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Teacher of the Year reflects on award
[May 07, 2011]

Teacher of the Year reflects on award


May 06, 2011 (Independent Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- KANNAPOLIS, N.C. -- Inside Janelle Patterson's kindergarten classroom at Royal Oaks Elementary School, people are called "friends," everyone celebrates achievements with a roller coaster cheer and the students are told that they are the smartest in North Carolina.



"I want to teach (students) how to trust people, be honest and love each other," Patterson said. "You can direct kids with positive words, instead of correcting kids with negative words. When you praise one child, other children want to do what they're doing." Patterson's love for her students and positive attitude are some of the reasons her colleagues said she so deserving after being named the 2011-12 Cabarrus County Schools Teacher of the Year this week.

The day after receiving the award, Patterson said she was still so excited.


"I am very honored, and it's been the most humbling experience of my life," Patterson said. "I've never felt so much support and so much love." Her students said they enjoyed celebrating the award with her.

When the class returned from a field trip on Tuesday, hours after she was named Teacher of the Year, the entire school was waiting outside with a large, congratulatory banner, chanting Patterson's name.

Patterson said that it was the best moment of her career.

She also celebrated with her students by letting each of them hold the plaque she received.

"They were so good during the observation (for the award) and are the reason I want to do better," Patterson said.

Patterson declared that she would be a teacher when was the same age as her students.

She said her mother, Terri Russell, who was also a teacher and her biggest inspiration, still has the moment on video.

At five years old, Patterson stood on stage at her kindergarten graduation and said she wanted to be a teacher when she grew up.

She never changed her mind.

"I feel like everything I do is best when I'm working with children," Patterson said. "I think when you find what you're good at, it's important to be in that field." Even when she felt discouraged during her first year of college, her father, Eddie Beaver, told her that she could do anything she wanted to do.

Patterson went on to earn a degree in child and family development from UNC Charlotte.

When she received the Teacher of the Year award this week, she called her dad.

"I thanked him for not letting me quit," Patterson said. "He has always been my biggest cheerleader." Teacher assistant Lia Jackson said that Patterson is that way, as well.

"She sees herself not only as an educator, but she wants to help each child know what's special about them," Jackson said. "She wants to know each child and help them in their weak areas and shine in their strong areas." Lachandra Phifer agreed. As a student teacher, she chose to observe Patterson because of her reputation and what she had already noticed about her teaching style.

"It's the way she communicates with students," Phifer said. "She talks to them like they're regular people. She doesn't baby them." She added that Patterson's classroom is orderly, though, and the students are disciplined.

Jackson said Patterson has a great balance of kindness and firmness, which is one of the reasons why she had a hunch that Patterson would be named the district's Teacher of the Year.

"Everyday I love coming to work because I work with her," Jackson said. "She's solid on her content, solid on classroom management and loves her children." Patterson said she really enjoys working with the children at a title I school and encouraging them.

"I want to be the one person that believes in them," Patterson said. "No matter what they hear, I believe in them." Contact reporter Jessica Groover: 704-789-9152 To see more of the Independent Tribune or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.independenttribune.com. Copyright (c) 2011, Independent Tribune, Concord, N.C. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com.

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