Empowering Educators - Mrs. Colleen Smith

Meet Mrs. Colleen Smith - 1st Grade Teacher and New Teachers' Mentor at North Elementary School 

January is National Mentoring Month. While this month is mostly dedicated to mentoring and empowering youth, I would like to take an opportunity and highlight Mrs. Colleen Smith, a first grade teacher and a New Teacher Program coordinator at North Elementary School who plays a crucial role in mentoring new teachers - helping them get through the crucial first year of teaching.

As a teacher, Mrs. Smith is well known for seeking out new and innovative ways of engaging students, and trying out new methods that can help students who are struggling. Even though this is Mrs. Smith's 17th year of teaching, her classroom looks a little different each and every year. This is not a coincidence, and has a lot to do with Mrs. Smith's personal experiences within the educational system.

Mrs. Smith said that teaching is something that she loves to do. Education has been always very important to her, and she has had a fortune to have many great teachers throughout her schooling. Additionally, Mrs. Smith said that she has been influenced by her family who has been involved in educational system at all levels. Additionally, her personal experiences have shaped her way of teaching. Being a student who was once retained at school, Mrs. Smith understands the struggles that students can have without proper supports. Mrs. Smith spoke about one of her teachers and her influences that have had a positive, long lasting impact on Mrs. Smith. Today, many students are fortunate to have Mrs. Smith as the teacher who helps them, by not only delivering high quality lessons, but by truly understanding where they are coming from, and scaffolding their learning opportunities to meet their needs.

Mrs. Smith compares teaching to a puzzle. "When students do not get it, there has to be another way", she says. Thinking of this "other way" is what keeps Mrs. Smith on her toes each and every day. She explained that "somehow, some way things are triggered; some things work out and others do not. But at the end of the day, this puzzle comes together, and students learn - in their own way, and at a different pace, but they do learn".

This is why Mrs. Smith's classrooms looks different each and every year, and this is why there is never a lesson that is exactly the same. "I am just trying to reach each and every one of my students, to set them up for success, so that they can reach their fullest potential in what they do", Mrs. Smith said.

For the longest time, Mrs. Smith taught kindergarten, and this year she made a switch to first grade. Mrs. Smith said that she finds the change exciting; it gives her an opportunity to learn and figure out something new. She even calls teaching her hobby. This is not a surprise. When visiting Mrs. Smith's classroom, one can find many unique setups and opportunities for students to learn - all with a light hint of Pinterest-like fun and excitement, while always centered around educational standards.

Mrs. Smith also plays a crucial part in new teacher training at North Elementary School. She is not only a mentor teacher, but more so the program coordinator - making sure that all of the new teachers are on track with things that they need to do in order to complete their New Teacher Program with the school district. This includes setting up observations in master teacher classrooms, conducting follow up discussion with the new teachers, holding training sessions to discuss educational standards, lesson planning, student discipline, or anything else that can be challenging to first year teachers. This is not an easy task, especially, after a full day of working as a teacher herself. When asked why does Mrs. Smith do it, Mrs. Smith emphasized the importance of making teaching public. "We cannot keep what we know, to ourselves", she said. If we know how to reach the kids, or what works, it is our duty to share it with others".

Outside the school, Mrs. Smith's time evolves around her family. She enjoys being with her children at home, at their games and competitions, and of course, being at her husband's high school football team games.

Often, Mrs. Smith can be found after school in her classroom, either waiting for her children's practices to be over, or, with her children by her side. When Mrs. Smith's mom, a former educator, is visiting Florida, she comes and helps out as a volunteer at North Elementary School.

North Elementary Schools is blessed to have the Smiths as part of our NES family!

Dr. Tuuli Robinson,

Educator and Lifelong Learner