Educator of the Week: Ashley Tomlin

MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — It’s time for this week’s Educator of the Week, brought to you by the Tennessee Education Lottery.

Ashley Tomlin always knew that she wanted to help people with disabilities. Her mother first encouraged her to be a teacher.

She took the advice and has been teaching for over 19 years across West Tennessee.

“I wanted to know that I was making a difference in this world. The way that I knew to do that was to use the gifts that God had given me,” Tomlin said.

She has been teaching special education at Rose Hill School in Jackson for the past five years. Tomlin says she has had no doubts about her career, but the pandemic has brought a few difficulties.

“I think every teacher would be lying if they said there weren’t doubts throughout this pandemic,” Tomlin said. “It has been a challenge, it’s been difficult, but all in all I love my job.”

She says her students need constant interaction to work best in the classroom. Simultaneous Zoom and in-class teachings has made it easier on both her and the students.

However, she says she still misses the pre-pandemic connections with her students.

“The hardest part is not being able to embrace my children, and that is something that they’ve been so used too. Every morning giving them hugs, or every afternoon giving them high fives and telling them bye,” Tomlin said.

Tomlin is now eligible for the Tennessee Education Lottery Educator of the Month award.

To vote for her or any other nominees, go to the Tennessee Education Lottery website.

To nominate a teacher for our weekly award, email us at educator@wbbjtv.com.