Fifth-grade teacher, Athens-Chilesburg Elementary

Every morning, 25 students walk into my classroom for a day full of learning. These students come from a variety of backgrounds and require personalized attention in order to be successful each day. As an educator, it is my job to teach them the skills they need to accomplish their goals. I believe the values and skills students get in the classroom have everlasting impact and set them up for a life of success. 

Helping children attain their goals reaches beyond my classroom and can be accomplished when teachers, administrators and parents work collaboratively to ensure every child is being pushed to his or her full potential. Students need to be challenged, loved, motivated and encouraged within the seven hours they are in my care. 

My goal as an educator is to teach my students the importance of becoming a lifelong learner by applying encouragement, compassion and achievement in my classroom. My hope is that every student will remember this as they leave to move on with their education. I hope to teach them not only what to learn, but how to learn.

I agree with the words of Hutchins: “The objective of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives.”