This is Mrs Godfrey, she is my daughter’s first grade teacher in Greenwood Elementary school. When I first time met her in her classroom, I saw a lot of her past students came back to visit. At that time I didn’t know her, but I could see how much she loves her job and the students.
How long have you been teaching?
I started teaching in 1989 as a long term substitute in a sixth grade classroom shortly after getting my teaching certificate from the University of Pittsburgh. I went to Allegheny College where I majored in Psychology. I student taught in fifth grade. I have taught preschool, kindergarten, first, fourth and sixth grades. I have a Master’s Degree and a principal’s certificate in Educational Leadership from Lehigh University. I have been an assistant principal as well.
What was your dream job as a kid?
Like a lot of educators, I dreamed of being a teacher. I played school with the neighborhood kids and always had a chalkboard handy. That may be the reason I still use the chalkboard in my classroom from time to time. I have always been drawn to children, and I would often hang out with my mom who worked in a school. While she worked, I would help the teachers. I especially liked when they would get new books. I often imagined myself as a writer. I still do. When I’m planning lessons, I think about writing a book that would be just right for the class. Unfortunately, I haven’t written all of the books I have created in my mind yet, but someday, I hope to make that my job as well. Sometimes, I have turned class projects into books so I guess I am on my way…
Can you tell us about your first day of teaching?
I have a “first day of teaching” each year. I always feel the same way…excited and apprehensive. Even after all these years, I still get butterflies in my stomach. I usually don’t get much sleep thinking about all of the things to do and all of the new faces in the classroom. Someone once told me that you know it’s time to leave teaching when you no longer get nervous about the first day. I guess, I’m here to stay for a while longer. Now that I am more experienced, I can enjoy the excitement more than I did that very first day. I love how fresh everything is….the crayons, the pencils, the lesson plan book, the students, and me. Our year is a blank book waiting to be written. Even though, I’ve done this before, I know each year will be different. It is a mystery that we solve together one day at a time. And before you know it, the book has been written, the mystery solved and it’s time to say good-bye. And on that last day of school, I feel excited and apprehensive because now I have to let go of those children who have taken hold of my heart!
What is your philosophy on teaching?
My philosophy is to be responsive. Teaching is a dynamic process. There are academic expectations and goals to achieve, but more importantly, the children in the classroom are people with many different interests, skills and needs. My job as a teacher is to respond to each of the students in a way that honors their developmental and academic needs. I believe that all children innately want to learn, and that they learn in many different ways. I believe in the power of play and exploration! It is my goal to facilitate learning by giving the children opportunities to engage in activities that are meaningful to them. I also think it is important for me as an early childhood teacher to develop good learning habits. We practice these skills playfully and authentically as we work our way through each school day. We laugh, dance, do a little yoga, read, write, add, subtract, struggle, argue and sometimes cry, but we do it together and form a community along the way. My job is to respond to each of those times with the love and inspiration needed for each child to grow and learn.
What were your five most memorable teaching moments?
- Each year, we begin first grade by watching caterpillars turn into monarch butterflies. The first year, I participated in this, I frantically searched for caterpillars in nearby parks and fields. I didn’t know a lot about them, but I decided I needed to learn as much as I could so I could share this miracle with the students. Over the years, I have allowed milkweed, the only food the monarch caterpillar eats, to grow in my front garden. I have visited gardens and attended informational workshops on monarchs so I can learn more to share with the children. I’ve developed relationships with others who share my interest, and this year we are planting a butterfly garden at the school so we can watch them in their natural habitat. Because our first experience in first grade was focused on observing and watching nature, it has become a habit for us. I love when the children have time to be outside to explore and I love the excitement when they discover something new. Looking at the earth through a child’s eyes never gets old!
- I had a student who was very young for the grade. He had a lot of things going against him, but every day, he came to school with a great attitude. In spite of all of his hard work, he struggled to succeed. One day after several attempts to complete a task, he shouted with joy, “I did it. I got them all right!” He went on to say that he didn’t understand it, but that he kept trying and he told me to look at his work because he got it. The joy on his face brought tears to my eyes. It was a reminder of the reason I became a teacher.
- Some years are harder than others. One of my particularly hard years came with a silver lining…. I met some of the most incredible students that year. I was learning a new grade level which is always a challenge. A few students stood out that year. They weren’t the students you might expect, but rather students who were struggling a lot to keep up. I think we developed a bond, because that year, I remembered how hard learning can be. I found myself spending extra time after school with these students, and my work with them, helped me work through the new curriculum. They were able to spend some extra time they needed to learn the material which ultimately helped them become more successful. The memorable part of this experience was that several years later they reached out to me to ask me to help them with a school project. I was honored that they considered me to be a resource to them even after they had left my classroom.
- Projects can be a memorable experience. One in particular I remember was as a fourth grade math teacher. Somehow, we fit 40 fourth grade students into a portable classroom for an enrichment math project. We were learning about measurement in math and electrical currents in science, so I decided to have the students design and build dollhouses with electricity. We used foam board and glue guns for construction and added doorbells and lights to develop our understanding of open and closed circuits. Once the houses were constructed, the students decorated them with paint, wallpaper, and fabric scraps for carpet which gave them an opportunity to practice their skills in calculating area and perimeter as well as in art and design. This sounds a lot like a STEM project (but it was way before STEM became a focus!)
- Every June at graduation, I take a walk down memory lane. I remember the graduates as they were when they were my students and I proudly think of them as mine one more time. The sea of blue and white mortarboards on the front of the high school is filled with students who have touched my heart and soul. I send up a prayer of gratitude for the time I have spent with them along the way.
