn fractions and fit in with the rest of the kids, or just stay awake because their house was so loud the night before that they couldn’t get any sleep. My teacher prep courses were all about teaching, but the job of a teacher is all about caring. Someone should tell you to buy stock in Hallmark because you are going to send a lot of cards!
What advice would you give to a first-year teacher?
Get enough sleep. It will help you do everything else better. And don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know the answer to that. What could we do to figure it out?” Kids will surprise you with what they come up with.
What’s the best compliment anyone could give you?
It would be awesome if someone would say I helped them learn how to think critically for themselves. But they are 11, so I’m a big fan of “You are my favorite teacher” or “I love your class.” I also love it when parents say their kids came home and told them all about something we were doing in science.
What is the most rewarding part of teaching?
The most rewarding part of teaching is the kids’ joy at figuring things out for themselves.
How do you spend your summers?
I spend my summers in my garden or in a kayak. When my dogs let me sit still on the porch, I read a lot. I also work on science curriculum projects when AAPS offers the opportunity.
What’s most exciting about your professional life right now? Your personal life?
The most exciting thing about my professional life right now is that I am getting all of our science equipment inventoried and organized so it can all be found when any of us needs it! I know that sounds silly, but try finding all of your magnets after construction had them in shipping containers in the parking lot all summer! It will make teaching so much easier for the whole department. My personal life is kept exciting by nieces and nephews who are all just starting their adult lives and everything is possible. I see more of them now than when they were little. I enjoy being the fun aunt!
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