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October Teacher Spotlight

How long have you been a teacher? I have been teaching for 19 consecutive years, meaning this is my 20th year of teaching. I began teaching in Lafayette Parish, at a Title 1 school. I taught 4th grade (self-contained) for 7 years. I am originally from New Orleans, and I always imagined myself giving back to my community. So, three years after Hurricane Katrina, I decided to move back to New Orleans in order to be part of the reconstruction process. I became a 4th grade teacher (self-contained) at McDonogh 42 Elementary Charter School, under the Treme Charter School Association. This was also a Title 1 school, and a Chapter 5 Charter. Unfortunately, the school lost its charter and was taken over by Choice Foundation. I taught 4th grade at McDonogh 42 under Choice Foundation for one year. The year began departmentalized and I was teaching Math, then after the first nine weeks, they switched to self-contained. Due to the fact that they were not a TRSL school facility, I moved into public education in St. Bernard Parish. I have been teaching 2nd grade at a Title 1 school for 9 years.

Why did you choose teaching? When I first entered college, I was trying to decide between being a lawyer and a teacher. I loved the idea of being a lawyer, but I worked with children for as long as I could remember. I babysat, taught swimming lessons, and coached the little ones on the swim team. So, I decided to take courses under both majors: law and education. I found that I was struggling to stay awake in the classes under law, whereas in education, I was so active and involved. I realized that I had a passion for teaching, setting the stage for the rest of my life.

What piece of advice would you give to new teachers? Expect the unexpected and be prepared for anything. There is no truly effective way to prepare you for teaching. Sure, there is the knowledge part – but that is such a tiny piece of what is important in teaching. You can be the smartest person in the world, but if you do not know how to effectively communicate that information to someone to where they truly understand and retain said information, then it is moot. Children are people. They have problems before they come to you and when they leave you, problems that you may never have to experience in your life, and they do not know how to manage their emotions properly. They will express those emotions in various ways, and you have to be their guide. You are not just a teacher. Let me repeat, you are not just a teacher. You are their everything, especially in elementary ed. Try to be the guiding force of light in their lives.Building relationships with the parents and community is of the utmost importance. Parents/guardians want to be included and respected. Consistently reminding them that you are working together to help their child goes a long way. I always ask them, “Is there anything that you would like me to do to help?” I find that staying after school to keep students who struggle with reading or math helps me build longer lasting relationships with the students and their families. I’ll also keep students after school who do not want to go home for various reasons. I use this as a reward system – they begin by completing their homework, and then they can play educational games in the room. It gives them a safe place to play, along with additional help with their studies.Expect that your classroom will be more diverse than the examples in your books – children have personalities. Expect, and be prepared for, issues with students, parents, coworkers, administration, weather, differing beliefs, etc. Your school staff is your work family, and we need this family on a daily basis. It doesn’t work by yourself. Always remember to be kind – you never know what someone else is going through.

What’s a funny or inspiring anecdote you have from teaching? Children are hysterical! It is so much fun to watch them grow into themselves. Teaching has helped me to be aware of my actions and has caused me to want to better myself. If I have expectations of my students, then I need to hold myself to those same expectations. That is a constant thought of mine – “be” the example.

What are your hobbies? My hobbies include outdoor activities, teaching swim lessons, listening to music, attending festivals, anything relating to spending time with my friends and family.

What’s one word that describes your teaching style? Firm, loving, and fair – that’s more like three words, but it’s the truth.

Who inspires you? My friend, Samantha, who taught with me in Lafayette. She is from New Orleans, but teaches in Lafayette. She inspired me, and still does, because she always goes the extra mile with her kids. This isn’t just limited to fabulously decorating the classroom or making learning fun, she was invested with her kids. There was this little girl whose mother didn’t know how to fix her hair, Samantha would go to her house to teach the mom how to do her daughter’s hair. This act, and she’s had many similar to this one, made me want to do more. I wanted to go the extra mile for my kids. It inspired me to want to connect with the whole child, and that included the family.

Do you have any recommendations for teachers for social media or websites you’ve found helpful? Fluency and Fitness, Flocabulary, Brainpop Jr., Teachers Pay Teachers

Favorite food Any home-cooked Cajun meal.

What are your summer plans? Every summer I teach swimming lessons to both adults and children. I just love teaching. However, I plan on taking a vacation this summer, as well. It will either be a long road trip – including camping and outdoor adventurous activities, or a vacation out of the country…still deciding.

What do you think teachers need the most right now? Support. Teachers need the support of their administrators. Administration can make or break some teachers. Teaching is difficult, but if you have a great administration who gives you the support that you need, it makes teaching fun and less difficult. On the flip side, if administrators do not support you, it will cause you to feel even more over worked, undervalued, and frustrated. My advice when this occurs is to not leave the profession, but actively look for a school facility where they give their faculty support.Oh, and a pay raise…we definitely need a pay raise!

Anything else you’d like to share? As I mentioned earlier, I have a passion for teaching and it is a calling. I truly love every child that has entered my classroom. I love them as if they were my own children, and I try to find the best way to meet their individual needs. This can be exhausting and taxing, however the rewards far outweigh the amount of work and time that you put into the profession.