First-year teachers looking to make impact
Aug. 5—Local school districts will begin the school year with a large number of teachers new to the districts — including 120 at Morgan County Schools alone — and they all have strategies on how to maximize the benefit they provide to their students.
New Brewer High School teacher and football coach Chase Martin wants to promote inclusion and engage with his students.
"There are those students who are anti-social and we have to develop that goal of engagement and that social engagement, of just talking to each other," he said. "Personal engagement is a lot more vital than virtual/online learning."
Cody Bowers, hired at Danville Middle School to teach fifth and seventh grade special education, said he expects to make mistakes but is determined to learn from them.
Luke Tucker was just hired by Falkville Elementary to teach fourth grade math and science. He said that he believes placing limits is of vital importance.
"Students need structure and love," Tucker said.
In Decatur City Schools, first-year teachers are looking forward to the coming challenges.
Meg Boston was just hired by Banks-Caddell Elementary School as a kindergarten teacher. She has some substitute teaching experience, but this will be the first time she will work as a full-time teacher.
"I'm really excited to meet my students," she said, "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. I'm just really grateful to be at this point and have this opportunity to be here at Banks-Caddell."
Boston wants her students to recognize their value and to have fun learning.
"Everyone remembers their first year in kindergarten. I just hope to make it a good one. Really make my students feel important and excited about learning," she said.
Another teacher at Banks-Caddell, Chelsee Hogue, is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Huntsville and was recently hired to teach fifth grade.
"I've always had a love of working with children and teaching," she said, "It's something I've wanted to do all my life and I finally made it."
Hogue is ready to challenge her students and prepare them for that next level of learning.
"I want them to gain that love of learning and from reading, and just be happy to come to school and happy to transition into middle school," she said. "(I want) to prepare them for that big jump from elementary to middle school."
Hogue expects it to be a good year for both the first-year teachers and their students.
"As a new teacher, students can expect lots of fun and excitement in the classroom, lots of social interaction and kindness and love going on," Hogue said.
—wesley.tomlinson@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2438.
