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COURTESY PHOTO
Jamieson students play on the playground during recess. |
It was around noon – lunchtime at Jamieson Elementary School. Janice Wilson’s third-grade class already had eaten and was waiting in the classroom to go outside to the playground to catch some fresh air.
The students got quiet and lined up as soon as Wilson told them to get ready for recess.
Everything happened so smooth, without the noise or pushing that is to be expected from third-grade students. But that was because Wilson had taught the children about discipline and let them constantly know what was expected from them.
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COURTESY PHOTO
Jamieson students play on the playground during recess. |
Wilson, who has been teaching at Jamieson for 13 years, is a teacher with heart and soul. She loves being a teacher and working with students.
"[Jamieson] is the best place where God could have put me," she said. "Even if I would not get paid, I would still do it."
Wilson said that what she likes most about teaching is seeing her students grow and watching "how their eyes light up" when they understand a new concept.
Wilson always tries to make sure that her students enjoy learning and feel comfortable coming to school. She also ensures that every student gets involved.
"Everyone has to participate in the learning experience," she said.
Because a lot of Wilson’s classes concerns reading, she tries to encourage students to read for pleasure.
"Since we have good and bad readers, I let them read to each other," Wilson said.
That way, they can help themselves.
Wilson, like many Jamieson teachers, encourages parents to get involved in their child’s education.
"When parents and teachers work together, the child will learn harder. That teacher-parent-child triangle makes the child succeed."
However, Wilson is keenly aware that a lot of parents have to work long hours and cannot necessarily attend parent’s nights and other special events in order to talk to teachers about their child’s progress in school. Consequently, she established an open-door policy that welcomes parents to come to class and watch their children whenever they want or whenever they have some free time.
For interested individuals, Jamieson offers the Parents as Partners Club. Through the group, parents can learn about how they can help their children with homework, as well as how they can make learning fun and interesting at home.
It also gives parents a good opportunity to see what their children are learning and discover how well they are doing in school.
Wilson believes that it is important for parents to see that Jamieson offers meaningful activities for their children.
And Jamieson Elementary School offers a lot of extracurricular activities.
Besides having Boy and Girl Scouts, there is a school choir and a track team. Most of the 600 students at Jamieson are very enthusiastic about getting involved in those and other activities.
"Everybody works well together and tries to make sure that everyone succeeds," Wilson said.
And that, she said, along with its committed teachers and talented students, is what makes Jamieson great.