Sept. 18, 2024
“After graduating from Missouri State University in December 2023, I spent the second half of the academic school year substituting at 17 different elementary schools. I was seeking out what school/community felt like home to me. As I was making my decision on what school I would like to be an important role model in, it only felt right that I went back to where it all started for me -- Bissett Elementary School.
In 2006, I attended Bissett Elementary School as an incoming kindergarten student, and Mrs. Hall was my teacher. From day one I knew I wanted to be a teacher. Mrs. Shelly Hall always greeted her students as we walked in. She showed love, compassion and made it a safe place to go each and every day. I always loved going to school and seeing Mrs. Hall. She didn’t just teach her students, she showed them that she cared and made learning fun. To this day, Mrs. Hall is still a part of my life, and it shows that she wasn’t just a random teacher who taught kindergarten. She was an inspiration to me to become that important role model for the next generation of students.
As a teacher, the best ways to start the academic school year off strong would be to get to know your students, go over expectations, make learning fun and take care of yourself. These would be my four major “must do’s” as a teacher. When getting to know your students, it allows them to see that you care about them in and outside the classroom. Building that classroom community with your students is so important. My goal is to help my students understand the importance of an education and to strive to come to school each and every day.
As a teacher at Bissett, I can help set my students up for success by setting achievable goals that encourage them to want to be a better student. Being consistent with my classroom routines and making my expectations clear and understandable for all my students is so important to me. Not every student or grade level will be working at the same pace, and I am learning to understand that it is okay. As an educator, I have to think of it as a marathon and not a sprint. Even the smallest success each day is a win in my book.” - Brianna Davis, first-grade teacher at Bissett Elementary School
