Educator of the Week: Shari Baldwin

JACKSON, Tenn. — It’s time now to recognize our Educator of the Week, brought to you by the Tennessee Education Lottery.

Dr. Sheri Baldwin is a principal at South Side High School.

She shares how she decided to purse a career in education especially to help those with disabilities.

“I have always enjoyed working with kids and I worked at a day camp with students with disabilities,” Baldwin said. “Not all the students at the camp had disabilities, but they kept putting the students in my group that had disabilities. And after that I realized I wanted to become a special education teacher.”

Baldwin has been in education for 32 years.

She says her favorite part of education is the connections she has with her students.

“Relationships with students and now as principal, relationships with teachers and everyone in the building. That’s my favorite part.”

She shares her thoughts on the Hope Scholarship, and she believes it is necessary for future college students.

“The Hope Scholarship gives our students opportunities. We have a lot of students who will be first time college students and the Hope Scholarship allows them that opportunity to go to TCAT or go on to college, even junior college. It’s great for our students.”

She ends by sharing some useful tips when deciding to become a teacher.

“Make sure that it’s something that you want to do. You don’t want to just do it because of the schedule. Always start with relationships with those students. That one on one. If a student doesn’t know that you care, then they’re not going to care what you’re doing in the classroom.”

Baldwin 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 an educator for our Educator of the Week award, email us at educator@wbbjtv.com.