Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

 

A lot of celebrating goes on in Beverly Crowder’s fourth grade classroom at Hamshire-Fannett Intermediate School.

So when Crowder was recognized as Teacher of the Month, sponsored by Philpott Motors on Monday there was hand motions and “oh yeah” was heard throughout the room.

The title of Teacher of the Month comes with a $500 gift card and puts Crowder in the running for Teacher of the Year, which is awarded in December and comes with a $1,000 gift card.

The cheer done in the classroom is part of Whole Brain Teaching, Crowder said as she briefly stepped outside the class to talk.

The approach is to get the students excited about learning, hence the reach they cheer for each other. Sometimes they give the 10 finger “woo” as a celebratory gesture. They even have a cutesy gesture is something is bad —“oh man.”

Crowder has been a teacher for 39 years — she’s currently teaching reading and writing to fourth graders.

“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” she said thinking back to her career goals at the age of six. “I always wanted to be involved in kids lives. I think it’s important to have good relationships with students.”

The veteran teacher says she does hear from former students.

“You form relationships with students that last forever,” she said. “And with Facebook, you get to keep in touch with people that are 40 years old now. They will want to know how you’re doing and keep up with you and yeah, you want to know about them. You get to see them be productive adults. It’s pretty exciting.”

Principal Morgan Rayburn said the easiest way to sum up Crowder is “irreplaceable.”

“She’s the kind of teacher who goes above and beyond to make every second, every lesson, every activity memorable,” Rayburn said. “When you visit her classroom you can’t keep a smile off your face — the room is engaging and inviting, but the expectations are high. She’s going to push all students to soar beyond what they thought they could do.”

Rayburn added you won’t find anyone with more school spirit.
“Whether it’s leading Friday morning cheers or hosting the school talent show as her alter ego, Mrs. Fullwood, she bleeds blue and gold. She’s the kind of teacher I think we all aspire to be.”