Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! This week, we’re celebrating teachers by sharing community stories on how they got their start teaching, why they love teaching, and the biggest learnings from this school year. We sat down with 4th grade elementary school teacher and Generation Genius community member, April Archer, to learn more about their teaching journey.
Generation Genius Teacher Stories: I Teach Because
Name: April Archer (academicallyapril)
Grades: Currently 4th Grade
Years Teaching: 5
Have you always wanted to be a teacher?
Yes! I always looked up to my elementary school teachers. I would force my little sister and cousin to play school with me and be my students. I begged my Mom to buy me workbooks.
What was your most surprising moment this year?
I was asked to host a Professional Development session and it went so well! I was really nervous as I have never done anything like this before. Seeing other educators excited about the engaging teaching strategies I use in my classroom was really rewarding.
What is the biggest takeaway from this school year?
My biggest takeaway is that sometimes connection is more important than curriculum. Student growth doesn’t just have to be academic, it can be social-emotionally too.
What is your word of the year that describes this school year?
Patience
What was your student’s favorite lesson or activity this school year?
Our NFL Team Research Project! At the beginning of the football season, my students drafted their own teams. Each week, they research a different topic and share with us the final score of the game.
What is the one thing you want your students to remember from this school year?
I want my students to remember the incredible grace they showed one another. This school year was unique and sometimes challenging. They showed patience towards their peers and myself.
Teacher Appreciation Week: I Teach Because
We love sharing teacher stories from our community. To all the teachers out there, thank you for all you do. We appreciate all the work you do, in and outside the classroom. Because of you, students are curious, confident, and learning everyday. Would you like to share your teaching experience? Submit your teacher story here.
GENERATION GENIUS
