Jane Bear and Brenda Shahpari spent a total of 49 years teaching at Catasauqua Middle School.

In June, Bear and Shahpari formally retired from the teaching profession.

Bear taught reading, math, English, spelling, social studies and science along with health, study skills, health quest and conflict resolution while Shahpari taught citizenship, life science and earth science, language arts, civic literacy, health quest, conflict resolution, developmental reading and English and language arts.

For Bear, a 1969 graduate of Catasauqua High School, Lehigh Carbon Community College and Kutztown State College, her entry into teaching was the result of her desire to become a nurse and help others.

"I pursued teaching because I wanted to be a nurse first," Bear said. "I loved helping people succeed at anything and seeing the enjoyment they got with their success. Also, I came from a family of teachers."

Shahpari said her desire to enter teaching was the result of being inspired by her fourth- and fifth-grade teachers at Lincoln Middle School. Her fifth-grade teacher, Connie Cole, suggested Shahpari seek a teaching position at Lincoln.

"I look at my pursuit of teaching as answering a calling or a vocation," Shahpari said. She is a 1973 graduate of Allentown Central Catholic High School and Marywood University.

Throughout their careers, Bear and Shahpari say they used a variety of methods to engage their students in the learning process and help each student develop an interest in the subject matter.

"Try to get them involved in the subject with things like role playing, literature circles and skits," Bear said.

"I tried to show them that the material would be helpful to them or have meaning for them in their futures, both immediate [high school] and long-term," added Shahpari. "I also tried to use as many of their senses and as much of themselves (in their individual interests and talents) as possible in learning new material and/or skills."

Bear recommends new teachers watch and learn from more seasoned educators.

"Don't snub the veteran teacher," Bear said. "He or she has been teaching for many years and just might know a thing or two more than the first-year teacher does. That experience counts for something."

In addition to learning from veteran teachers, Shahpari believes the secret to teaching is inspiring one's students to exceed their realized potential.

"Have high expectations for your students; help them set goals and work with them to achieve them," Shahpari said. "Accept nothing but their best."

Retirement plans for Bear include relaxing, meeting up with her other retired friends and, as she said, "doing what I want when I want to do it."

Shahpari, who lost her husband in December 2012, plans to run their educational software company.

She said she will also travel and spend time with family and friends.

In the end, the middle school will be without two seasoned teachers who have spent their lifetimes helping to educate and mold the future of Catasauqua youth.