Putnam City - Public Schools Foundation

Winner Named

Harvest Hills Elementary School second-grade teacher Jennifer Whites was named Putnam City Schools? "Teacher of the Year" during the district?s annual celebration of teaching excellence last night.
"Teaching is a calling. I love being a teacher, and try to do whatever it takes for my students to learn," White said in accepting the award.
White, in her fifth year of teaching at Harvest Hills, is a master of both the science and the art of teaching.
The science comes into play as White analyzes test data and designs strategies to reach each student exactly where he or she needs help. She adjusts those strategies based on the results of frequent classroom assessments.
If students have trouble mastering key concepts, she forms groups of four to six students to provide extra time and support for learning. The groups meet 30 to 45 minutes a day, ensuring a "second helping" of instruction for students who need it.
For White, the art of teaching has to do with tending to students? emotional growth.
"Emotional growth is just as important as academic growth. Nurturing through consistency, respect, unconditional love, kindness and taking an interest in outside activities instills self worth and a positive self-image in a child," White says.
Mickey Wilson, principal at Harvest Hills, says that no matter how you look at it, White?s teaching stands out.
"Jennifer doesn?t give up on students. Her past experience and varied background have taught her that all students can learn, and she is continually looking for new ideas and ways to intervene to help students," Wilson says.
White has responsibilities beyond the classroom. For five years, she has chaired the School Improvement Committee. In that role, she attends all building committee meetings, making her intimately familiar with schoolwide focuses on language arts, math, science, social studies, safety and technology. She is currently participating in an administrative internship with Wilson, providing research and data analysis of test scores to teachers at each grade level and helping make decisions about how to increase student achievement. Her expertise in school improvement has led her to make presentations at six other Putnam City elementary schools in the last three years.
White is busy in the community, too. In the summers she works as a counselor at a camp for foster children, and also participates in Fellowship of Christian Athletes Inner City Cheerleading camps. In years past, she has tutored residents of the Berry House on reading skills and volunteered to help at Special Olympics, where her favorite job was "hugger" at the finish line.
White comes from a family of teachers, and was drawn to the profession herself by the examples they set and messages they imparted.
"I grew up feeling that teachers hold a special significance in our society. We help mold the future," she says.
The rewards of the profession keep White excited about teaching.
"The rewards in teaching are numerous. I?m rewarded when I see a student try his hardest, even if he falls short. I?m rewarded each time a student offers me her work with a look of pride on her face. I?m rewarded each and every time a student ?gets it, and I?m rewarded when a former students calls or e-mails to say ?thanks,? White says.