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Jacalyn Warner
Teacher of the Month
By Jenn Director Knudsen
The job takes "more patience than you can ever believe in having," she says with a lilt in her voice that makes it sound like she must be smiling on the other end of the phone. It also takes persistence and sensitivity toward the kids' needs, she adds.
"One example of her commitment would be when a student in her classroom developed some health problems," Shorter, the assistant principal says. "She went to specialized training on a Saturday to ensure she was up-to-date on the appropriate actions she should take regarding this condition."
In terms of teaching, Warner hammers reading skills, and she uses creative ways to help motivate the kids in both academic and social arenas. "As first grade teachers, we basically work on reading," she says. "To me, reading is really work. Math (by contrast) is fun. I love to teach math because it's fun."
Warner is devoted to using guided reading and small group instruction as teaching tools. By working with kids one-on-one, no student falls through the cracks; the foundering ones get the best shot possible at boosting reading competency, and the more advanced pupils get the additional challenge they need to stay engaged and successful.
Warner has 20 students this year. One feature in her tightly managed classroom is spending time each day with students in a small group setting. She breaks her students up into groups of four to get at least 15 minutes of individual time with each child, every day.
