Teacher of the Month May 2015 is Kelly Parsons, 2nd Grade Teacher at Norge Elementary School
Kelly Parsons, 2nd Grade Teacher at Norge Elementary School, accepted her Teacher of the Month for May 2015 award from Sherry Phipps owner of School Crossing. Voting took place WilliamsburgFamilies.com & School-Crossing.com. Voting will resume in September for October 2015 Teacher of the Month. Learn more about this great local teacher below.
How long have you been teaching and teaching at Norge Elementary?
I have been teaching for 19 years in the Williamsburg-James City County Public School system. I have had the pleasure of teaching kindergarten, first, and second grades. For the past 8 years I have been teaching 2nd grade at Norge Elementary.
Are you from Williamsburg? If not, where are you from, what brought you here?
I grew up in a military family, so I lived many different places throughout my childhood. We moved to Williamsburg when I was 15 years old and this has been “home” ever since. Williamsburg is a wonderful place to raise children.
What drew you to teaching, teaching at Norge Elementary and to being a 2nd Grade teacher?
Working with children has always been extremely rewarding for me. As a teen, I babysat for many families here in Williamsburg. After graduating from James Madison University, I began my career as a logistics analyst for Newport News Shipbuilding. It didn’t take long for me to figure out that I had missed my “calling”. I began working for WJCC schools as a teaching assistant with the Chapter 1 Reading Program. I absolutely loved it and decided to go back to school full-time to pursue a Master of Arts in Education degree at William & Mary. Other than taking some time off to be with my own children when they were younger, I’ve been teaching ever since. Second grade is truly an incredible grade to teach. Children at this age are enthusiastic, curious, and genuinely love learning new things. Teaching reading has always been my passion…so much so, that I am currently pursuing a Master of Education in School Librarianship degree through Longwood University.
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?.
I hope that my students will always know how much I cared about them and that I will continue caring about them long after they leave my classroom. Academics are extremely important. Curriculum objectives must be mastered. True education, however, encompasses so much more than that. In addition to being intellectually prepared for their futures, children need to develop lifelong interpersonal skills. Put simply…they need to know how to get along in the world. Character traits such as kindness, perseverance, and empathy for others should be nurtured every day in the classroom. I recently read an article posted on the National Education Association web site which resonated with me. It pointed out that, “Most teachers care about imparting knowledge to students. But the best teachers also care about the relational aspect of teaching. They take time to establish a trusting and caring connection with their students, who in turn become more receptive to what’s being taught. They get to know their students’ interests, talents, and needs, which helps them prepare lessons and helps students feel the partnership of the learning experience.” NEA – A Quality Teacher Is a Caring Teacher. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/tools/15751.htm
If you could ask parents to do one thing to help their children’s academic success what would it be?
Remember that you always have been, and always will be, your child’s greatest advocate. Communicate frequently with your child’s teacher(s). Never hesitate to ask questions or express concerns regarding your child. I would also ask for parents to promote reading at home as much as possible. Read to your child; read with your child; and listen while your child reads aloud to you. Check for understanding by asking questions before, during, and after your child reads.
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?
My students remind me every day about the importance of being fully present in the moment. Sometimes I find myself worrying about all the things that haven’t been finished yet, or all the things that we still need to accomplish. My students seem to be happiest when they are given opportunities to express themselves creatively. Time and again, my students’ imaginations take them so far beyond what I had initially envisioned for a lesson. Not knowing the “outcome” ahead of time can often be one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching.
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 am only one, but I am one. I can’t do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And by the grace of God, I will.” ~Edward Everett Hale
Thank you for answering our questions Ms. Parsons and for being such a wonderful teacher!
Please Read the wonderful comments about our local teachers that voters included over the past 4 years when voting! Here is the link
Vote for Teacher of the Month HERE
Author
