Thanks for the wonderful give away, I love it, and know that no matter who wins, the teachers will be all the better for it!

lisa m

My tweets:
http://twitter.com/donnak4/status/4621404499

http://twitter.com/donnak4/status/4621718488

http://twitter.com/donnak4/status/4621359291

Thanks for the wonderful give away, I love it, and know that no matter who wins, the teachers will be all the better for it!

lisa m

In order to inspire her students, she presents one with a “Student of the Week” award…out of her own pocket also.

The school doesn’t have air conditioning, and it’s pretty hot in her classroom – upstairs with no windows. She buys them bottled water and Otter pops to help cool it down, and brings in her own swamp coolers and fans to make it cooler.

She also coaches soccer there, and spent $60 of her own money to repaint the soccer field since the school ran out.

She stays on her own time, unpaid, after school to help students with her homework and do soccer coaching.

I know this card would help her out so much – even if just for ink for the printers. They only get so many copies a year, and have to pay for anything over their allowance.

http://twitter.com/treesandshrubs/status/4605882391

http://twitter.com/treesandshrubs/status/4605887600

http://twitter.com/treesandshrubs/status/4605892485

She entered the education world 25+ years ago as a physics, biology, & chemistry teacher. She has always worked hard to better herself and her classroom for her students, often going across the country to workshops for science teachers (usually paying her own way). She has been to science workshops from Boston to Phoenix in order to learn new, innovative ways to teach.

Four years ago, she participated in a group project at Middle Tenneessee State University and became qualified to teach ESL (English as a Second Language). She quit her job of over 20 years teaching high school science to move to an elementary school and begin helping students who had difficulties learning due to language barriers.

McMinnville, Tennessee, is the town where she teaches at Dibrell Elementary School. McMinnville is a small town touted as the “Nursery Capital of the World,” which means many migrant workers move to the area searching for work at local nurseries. My mother teaches her “little ones” (K-8) letters, words, colors, and so much more. She works tirelessly to not only help them in the classroom, but also in life.

She has worked with LEAPS, an after-school program for students needing extra help. She often uses her own money to buy school supplies, clothing, and even eyeglasses for her students. (The back of my car is currently full of clothing & household supplies she asked me to bring to her so that she could hold her second annual “yardsale” at school — the families of her students are allowed to go through these items and choose what they need.) Last year, she even transported one of her students to counseling sessions every week after some school issues arose & prompted his parents to seek counseling for him. Also within the last year, she helped a student’s mother escape an abusive relationship and move herself and her children into a local women’s shelter.

Anytime we are shopping, my mother picks up several items (school supplies, activities, prizes, even clothing) for her students so that “she’ll have them when she needs them.” She teaches her 50+ students in a classroom which used to be a janitor’s closet. She shares the space with her biligual assistant and another school employee. If you walk into her classroom, you will see her teaching a small group at one end and her biligual assistant teaching another group at the other. Although only feet from each other, they work hard every day to maximize the time they have with their students.

My mother could use this gift card and put it to excellent use. Her students would benefit greatly from the extra funds.

I’ve asked others to share their stories and send in nominations: http://www.twitter.com/joannamcneal

Thanks so much for making this contest possible!

http://twitter.com/sumrthyme/status/4587164160

http://twitter.com/sumrthyme/status/4577078594

http://twitter.com/sumrthyme/status/4577163948

mj.coward[at]gmail.com