Gayle Harmon, 2nd Grade Teacher is Oct 2015 Teacher of the Month
Gayle Harmon, 2nd Grade Teacher at Matoaka Elementary School, accepted her Teacher of the Month for Oct 2015 award from Sherry Phipps owner of School Crossing. Voting took place WilliamsburgFamilies.com & School-Crossing.com. Teacher of the Month is a program presented by School Crossing, The Virginia Gazette and WilliamsburgFamilies.com. Learn more about Mrs. Harmon from the following Q&A; see why she won it!
1. How long have you been teaching and teaching at Matoaka Elementary?
I have just begun my twelfth year of teaching elementary school. I began as a long-term substitute at Matoaka Elementary in 2008. After a few years of substitute teaching, I obtained my own classroom position. I am in my fifth year of teaching Second Grade at Matoaka Elementary.
2. What drew you to teaching, teaching at Matoaka Elementary and to being a 2nd Grade teacher?
The initial draw to teaching and teaching 2nd Grade is intertwined. My desire to teach began when I was in 2nd grade. I had the most amazing teacher – Miss Roth. I wanted to be just like her when I grew up! Even at a young age, I could see that she cared for every child in her room, made learning fun and never left anyone to feel like they didn’t matter. That is exactly what I wished to be when I grew up and I pray for that for my students every year – that they know that I care about them, that they know they matter, and that they have fun while they are learning.
3. Can you mention a project where you were able to engage the kids outside of the classroom or stories that you heard where they brought their learning home?
When we study our unit on maps, we send Flat Stanley cut-outs to family or friends who live outside of Virginia. Then, we ask them to take photos of Stanley on his adventure and mail them back with a postcard from where he visited. We plot his travels across the U.S. It is fun to see how involved some of the families get on this project! The children then do a mini-research project at school on the state that Stanley visited. They have always enjoyed sharing what they have learned.
4. What perspective have you gained from being around 2nd graders everyday?
When you hit the blacktop at recess…it’s a race to get to the best swing! 🙂 Seriously, though…I truly think that 2nd graders treasure when you take the time to listen to them. We live in a world that is on a track of “Hurry up! Let’s go! Move it! Do this now!” We often are in such a rush that we forget to just listen. Second graders want the adults in their lives to pay attention to them; they want the “big people” to reassure them that they are important to them and that what they say matters. We need to slow down long enough to listen to them and let them know we are there for them.
5. What do you want your students to be able to do when they leave your classroom – that you know will prepare them for further education and life in general?
When my students leave my classroom, I want them to feel more confident in themselves as learners than they did when they arrived on my classroom doorstep. They work so hard all year long and I desire for them to want to continue to read because the like it, not because they have to. I want them to continue to question Science because experiments are fun to explore, not because they have to. I want them to write stories because they know they have the ability to be creative and have wonderful imaginations, not because they have to. I want them to know that learning can be fun if they put their effort into it. I want them to know they should choose their words wisely when they speak because they have important words to share and they do matter to the world around them.
6. If you could ask parents to do one thing to help their children’s academic success what would it be?
Stay involved and keep communicating with their children about school. Ask detailed questions. A great way to interact with children is to ask “what was the best thing you learned today?” or “Tell me about what you’re studying in math class now?” They love when we listen to their day and their stories.
7. Do you have a favorite quote that inspires you and/or your class that you find you post, read, share or just meditate on?
I find a ton of wonderful quotes on all of the blogs and educational posts that I read. Two of my favorites are “Just be the kind of teacher you’d want for your own child; the kind of colleague you’d like to collaborate with; the kind of learner you were when you were five” and “Every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her.”
8. Are you from Williamsburg? If not, where are you from, what brought you here?
I was born and raised in Queens, NY. I lived in New York until I married my husband. Bill is a Pastor, which has led our family to numerous moves over the years. We have lived in Missouri, Michigan, and New York. Our most recent move brought us to Williamsburg in 2008.
9. Do you have any life lessons that the students in your class have taught you – maybe a short story about kindness, sharing or just one of your student’s observations?
We can learn a lot from the people we choose to surround ourselves with on a daily basis. When those people happen to be seven and eight years old, the lessons can hit the basics in life: play fairly, be nice, and have fun. Life’s moments go by so quickly that we need to hold onto this advice from our seven and eight-year-old friends. Be nice to each other, treat each other fairly and have fun. If you can have fun as an adult in the career path you have chosen, what a bonus that is for you. I certainly do! Teaching is something I have wanted to do since I was seven years old and I feel so blessed to be able to work with 2nd graders and their families every day. I’m thankful to and humbled by those in the community who have recognized me in this way.
We at WilliamsburgFamilies.com see why you all voted Mrs. Harmon as your Oct 2015 Teacher of the Month!
Voting for next month is going on now – vote for your choice for Teacher of the Month HERE
Want to read all the AWESOME comments that voters submitted with their votes – we have all the comments ever submitted to us HERE
Author
