Exploring Small School Districts with Dr. Nicole Terrell-Smith, Ms. Chiquita Thompson, and Ms. Katherine Kiger

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

pembroke, district, teachers, year, superintendent, students, area, small, grow, school district, learn, family, feel, school, classroom, education, smith, relationships, special education, kids

SPEAKERS

Nicole Terrell-Smith, Amy Vujaklija, Katherine Kiger, Joi Patterson, Chiquita Thompson

Katherine Kiger: 00:04

The kids here I feel like I'm part of their life. For more than just the hours they are here.

Joi Patterson: 00:12

Welcome to our podcast teaching and leading with Dr. Amy and Dr. Joy. I am Dr. Amy Vujaklija, Director of educator preparation. And I am back to Joi Patterson chief diversity officer. Our podcast addresses issues through the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion, along with solutions for us to grow as educators. So join us on our journey to become better teachers and leaders. So let's get into it. Hello, Dr. Joi. Hello. Dr. Amy, how are you? I don't know what to say. How exciting is it that we are having a conversation about small school districts, we like talked about small school districts before. Now we haven't I actually came from a small university similar to small districts. And just because it's a small district doesn't mean that it doesn't have the volume. And when I say volume, I can't tell you how many hats I wore, you know. So that was one of the benefits of being at a small institution. You know, I don't know if that's a bit of it. But you get to explore a lot. But you wear a lot of hats at a small institution, but you really become family. And I think for a lot of educators, many of them, we know this, they're small, they're afraid to go to a small district. Those are not the districts did get a lot of attention. So but I think that there's some misconceptions about going to a small district, and it can be so rewarding, so family oriented when you're part of a small institution. But I just want to say a word or two about the small school that we were talking to the superintendent and I'm really, it's going to I'm going to introduce the superintendent in just a moment. But when we were having the conversation planning this podcast episode, she was wondering, okay, now who is going to be available to join her? What other teachers can she bring in to this conversation with us? See, that's a different See what I'm saying it's a family. And she said, Well, I believe second grade takes lunch at 1230. So so and so can join us. What superintendent knows when the second graders go to lunch? Yes. And all the teachers names. How it sounds great was that so I just had to say that before I introduced the superintendent. We're finally talking to Dr. Nicole Terrell Smith, who is the superintendent of Pembroke Township. She was born and raised in Chicago and has been a Kankakee County resident for 17 years, receiving her bachelor's and master's degrees with this chief School Business Officials endorsement from Governor State University. She went on to pursue a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of St. Francis in Joliet. Dr. Smith has been in school administration since 2008, serving as the human resource manager, Assistant business manager in a Special Education Cooperative, and eventually Director of Business Services in Hazel crest school district 150 2.5, where Dr. Smith was mentored by Superintendent Dr. Sheila Harrison Williams, and was eventually promoted to assistant superintendent of schools within the district. Dr. Smith was assistant superintendent of the Kankakee school district 111 team before being recruited by Pembroke community consolidated school district 259 to become superintendent and Dr. Smith's goal is to assist in rebuilding the vision and hope of Pembroke Township. I want to also introduce to Keita Thompson, her first year with the school district as a special education resource teacher. So Miss Chiquita Thompson is a special education teacher and learning behavior specialist. She has dedicated her life to over 25 years of educating students She began her career as a childcare provider and tutor for 16 years. She then moved on to be a classroom teacher teaching third and fourth grade combined for three years in a private school, and has been a special education teacher for the past seven years. And this, as I said, is her first year with Pembroke community consolidated school district. She attended Governor State University to earn a bachelor's degree in early childhood education with an endorsement and special education. Law love this educating students is truly her calling. Special Education is her passion. She believes every student can learn although each student's path to get there may be a bit different. And also with us, Katherine Tiger, who's in her ninth year with Pembroke, and is a second grade teacher. Mrs. Tiger has always wanted to be a teacher, even as a child. Prior to entering the teaching profession. She served our country in the Air Force for four years right after high school. She started her career in education as a substitute teacher, and paraprofessional. After leaving the Air Force, Mrs. kyger earned a master's in education in 2010. She has endorsed in Elementary Education and Social Science Middle School in 2014. She went on to earn a master's degree in School Counseling. Mrs. kyger, is a native of Kankakee County, when the private school in the area closed. She joined the Pembroke family and has taught sixth through eighth grade reading and ELA, kindergarten, and is now the second grade teacher and union president. So welcome to our podcast. Good morning.

Katherine Kiger: 07:10

Good morning.

Joi Patterson: 07:11

Good morning, or good afternoon. How are you? Good afternoon, morning, and welcome is kyger We're so happy that you could join us before you came on Dr. Amy and I we were talking about working at small institutions. Before I came to Governor State University, I was at a small, private college. And just because it's a small university, a small institution, it doesn't mean that you don't work hard. I think you work harder, because you wear so many hats. But we were also talking about the family aspect of it and like you're really in it together. Because when we were talking to your superintendent, I mean, she knows your name. You know how many superintendents would know about the tea and staff name? Know that lunch hour? Oh, yeah, this time, you know, we should be they should be on break or whatever. So just amazing. And that's one of the amazing elements. And that's why we wanted to have this conversation with you today. Because we're really demystifying a lot of things about small districts, and how beautiful the relationships you can develop there. And you can really, really grow and a small district. So Dr. Nicole Smith, I want to hear from you. But I want to turn over to Chiquita, and Miss Thompson and Miss Geiger for a moment. Because Miss Thompson, you're you're a veteran teacher, before you came over to Pembroke and you could have gone anywhere else. So I am interested in why you came to a district like Pembroke. And Ms. Kiger first, I want to thank you for your service. Thank you. And with all of your accomplishments, you could have gone to many places, and yet you to find yourself at Pembroke. Can you talk about what it means for you to be at Pembroke

Chiquita Thompson: 09:06

I would first like to say I grew up in a small school district just like this one. So it hit home for me. I remember all of my teachers by name from kindergarten all the way to sixth grade. We didn't we didn't have the privilege of having seventh and eighth grade there. But I remember they were so compassionate that they knew our names. You know, it was it wasn't a whole lot of children there. They just made me feel like I you know, I felt confident I could learn if I didn't. If I wasn't able to learn I could reach out to my teachers. And that's how I feel here like these students that I have encountered all of the students that I've encountered. It's a small setting. So you know, we can we can identify them by their names when we see them. You know, they're they're confident that we care about them. It's not a huge setting where there's just the kids are just numbers is just amazing. To me, that I'm able to allow these students to, to help them to feel like I felt growing up to know that the teachers care, they know us by name, you know, this is not just a huge setting where they just felt like, you know, we're just a number here.

Joi Patterson: 10:16

I want to speak to that for a moment, as you said, I know all my teachers names, I was naming my first and my second pondering how it was possible for my first grade teacher to draw such a straight line Miss Hagen really straight lines, this crease whenever she retired, she handed some of my second grade work to my mom. To that she had. I mean, just I don't want to say how long ago that was a long time ago, that I had her in second grade. So I'm connecting, I mean, it's small school experiences really beautiful.

Chiquita Thompson: 10:59

It is it is.

Joi Patterson: 11:02

What about you, Ms. Kiger?

Katherine Kiger: 11:04

I'm, I'm right with with Miss Thompson, when she says that, because I grew up in Bradley, which is a really, it's a small district. And so I too, knew all of my teachers. And most of them knew my parents from outside of the school already. So I can remember there would be stories when I would come and they would say, Oh, I know you. And they would tell some story that they knew from when you know, I was, you know, a little kid or, you know, are outside of the school district. And so that it was just that connection that you're looking for of family, it's very hard to do that in a bigger district. When you have so many kids that there's, there's so many groups of the same age kids, you just don't get that family feeling like you'd be here and you get with the Small School Districts. And that's one of the reasons why I'd say really, this, my kids, the kids, the kids here, I feel like I'm part of their life, for more than just the hours they are here. I hear about their families, I hear about their stories, I hear about what they do afterwards. I know in their parents, you know, they go they go somewhere, I know when they do things I know when they have, you know, new babies at home. I know all of that, because they include me, in their family. And so you get that with every kid every year, I feel that way. This year, I've been here long enough that my eighth grade, or the eighth graders here are my first class. And so they still come and they still show me their report cards, and they still are in the hall and they still say hi. And they still say can I come back to your room. And you know, and they look for that connection with you even years later. Because it's there, they're still their family. They're still my kids all the time. So I always tell them, you know, I don't care how long you've been out of my room, you're still my kid. So I still expect you to behave. And I still expect you to do well. And I will know if you don't. And I will tell them that. And I even tell them when you go to high school, I will know if you misbehave, I will know if you don't do well. And I will find out and I will talk to you. I truly enjoy watching them every year like they just you know the growth they have and what they're going through and the things that you see. They become your kids. They truly do. And so I'm connecting it here because it's it's family this is this whole school is family.

Joi Patterson: 13:23

I can hear it. I can hear. I can hear the emotion. Yeah, I'm getting emotional here is I'm thinking about sister, Mary Nicholas. That was my sixth grade teacher in a small school in Chicago. And I can remember when I was so heartbroken to find out, you know, because I thought I was a teacher's pet. And then I was heartbroken when someone else told me they were the teacher's pet. Like she's cheating on me develop those relationships, and they continue to respect you all these years. And I'm sure there's some teachers and administrators for larger districts listening to this. And they're saying, you know, because that respect continues, and we don't always see that in larger schools. Yes. Dr. Nicole, you came from the industry, you know, so you, you bring all of that experience with you. Tell us about your journey to becoming an educator and then finding yourself after I mean, you've been at some big places and finding yourself in Pembroke.

Nicole Terrell-Smith: 14:36

Yes, yes, this has been a magnificent journey. I was actually I grew up in Chicago. I worked downtown at Arthur Andersen for years. My son when he went to kindergarten, they were he was being assessed for special education. And there were some other things that I actually saw on the system that I didn't feel were quite right. So I left Corporate America to be a stay at home mom, and volunteer in the school setting. through that journey, because of my experience in corporate, I started seeing some things in the school that I could assist with, since I was there all day anyway, and then it kind of grew. I got to know the administrators, and we're just putting, hey, how about I train this person for you? Let me go on this classroom and help in this way. And it just continued to grow. In 2006, we actually moved out here to Bourbonnais. Then my husband is a native of Pembroke, in his family actually still lives here, he would jokingly say, one day, you're going to be superintendent out there. And I'm thinking, I'm a corporate woman, no, I'm going back to corporate. However, my path continued to get shifted to education in some way. And when I finally embraced the true passion that I had for children in general, then it just took off from there. There are so many roles that people don't know about the field of education. In general, when you think of education, you think of teachers. But there's so much more that has to be done in order for the organization to fully function and operate. So I was able to find my niche in the education setting. And because I was in that piece, I was able to learn about all the other components that tied into it, and connect all of those pieces. So going from a special ed cooperative, I fell in love with grant management. Obviously, somebody recognized it and brought me into the gen ed side to help with some grants there. Now, what's interesting about what the METU teachers have said, is that I've worked in all three sizes, middle, large, and now small, the middle, I got to know a lot of these students, most of the staff, so it was nice. When I went to the next school district that was the largest school district Kankakee School District. I felt I had to be in the office at all time, I knew very few staff members had very little connection directly with the students unless they were athletes. Then I come here to Pembroke. As soon as I walked in the building, the children greeted me, the staff greeted me. And one young man come up, he's graduating this year, are you bringing basketball back, that's all I want to know, you bring a basketball bag. And so it was an immediate reception to being a part of the community from day one. As I walked through the halls as a superintendent, I don't feel like people are like, Here she comes, which is really nice also. So that journey has just kind of led me right where I believe that I was intended to be of

Joi Patterson: 17:51

love that you said an educator can be multiple roles. But also, the education isn't just about being a teacher in the classroom. The name of this podcast teaching and learning and we've thought about that we really have a very broad audience, because we think education really belongs in everyone's hands at some point in a child's life. And you mentioned having been in different size districts. So we're going to go down this road for a little bit and talk about some unique challenges that you have found being in a small school district compared to larger school districts in which you been an administrator.

Nicole Terrell-Smith: 18:44

I think the the most prominent thing that I can think of is the fact that there are limited human resources, human capital. In a larger district, you have a person for everything, you have an administrator for every department, you have people able to be just the expert in their field. In a smaller district, you have people wearing three or four expert hats. And if one piece is missing, it can be very detrimental to the the total framework and operation of the organization. So that that's one of the the most glaring differences and uniqueness about being in the small district. Another is the tax base is often extremely different. In one district I was it almost $8 per 1000 in taxes. Here, were at about $2.73. So that's a huge difference. You have just a different level of financial resources to work with access to community organizations being role with no transportation, that could also just lead to Some other areas that you wouldn't necessarily have to deal with in a larger setting. So those are, those are probably my top three, in addition to routing. With us being in the middle of the two expressways, there is no easy way to get to us there really. So, you know, if I'm in in my district, if our district is in a lineup with some of the larger districts around us, they're probably going to skip right over. You know, because of stigma, because a distance, just convenience. And because of our tax base, they may actually think that we can't afford,

Joi Patterson: 20:42

right. All right. And that's why we want to demystify some of this, because actually, I went on and looked at some of the demographics. And because your numbers have to be large enough to give you certain data, there's certain data that's missing. So I was intrigued. I want to talk to miss Thompson and Miss kinder, tell us about the demographics, in your roles, with the teachers and in your classrooms. And how do you see your students being affected by some of the challenges that Dr. Nicole just mentioned,

Chiquita Thompson: 21:15

or let you go first Kiger.

Katherine Kiger: 21:17

My demographics in my room are about half Hispanic and half African American. And honestly, they're not a fit, they're little so they they're not really affected in their in their school life. Because it it is just part of their daily their life. You know, it's not like they people have the, they realize that they're far away from a bigger city, or the big roads to get here and things like that. They really enjoy their rural life, their country, like in my classroom, there is a lot of kids, especially right now in the spring that they get these kids get really, really excited about the new things going on in their life where they come in, and they're like this guy, guess what, I got 14 new chickens, and I got a you know, I have this smile, and I'm like goat had a baby and they talk. And so that that's their life here. So they're definitely you know, we're surrounded by farms, we're surrounded by, you know, country fields. And they, you know, and it's great because they really have that slower pace that is enjoyable. And so we work with that we go out and we talk about nature, and we can talk about, you know, we've taken field trips to to local areas where they would get to discuss how there's uniqueness here, there is a place out here that is a preserve, they've you know, there's different trees and different distances. And, and so they talk about how those plants are very different than plants you'll see in other places. And we get to look at them and see them in, in like real life. And we get to eight, were able to do that, where if you are in a bigger school or a bigger city, that all changes, you know, what they are allowed, or what they're able to bring into their school life is very different than what we have, you know, and so when we have when I have a student come in in the morning and talk about how he rode his four wheeler to school with his dad, and they, you know, stopped and picked up a frog and they went fishing yesterday, you know, those are the kinds of things that are really unique here. And, and not just here, but in our whole area really because we are very we're ruled down here. And so some of those bigger schools and some of those bigger city schools settings can't do any of that. I don't know, like it really affects them negatively. Right.

Joi Patterson: 23:35

So they're not disturbed by the politics. So you know, some of the things that Dr. Nichols said that comes with being with a small district and being missed on so many different levels, what I hear is that the love and the attention, and the quality that they get makes up for all of that, and they don't seem to be affected by those that don't factor in a call to Europe back that every day.

Katherine Kiger: 23:57

Yeah, we don't really we make sure that we don't bring that into the classroom. They're shielded

Joi Patterson: 24:01

from that. I love that. Miss Thompson, did you want to add anything?

Chiquita Thompson: 24:05

I just want to say, I'm a special education resource teacher. So my caseload is about 10. And three quarters of my caseload is African American students. And then I have a Hispanic student, as well. I just, I'm entertained. I am fascinated by the stories that they tell me about their farm life like this. I'm like, wow, you know, you're just exciting to me. Or your city. Yeah. Even my drive to here. Yeah, even my drive here, like, wow, you know, just looking at the farmland and how I wish I, when I grew up that I was exposed to things like that, you know, just seeing that it just amazes me. And so I feel like hey, I've learned a lot, you know, working here with the students, you know, so you're

Katherine Kiger: 24:49

not you know, you're not a country teacher that you've had to stop on the road for the turkey to cross the road. It's truly we've had to stop and watch and just okay,

Chiquita Thompson: 25:00

Yes, just the other day Kira and I, we ride share sometimes. And on our way home, there was a peacock in the road. It was exciting to see that.

Amy Vujaklija: 25:12

In addition to these opportunities, like being able to bring their homelife the farms and the natural resources into the classroom, Could you say more about any other opportunities that are afforded you, by being in a small district, I'm thinking about things like collaboration, or, or cross grade or cross content types of field trips, or opportunities or projects.

Katherine Kiger: 25:46

When we go when we planned field trips, we plan is usually for me, because I'm second grade, it's usually pre K through second grade. So we get to go, we're lucky enough to go with with all of us. And so there are some things where we'll try to do together like tomorrow. So in my classroom, we have we've done a unit on butterflies. So they've all come out, they're all ready to be released, kindergarten, first and second grade will all go out tomorrow morning. And we'll release the butterflies together. And then each classroom will do a little, you know, either a little storybook or a little life of a butterfly kind of thing in their classroom and things like that. So we are able to include the other grades and our other teachers in what we do and things like that. Where it might not be we not might not be able to do it with different grades. If we were much larger, you know, we had three or four for second grades, we wouldn't really have the capacity to bring other grades in with us. When I was a kindergarten teacher, I would do things. And now next year, I will have that group again. And so I already have those kids asking me like, are we going to do this? I see that you did this with your class, are you going to do that with me? So if there's anything new that I do this year, and they're sort of included? They're like, well, would we do this next year? And so they have like they have they have definitely looking forward to things that they see they do and then and but they will also tell me, you didn't do this with us yet are you going to do this with us. And so they have great memories of like the things they want to do. And they have no problem telling me that I have, I still have to do it with them, even though they watch the butterflies next year, we still have to grow up them.

Nicole Terrell-Smith: 27:25

The other thing I think is is kind of awesome. We had a couple of board members where all of our board members are grew up out here. And then we're raised on the farms in some way. And so we have partnerships with some of the local farmers for different things. When they were talking about the nature preserve out here, there's an area called Black Oak center that does have some indigenous trees and insects, which is amazing, because they're nowhere in the rest of the United States of America, I think they said they have 150 unique insects that are that live in that area. So these are partnerships that are easy to take the children to and free of charge. And it's right here in their backyard. We've also been able to forge relationships with the USDA, who is supporting our greenhouse, the mayor, frequent visitor of the district again, because we're small, so he can even sometimes kind of assist in the in a partnership type way with giving us Resources to access to additional either funds or whatever it is that he took me on a tour when I first started around all of Pembroke Township and gave me the history, which was pretty exciting. Actually, everybody should do it. I thought it was amazing. The very rich history. So yeah, they have a unique angle here. Wow,

Joi Patterson: 28:52

I just want to point out that making all of this happen, having partnerships, going to nature reserves, incorporating the child's home environment, those are very complex, complicated, challenging tasks of leaving our previous conversation, where you're talking about assumptions, oh, small town, it'll be easier or you know, simple. It's the simple life, what you're all talking about with this cross grade collaboration and making things fit in going with the lifecycle of a butterfly and having collaborations with farms in the local area. Those take time, but they are so enriching. It's like if an educator wants to be involved and make a difference, and really stretch themselves, this is the way to do it. You Oh,

Nicole Terrell-Smith: 30:00

absolutely, absolutely it is. A lot of times, I believe what we have been trying to do is incorporate, and since a lot of times people tie their schema or their experiences to learning, and that's how they're able to retain the information. We've looked at programs that will take, you know, farming, for example, there's not just the planting of the seed, or there's not just the raising of the animal, there are financial components to it there contract negotiation components to it, there may be some science involved in it. And so we've looked at all of those to tie it back so that the children can take it home and look at it from that standpoint. But that also builds the pride in the area so that the area can continue to grow and replenish itself. Believe in the area, according to the Census Bureau, the average age is about 52. That is one of our challenges that we're also faced. Yeah,

Joi Patterson: 30:55

so I take that as, as your students are graduating from high school, and some may be going to college that they may not be returning to that area. Talk about your equitable resources. You and Dr. Amy, were talking about that a few minutes ago? And how do you get your fair share of the resources that you need for your population, including your teachers? And how do you get your teachers? How do you attract, you know, highly qualified teachers to come to your district. So from the equitable standpoint, I look at all different avenues, whether it is partnering for professional development, or seeking opportunities for people to come in and donate and donate your time, donate their resources, see got outside grants, we just completed a grant yesterday with the federal government, utilizing the clever relationships with the neighboring districts for articulation meetings. So it's, you know, we just look at different ways to best utilize what we do have access to, we do a lot of professional development internally. So that it that cuts down on the cost, you know, when you're in a larger district, use your title one dollars, you spend $7,000 on a PD for a day, it's not a big deal. But to have a staff of, you know, 12 instructional personnel, that's a huge deal. Um, so we can't always necessarily do that. But we've found that by actually explaining our situation to a lot of vendors, makes them look at things a little bit differently and work with us in some way. And then we were talking about teachers, I know, it was a lot of recruiting teachers, how do you go about attracting highly qualified teachers to come to your district.

Nicole Terrell-Smith: 32:43

So we have to get out there because again, if we, if we put the just put an advertisement out there, it may not gain the traction that we need. But I believe that one of the ways that we can benefit is from actually using relationships, that people that we either have worked with in the past went to school with our in our area, we know all of us know, children that have come through the system have graduated from college now, and interested in going into education, you know, building those relationships, that's one place, the second place is actually getting into the schools to introduce who we are and what we're about and talk about what it is that is unique about our setting, and you know why they should consider visiting here, getting people to visit, I've even done that getting people to volunteer that has assisted with attracting individuals. So there's a lot of word of mouth for for our district, in order to get people to join our team. And we actually started up a grow

Joi Patterson: 33:49

your own program, I was gonna ask you about Grow Your Own. So consider us on your list, and your partner to help grow your own and to help attract highly qualified teachers. So consider us a partner.

Nicole Terrell-Smith: 34:03

Thank you. Another thing we actually did earlier this, this year, we partnered with Olivet Nazarene University. And what they did was hired or signed up students that were in the Department of Education, either sophomores, juniors, or seniors and the Department of Education to tutor our students. So that got some of those students in the building. And you can start having those conversations right there. And then just you know, that little bit of time here, because they'll grow those relationships. And we will continue to foster and nurture that relationship and

Joi Patterson: 34:43

and that is what we found that works. Now, someone emailed me just today, I used to publish this portfolio of all of our candidates that were graduating each semester and send it out to all the superintendents and they loved it again, the whole profile. So I'm still Getting an email saying, do you still do this? Do you still know I don't have to anymore. Unfortunately, unfortunately, because they're offered jobs before student teaching even ends. So you're right. It's about developing that relationship, getting them on campus, when they're in their field experience and their clinical experience, so that they can really adapt the environment, you know, and say, I want to do my student teaching here, which then in terms become a higher. So this is where Miss Thompson and Miss chi are so many teachers, discourage kids from teaching. And I think that is a big challenge in growing your own that we're in our own way. I want to hear some more unique experiences about what makes you unique. How do you all even want to work with partners such as universities or other partners?

Chiquita Thompson: 36:02

I just want to restate which is the question, the first question you asked about what makes me unique as a teacher, because there were

Joi Patterson: 36:09

two that yes, you want? Well, I think it first starts with passion, you have to have no, you don't have a passion for the students or for children, it's not going to work, it's not going to work. So I have a love for them, I have a passion for them, because I see myself in them. As a child growing up, I didn't know a lot of things I knew I had to go to school to learn. So I had to, I had to want to learn. And I had to feel that their passion that the teacher was giving, I had to feel that so that I know if I needed help, I can come to you, without hesitation knowing that you will help me if I'm struggling in this area over something I want to learn or there's something I want to know about something that the teacher may not even be or may not be teaching, I'm comfortable to come to you so that you can help me with this. So it's that's where that's where it all starts, you know, we're gonna have to do a whole segment with you on readiness to learn because that is the key to learning just being ready, are the other stuff can come later, you know, developing the skills, but being ready to learn misfire,

Katherine Kiger: 37:22

she kind of answered it, you know, you have to have that it's almost like a need to come and whatever passion you have, you try to give that to the kids so that they want like, it's like she said want to learn. In the morning, we do independent reading. So I have all levels of different kinds of reading. And so if you can get that passion, or that pleasure of learning into them, then they'll see it as a different way to get that to where it's not just a textbook, it's not just oh, I have to do this, because it's my homework, I have to do this. So instead of having to do it, they start to want to do it. And they start to want to go on to the next level and to see what else they can learn. So if you can find and harness what they're passionate about. And you can make that into something that you can connect with what you're trying to give them, then they see it as now there's more knowledge, that is what I want, rather than someone's making me do it. I think we've all kind of felt that like, just, I've got to do this, because it's what they're telling me I have to do. And we've all been in that one class you really didn't want to be in. So my job is to try to make whatever I'm giving them connect to what they want to learn. Because if you want to learn it, not only you're going to retain it better, but you're going to, you're going to pay more attention you're going to be you're going to get it faster, all of those things. So I always knew that, you know, if I can get them to want to learn. That's half the battle. Let's see, that's the hard part is getting them to want to be there. I use all kinds of different things that the kids will say, Well, I'll do this, I want to do this because there's this incentive at the end. Or, you know, bring in like the butterflies or frogs or whatever we you know, we had a frog jump into my room one day from a window and we held it and we talked about it. And boy, I could get anything I wanted. If I had that frog in my hand. I all day long. They listened to me as long as I had that frog. So you have to find what they're passionate about and make it make it relevant to them. Because then they'll learn it.

Joi Patterson: 39:28

You might get more than just teachers, you might get some more students, you might get some more families that

Chiquita Thompson: 39:37

if I could just say if I can just say something else to what Miss Kiger just said, I have a student that would come in and he would just try to give me the hardest time. You know, I don't want to do this and I don't want to do that. But I had to develop rapport with him where he knew that I cared and that I wanted what was best for him. I was like this is what you have to learn. I know you Don't want to learn it. But because I care, I want you to, I want to, I want you to know that this is what you need to do. It's not about whether you want to do it or not, is what you need to do. And because I showed him that I care, you know, and that I was concerned, and compassionate, he just received, you know, so that makes all the difference as well. And

Amy Vujaklija: 40:22

I want to point out that Miss Kiger, you know, some of these students before they ever enter your classroom, I do. And half of the battle, that beginning of the school year that we are trying to get to know students names and build rapport and make lessons relevant, we can do that day one with several students, because you've already had that interaction, you might even know their families, you might have had an older sibling. And you already have part of that in place. So that can be really rewarding. One question I have, and as we begin to wrap up, Dr. Smith, what my a new educator expect entering into your district, what might be some supports or mentoring in replace, that you can share with us today, we

Nicole Terrell-Smith: 41:23

are building a new mindset in the district. And so we are definitely looking to mentor and support all staff, and really checking in, I try to check in with staff on a regular, you know, I walk through the halls just to see how they're doing. We're starting to support the development of lesson plans, we're starting to support by doing walkthroughs not for evaluate story purposes. But just to help facilitate teaching stretch strategies or develop teaching strategies, we are going to rebuild our PA PLCs by grade bands, because we only have one grade, one classroom per grade level. So we're going back to those grade bands. So a new teacher coming in should feel supported. Even without all of that the staff, they they bond together, they truly are a family and support one another. The principles are in there, I have a Director of Curriculum and Instruction consultant, who is very hands on in providing mentoring, and then I'm going to partner them with one of these experts that are already internal, that know the systems and know what the expectations are to kind of help bring them aboard. So they can definitely feel supported here.

Joi Patterson: 42:47

I am excited to be a part of this conversation I want to move is their their place close, you know,

Chiquita Thompson: 42:58

you can come back. This is this is a nice place to to truly visit. And when I even though my husband was rounding when we'd come visit, I was only on this main road, I never knew any other areas. And it was like Oh, stop at that gas station. And it's like, okay, I don't know why I'm not stopping. But now I'm hearing something completely different. Like I have a completely different mindset about the environment, that that's one of the other challenges that we've had is that this area has a negative stigma upon it. So we have been partnering with the county sheriff's, the working on our PR, working with our local representatives, working with our families and our teachers about the messages that we send out there. We've rebuilt our Facebook or social media presence, just to get out there that hey, we're here and we're growing, and we're doing some things. And you need to get on this train. Trust me.

Joi Patterson: 43:59

That's good. I like that you know about the mindset and champion mindset. So it sounds like all we have to do is get them there. That's it. They will say like Miss Thomas and this tiger, I think they are there to stay. So all we need to do is get them there. So we're happy to join you in partnership to help you grow. You're highly qualified teachers help you grow retention. So you reach out to us anytime you need something. Absolutely.

Nicole Terrell-Smith: 44:26

Well, I think we've been here a couple of times this year. So yeah,

Joi Patterson: 44:30

and we're looking forward to a visit. So please, I'm so excited to invite. Absolutely,

Nicole Terrell-Smith: 44:36

absolutely. We actually did our State of the District address last night and it was very well received by the community. And for the first time we went, we did Facebook Live. So we're trying to get our message out

Joi Patterson: 44:51

just because you're small and you can still be very innovative. Absolutely. Absolutely. Okay, well thank you all enjoy The rest of your day. Thank you for sharing your time with us and your experience you and definitely

Nicole Terrell-Smith: 45:05

appreciate you and Amy, thank you. Dr. Joi. We will definitely be in touch soon.

Amy Vujaklija: 45:12

Thank you for listening to teaching and leading was Dr. Amy and Dr. Joy. Visit our website at govst.edu/teaching and leading podcast to see the show notes from this episode.

Joi Patterson: 45:29

We appreciate Governor State University's work behind the things to make publishing possible. Stay tuned for more episodes with Dr. Amy and Dr. Joi