4th grade teacher, James Lane Allen Elementary

My job is to care, teach and challenge my students to be successful individuals. Because they come from different backgrounds and life experiences, I need to know each one as a person in order to help them attain their educational goals.

Students are responsible for their learning. I want my children to have confidence in themselves, give 100 percent to any task, ask questions and challenge themselves inside and outside of the classroom. One of the greatest rewards is seeing students make connections outside of school with content that has been taught. 

I believe students are engaged when they are in conversation with peers about their learning, doing a hands-on activity or working together in a small group. When children problem-solve or explain concepts, they learn to respect each other’s thoughts and various ways of describing a concept.

Being a teacher is a challenging and rewarding job. Every child is different, and every day is different. I am constantly learning along with my students. I try to lead by example and show them that learning can be difficult at times, but nothing is impossible if you set high goals, believe in yourself and always give your best effort.