Educator of the Week: Allie Richards
It’s time now to recognize this weeks Educator of the Week , presented by the Tennessee Education Lottery.
Allie Richards has been teaching 1st grade for 5 years now and says she loves her class’s exciting attitudes.
“Their excitement. They love to come to school, they get excited over every little thing – even just the smallest thing they get so excited over it,” Richards said. “They’re just happy to be there and love every minute of it.”
One of Richard’s favorite things about her 1st grade class at Bradford Elementary is getting to know her students and watching their growth over the school year.
“I’m always so excited to see their growth,” Richards said. “Especially in first grade, with their reading and writing, they come in knowing a few little words but then by the end, it’s amazing how much they truly grow from the beginning to the end.”
Richards says she loves connecting with all of her students, past and present.
“If I see a student walking down the hallway, I’ll still ask them about how their day is going even though they’re not in my class anymore, I still want to check in on them just to make sure everything is going good with them.”
But it isn’t just a one person team — she works hard with other teachers to ensure all of their students have the best education possible.
“My co-teachers, we just collaborate throughout the school so well and I think just getting ideas from one another and building upon one another.”
And as Richards prepares to leave at the end of the year, she says she will miss her lively and wonderful 1st grade class.
“I’m going on maternity leave in February and this class is… I’m just going to miss them a lot. This class I just feel like I really connect with,” Richards said.
Richards 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 weekly award, just email us at educator@wbbjtv.com.
