Nakia White has been teaching K-4 for the past 21 years, primarily third grade. This year, White is teaching fourth grade ELA and Social Studies at Schilling Farms Elementary. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee - Martin in Human Learning (K-8) and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from UT.
White’s grandmother’s love for teaching helped her discover her own love for teaching. “I come from a family of teachers,” she says. “My grandmother was a third grade teacher for many years, and her love for teaching made an impact on my career choice.”
White takes immense pride in being a teacher and holds herself to the highest standards. “I have very high expectations for myself as a teacher and the children that I have the privilege of teaching,” she says. Children are the future and the center of the world for their families. And she believes it’s her responsibility to ensure that the kids are learning more than just academics. “It is my job to do my best to help them academically and socially,” she explains.
White embraced pandemic-related changes last year as a virtual teacher. “Students were actively engaged through lots of PowerPoints, fun facts, animations. I played lots of games,” White says. “The students were allowed to chat with one another about various topics, and I used breakout rooms as well.”
She extensively used various teaching tools like Schoology and Classkick, which allowed her to instantly see if a student missed classwork. Even though it posed challenges, especially when technology glitched, she grew to love it. “I was able to broaden my teaching experience by using different technology strategies to push out engaging lessons to my students,” says White. “This experience allowed me the opportunity and confidence to teach an online summer learning STEM class.”
White has transitioned back to teaching in person. “I did miss the face-to-face interaction with the students,” she says. “I missed the hugs and being able to really connect.”
White models her classroom on the Golden Rule — she wants to treat the children the way she would expect her own children to be treated. “I know how I want my own children to feel when they are in a classroom,” she says.
White implements a positive environment in her classroom. “I am constantly modelling appropriate behaviors, complimenting when students are showing positive behaviors.” This reward/compliment encourages the students to do it again, helping the target behavior to increase. Being responsible and taking responsibility is a life skill that can go beyond the classroom. When a child is involved in finding the solution, they are more likely to stick with it. “I also work to help students accept responsibility for negative behaviors and find solutions to unacceptable behavior,” White says.
White enjoys teaching — and the fact that she is learning and growing with her students as well. “Although I am the teacher, I learn so much from these wonderful little humans,” she says. ⎢
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