Brent Bonds, Derek King, and Kelly King: Masters of Their Craft
Derek began mentoring me as soon as I stepped foot into North Panola--he taught me how to read and understand the complexities of Common Core standards. He also taught me how to take a dense, somewhat abstract objective and break it into its pieces--to make it an achievable goal with a series of steps aimed at getting the kids there. He taught me to focus on the kids--not myself.
DK also believed in me at the beginning of this thing when I believed every decision was the wrong one. Brent also began mentoring me as soon as I stepped into a potential North Panola job--well before I set foot in MTC summer school, though. My former principal hooked me up with Bonds over the summer, and Bonds and I emailed, Facebook messaged, and met at a bar in Oxford once. What I learned from Bonds, more than anything, was the art of challenging students. He taught me how to teach kids by asking them to think--by asking them to make connections, justify answers, and write as clearly and strongly as they could. Bonds was next door to me during my first year, and I could've imagined making it through without him. Thanks, Bonds. |
|
Charlotte Taylor: Master of Pretty Much EverythingMs. Taylor began working with me in my first year, and she has taught me an unquantifiable amount about teaching. As an inclusion teacher, she has watched many of my failures (and a few successes). She is a co-teacher in my room (when they don't have her off proctoring tests!) in every sense. She has kindly, patiently observed and spent much of her time helping me make my classroom a better place.
She is an advocate for both students and teachers being their "authentic selves" -- not trying to be someone they're not. Through two years in and out of my classroom, she has given me advice that has transformed my classroom from a place of confusion and stress to a place of joy, experimentation, and (sometimes) learning. Among many other things, she has taught me: - To laugh in class - To engage kids in learning - To give kids autonomy - To not be afraid to take risks in class - To be real with the kids - To respect the kids by pushing them - To set high expectations for the kids |
Hanna Olivier: Teaching and Community Champion
Hanna Olivier taught me what it means to be a part of the community in which you teach.
Olivier is not only one of the most notoriously difficult, serious, and awesome teachers at NP (ask any senior who took her Chemistry, Physics, Latin, Latin II, etc. class). You'd be hard-pressed to find any sporting event--football or basketball, home or away, boys or girls--where she's not there cheering on the Cougars from the stands.
You'd also be hard pressed to find one of these things Olivier didn't have a hand in creating:
- Any student's schedule
- An activity schedule
- An honors banquet
- An award ceremony
- A college tour trip
- A nine-weeks testing schedule that works
- A school-wide practice ACT
- An 11th-grade-wide REAL ACT
Olivier is not only one of the most notoriously difficult, serious, and awesome teachers at NP (ask any senior who took her Chemistry, Physics, Latin, Latin II, etc. class). You'd be hard-pressed to find any sporting event--football or basketball, home or away, boys or girls--where she's not there cheering on the Cougars from the stands.
You'd also be hard pressed to find one of these things Olivier didn't have a hand in creating:
- Any student's schedule
- An activity schedule
- An honors banquet
- An award ceremony
- A college tour trip
- A nine-weeks testing schedule that works
- A school-wide practice ACT
- An 11th-grade-wide REAL ACT