I am PROUD to be a teacher.  On a daily basis, I shape children’s lives. I help them create a character within themselves that makes them happy.  I teach them how to take charge and manage their own behavior.  These children understand they can make good choices as well as bad choices.  I help them to recognize the importance of thinking about the consequences before they make a choice.  I inspire my students to love storytelling, be expressive, learn about other countries and cultures, travel around the world without leaving the classroom, enjoy math concepts, and the importance of being curious. I help them make connections with their everyday learning to the real world…transferring that knowledge to the greater picture in life.

As my students leave our elementary building, I watch them continue to grow.  They become accomplished athletes, academic scholars, compete in a wide variety of academic and non-academic events, and become citizens of the month.  Continuing on into high school, I see my former students excel in sports, academics, the fine arts, participate in clubs, and other activities.  They grow into fine young ladies, gentlemen, and leaders.  These students learn the importance of supporting community events throughout their K – 12 years in school.   They are recognized for their outstanding efforts at graduation time.

After they graduate and move on to explore their next adventure, they share with me their achievements and difficulties in life, whether it’s college related or not.  We discuss their goals and what their plan is to accomplish these goals.  They also share memories and experiences that they recall from their days in school.  Some of them return to visit their old elementary building. Within 4 or 5 short years, they are on their own.  You might see them working at local businesses, read about them continuing to serve in the military, chat with their parents about their careers in other states or countries, and hear about their marriage, children, buying a house or their first car, owning a business, furthering their education, etc.

I am PROUD to be a teacher.  On a daily basis, I shape children’s lives.