First grade teacher Shanda Warthman describes herself as tough when it comes to education. No doubt she runs a structured, efficient classroom where success takes root every day. But tough? How tough can she be when she plays gentle instrumental music in the morning to create a calm atmosphere? Tough? She allows successful students to choose […]
It’s nearly 5 o’clock on a Friday afternoon – which is the end of another long work week – and special education teacher Janet Jones is not only still at the Veterans Park Elementary School, but she’s as fresh as a first-year teacher. Considering all Jones does at the school, that’s saying something. Along with […]
If you’re looking for the personification of dedication as it relates to public school teachers, you don’t need to look any further than Karen Botts of Coventry Oaks Elementary. Botts is an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher with more than 20 years of experience, so you might think she’d be gliding toward retirement, […]
When David Mato arrived in Lexington from Spain as part of a teacher exchange program, he figured six months in America would be enough. Some 12 years later, he can’t imagine living anywhere else. For a dozen years, Mato has found a home at Maxwell Elementary, a Spanish Immersion school. After 10 years as a […]
This dynamic duo is helping to bridge the gap between their school and its Spanish-speaking population. It started with a book in graduate school: “Explain This to Me: Our U.S. School” by Christel Broady. First-grade teacher Sarah Sturgeon of Cane Ridge Elementary in Bourbon County read it and shared it with colleague Lesley Brown, the […]
How did Beverly DePaola wind up as a fifth grade teacher at Athens-Chilesburg Elementary School in Lexington? Well, it’s a long story. A lover of mystery novels, DePaola dreamed of working for the FBI. In college, she majored in police administration only to discover the FBI hired specialists, not people with her degree. At a […]
Pull up a chair in Tracey Werkheiser’s fifth grade classroom — you’ve got lots of choices. Along with a traditional desk and chairs, students can settle into a bean bag chair or perch on a balance ball chair. How about a table and chair set from IKEA, or a furry, cushioned stool? If you don’t […]
Maybe Becky Wood’s first grade students at Cassidy Elementary love her because she’s patient and nurturing, uses hands-on manipulatives and encourages movement in the classroom. Or maybe it’s because she’s flexible, prefers kindness to threats, accepts mess and welcomes classroom conversation with the kids. Or maybe it’s because she gives students choice throughout the day, […]
More than two decades as an educator and more than eight hours teaching that particular day — in heels no less — and nothing can blunt Angela Gonzales’ enthusiasm and energy. The fourth grade teacher at Liberty Elementary is so excited as she explains the importance of student engagement that she keeps popping out of […]
Elizabeth Royse of East Jessamine High cheerfully admits that education was far from her first career choice. Instead, she grew up dreaming of veterinary school and working with animals. By the time she enrolled in college, that dream had faded, replaced by an interest in pharmacy. She loaded up her schedule with science classes, but […]
