by Melissa McPherson

Robin Bergman always knew she wanted to work with kids, but she never expected to live out in the country.

“I grew up a city girl, the idea that I would someday live in a house with land, taking care of all these animals never even crossed my mind,” she said as she tossed feed to her chickens.

Bergman, a paraprofessional at Heritage School, was born in Chicago, but her family moved to Michigan when she was just a toddler. They moved around for a while before finally settling in Westland. Bergman attended high school in Livonia where she was a volunteer for an early literacy program reading to elementary school students, but she says that her love of teaching didn’t start there. The oldest of three sisters and many cousins, Bergman relished being the one to offer advice and help them when they needed it.

Bergman always thought she would be a teacher and briefly attended the University of Michigan-Dearborn, where she studied early elementary education. But a number of factors got in the way of her finishing her degree.

Shortly after getting engaged to her husband, Scott, Robin was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system. Scott stood by her side through nine months of chemotherapy and radiation. The two have been married for 17 years, a number she never forgets because it is also the number of years she has been cancer free.

Before coming to work for Stockbridge Community Schools, Bergman spent 12 years as a stay-at-home mom to her three children. Her daughter Gabrielle, 20, works as a cosmetologist; her sons Michael, 15, and Lucas, 12, attend school in Stockbridge. She also ran her own small business, called My Little Lady and Gentleman, selling  handmade children’s clothing and crocheted children’s toys through Etsy and at craft shows.

In 2021, Bergman saw a job opening for a paraprofessional at Heritage and thought the job would be perfect for her. Not only would it allow her to work while her kids were at school, ensuring she still got as much time with them as possible, it would also allow her to work with kids—not as the teacher she’d always imagined, but maybe something close.

As a paraprofessional, Bergman works one-on-one with students who need a little more assistance to get through their school day. Besides helping her students complete their education-related tasks, she also helps them navigate the complicated social network of elementary school. In this way, she provides a built-in support system for every student she works with.

Year-to-year, Bergman never knows what her job will look like. Some years she works with several students, moving from classroom to classroom and helping as needs arise. Other years, she works with just one student, helping to navigate more complicated needs. The hardest part of the job, for Bergman, is moving on.

“There is no guarantee that I will work with the same student every year,” she said. “You spend so long creating a bond with them that it is hard when you have to move on to the next kid that needs you.”

On the other hand, she says the best part of the job is seeing how well her students do once her time with them is over.

“Watching them grow and seeing and hearing about all their accomplishments is amazing, and knowing that I had a small part in that is really rewarding.”

It isn’t just the students she is assigned to that Bergman has a positive impact on. She is known for her caring and fun nature and easily develops relationships with many of the students at Heritage, offering a joke or sometimes just lending an ear when needed.

“My son really struggled with anxiety,” one parent explained, “and even though, officially, he wasn’t her student, Ms. Robin let me know that she was looking out for him. It really helped a lot knowing she was there when I couldn’t be.”

Bergman is also in charge of the Crochet Club, which meets after school on Tuesdays. The club was started two years ago after some encouragement from a few students and the school social worker.

“I was surprised at how many students wanted to be involved,” Bergman said. “My mom taught me to crochet when I was eight, and it has been so much fun to pass that on to students.”

When asked what advice she has for anyone considering a job as a paraprofessional, Bergman’s advice is simple.

“You have to be kind and caring, but most importantly, you have to remember that every child is different and needs a different response.”

To parents whose children might need extra support, her advice is to stay involved and to be as vocal as you can about what your child needs and the goals you and your child have for their life.

Small town life may not have been what Robin Bergman imagined for herself as a young girl, but it is clear that she is exactly where she was meant to be, doing exactly what she was meant to do.

All photos provided by Robin Bergman.