Teacher Tuesday: Mrs. O'Kelley Edition

When I was a senior at Texas Tech, my mom wanted me to come back to Plano to do my student teaching with this girl named Paige O'Kelley who was just phenomenal. She taught Kindergarten. At the time, I thought I would never teach anything but Kinder. Well, over the summer, Paige moved to teaching 2nd grade and my mom said, "I don't care. You need to do your student teaching with her. It doesn't matter what grade level she is teaching, she is awesome." Ok mom, sure. I really wanted to be with Kindergarteners, but I also didn't want to argue with the lady who was footing the bill. Side note- I got a job teaching 1st grade and decided that was the best place for me. God bless Kinder teachers!!! Can I get an amen?

To say the experience in her 2nd grade classroom was magical is an understatement. She taught me more in 2 months than I learned the entire four years I was in college. She trusted me, she let me work through problems on my own, she let me be creative. She was amazing. Ok mom, you were right.

Just as my mom trusted Paige to teach me, a few short years later Paige trusted me to teach her sweet boy, Brendan. I just love that kid! Here is quite possibly my favorite photo ever taken of Paige and her family. They are at the UT/OU game at the Cotton Bowl and he's putting his Guns Up for Texas Tech! Love. It.

And this is probably my 2nd favorite pic. He asked for that shirt for Christmas! #Sorrynotsorry

Now that you know the background story, I am pleased to introduce to you to the amazing, Paige O'Kelley.

Teacher Interview

How long have you been teaching? 

24 years! I taught at Barron (Plano) for 5 years and I have been at Beverly ever since! :)

What is your classroom decor? 

Western! 

I snuck in and took some pics of her cute room!

What is your favorite story about a student? 

Gosh, there are so many to choose from! When I was teaching kindergarten, you always had to be on your toes at a moment's notice. Anyone who has ever taught kindergarten knows you cannot go anywhere without at least 5 children following you, including into the bathroom. One time, I quickly ran into the kindergarten bathroom (because you also cannot leave kindergartners for a millisecond to go to the teacher's bathroom) and one little boy followed me in there, threw his book bag under the stall, and said, "Mrs. O'Kelley, you forgot to give me a new book to take home." Wow, I am so glad I didn't have to remind him about doing his homework!  

What is your favorite lesson to teach?

I absolutely LOVE teaching kids to read. Story time is my favorite time of the day. I really try to sound like the characters and use lots of inflection in my voice. This helps children create the movie in their mind. I also teach kids to "read" the pictures. The pictures often tell you so much that the text does not. I love helping children fall in love with books. I love showing kids the journey that books can take you on, and that some of the best books in the world make you cry. My favorite readers to teach are the reluctant ones who think they hate reading. It is so exciting to see the light bulb come on when they find "that" book that changes the way they feel about reading. By the end of our year together, they love reading as much as I do.

What inspires you? What is your strong?

I have known since second grade that I wanted to be a teacher. I know without a doubt that my purpose on Earth is to inspire kids to love learning. It is my calling and one I take very seriously.

What is your favorite Techy Tool?

I just recently started using Plickers and I love it! It's so easy to assess if a child understands a concept. The kid's answers are graphed instantaneously, however, I am the only one who can see which child did not answer correctly.



Learn more about Plickers here! 

What is your favorite caffeinated beverage?

I begin each and every day with coffee! I also love iced tea in a Sonic or Chick Fil A cup. There is something about having a drink with a straw that makes it taste better!

What is your favorite school celebration?

When my students reach their individual AR goals. It starts them on the "Hey, I really do LOVE reading path" which makes my heart explode with happiness! AR has the ability to challenge every level of reader from beginner to very advanced. I am a HUGE proponent of AR and have the nickname of being the "AR Queen."

This is my favorite celebration in 2nd grade. Look how cute they are!!! 

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

My favorite thing to do when I am not at one of my daughter's shows or my son's ball games is to plan our next trip to Disney and scrapbook! :) Some people may say I am obsessed with Disney. I like to think of it as a constant state of magic!

Tell us your best classroom management trick.

It is amazing how quickly kids will respond when you whisper or sing! You can make any activity fun, it is all based on presentation. To quote Mary Poppins "In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun! You find the fun and SNAP! The job is a game."  

This family L-O-V-E-S Mary Poppins. This is her daughter, Kennedy, who got to play Mary Poppins a few years ago. I saw the show, it was AMAZING!

Favorite teacher you've ever had?

My second grade teacher, Sandra Wysong, inspired me to be a teacher. She would gather us around her feet and tell us stories. I knew she loved us so much and I knew I wanted to be just like her! My other favorite teacher was my fourth grade teacher, Gail Alldredge. She taught us how fun reading can be when you create that movie picture in your mind. She was also the teacher that introduced me to "Where The Red Fern Grows." LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

Student Interview

I asked two of Mrs. O'Kelley's students to answer some questions about their teacher. Brandt and Emma are so sweet and neither one is lacking the personality department.

Those two cutie's answers are in blue below. B-Brandt & E-Emma

1. How old is your teacher?

B-30 something. Like 34? I am sure Mrs. O'Kelley will pick Brandt as the winner on this question ;)

E-48?

Or maybe she's 100 years old ;).

2. What does your teacher do for fun?

B-Make activities for us to do.

E- Go Swimming.

3. What would your teacher do with $1,000,000?

B- Buy clones of me! 

E- Buy a bunch of clothes and shoes.

4. If your teacher wasn't a teacher, what would she be?

B-The President

E-The Principal

I think Mrs. O'Kelley really could be the president! Look at her patriotic kiddos! 

5. If your teacher was a fruit, which one would she be?

B-Apple! Teachers love apples. 

E- Grapes! She eats them all the time while we are reading to her at teacher table

6.What scares your teacher?

B- Spiders!

E- Brendan keeps bringing snakes and gross stuff into the house.

7. What is something your teacher doesn't like?

B&E- When kids don't put their name and date on their paper. Oh, and when they forget capitals and periods too.

8. If your teacher could teleport, where would she go?

B- To Mars!

E- To my house! To all of our houses! 

Hmmm...look at those tin foil hats. Maybe B&E are right about Mars?!?!

9. What makes your teacher so special?

B- She is funny and she lets us read a lot.

E- She is really, really nice.

Other fun facts I learned about Mrs. O'Kelley during this student interview:

-Kennedy doesn't like bacon?!?!?!

-Mr. O'Kelley says no one can talk during the Cowboys game. Mrs. O'Kelley says it's best to get out of the house.
-She used to teach other grades, but now she teaches 2nd because I am in it!