Specialist Spotligt: Tameko Sanders Edition

This is a really fun one for me. I have known Tameko for my entire teaching career. I knew of her even when I was in college because my mom would talk about her all the time.

Mom and Tameko totally "get" each other. When those two get together, you want to be around...trust me.

Tameko is HILARIOUS and you are sure to get a good laugh every time you are around her. She totally gets my sense of humor and we can just exchange a look and know what the other is thinking. That really served us well through our first grade days together.

Tameko and I taught first grade together for 9 years. She was my FAVORITE person to be on recess duty with because we would just chat with the kids the entire time and listen to some very interesting little stories. One year, our other two teammates wanted to do lunch duty all year, so Tameko and I happily agreed to be on recess duty the entire year. I tell you what, the stories we have from that year are the best. We learned how to Dougie, she learned that I will run from a wasp faster than Usain Bolt, we traveled to "China" via a make believe tree trunk with a first grader as our guide. It was the best.

3 years ago, Tameko left the first grade classroom to become our gym teacher. Health and fitness are very important to her and she had always wanted to be a PE Coach. Let me tell you, she is amazing! Those kids are listening, learning, and having a blast in the gym every single day.

Tameko is generous, caring, funny, and also an amazing educator. She also has the most perfectly coordinated workout apparel I have ever seen in my life. #jealous

Meet the amazing, Coach Sanders...

How long have you been in education? 

22 years

Have you taught any other subject or worked in any other capacity in schools? 

1st Grade and I taught in Dallas ISD and Ennis ISD. And just so no one ever forgets, we wrote our names under the new carpet in the first grade hallway before she left to be the PE Coach. Our blood, sweat, tears, and names are under the carpet forever. 

What is your favorite Techy Tool? 

The Starbucks App. I totally cracked up when I read this! #winning

What is your favorite lesson to teach?

Four Corner Soccer

Coach Sanders in Action

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

Go out to dinner with my husband.

What is your favorite Caffeinated Beverage?

Diet Coke

What is your favorite children's book or author?

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

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

Read! 

Favorite teacher you've ever had?

 LaVerne Sneed

For this student interview, I chose 2 kiddos who know Coach Sanders well and they both have an excellent sense of humor. I knew I could get some pretty funny...and true answers out of them and they did not disappoint. Warren and Kylah are siblings. Warren is in 4th grade and Kylah is in 1st grade. 

How old is Coach Sanders?

Kylah- 44?

Warren- Hmmm...maybe 35?

What does she do for fun?

K- Kicks balls up into the wall in the gym.

W-Runs 5ks

She does run 5ks! We have done several together and I am sure I burned more calories from laughing than from running. 

What would she do with $1,000,000?

K- Buy new soccer balls and about 200 million running shoes.

W- Buy her own gym.

You can bet if she owned a gym, it would be decorated with style, flair, and inspiration! 

If she wasn't your coach, what would she be?

K- A Doctor! She knows all about health and she helps us when we get hurt.

W- An Olympic Runner

If Coach Sanders was a fruit, which one would she be and why?

K- Huh? An Orange? (then I asked her why) Uh...her head is nice and round like an orange?
W- Grapes because grapes roll around a lot and she is a runner and runs around a lot.

What is something Coach Sanders doesn't like?

K- Kids running around the school like crazy.

W- The gym getting flooded and also snakes.

Warren nailed it on this one. Coach Sanders can't stand snakes. When we taught first grade, our annual field trip was to the Dallas Zoo. For some reason, Coach Sanders never found time to take her group to the reptile room at the zoo. I'm sure they just spent too much time with the elephants or something ;). 

What is something that she always does?

K- Walks! I think she should change her name to Mrs. Walks a Lot.
W- Blows her whistle

If Coach Sanders could teleport, where would she go?

K- I think China. You have to walk a lot in China so she would like it there.

W- Cuba. Mostly because I know a lot about it from my History Fair project.

What makes Coach Sander so special?

K- She is so funny. One time she said, "bubba, butta, boooggiieee". Ok Tameko, let's hear the story on this one?!?!

W- She is smart and knows a ton of information about health. She taught us a lesson about when you should and shouldn't call the fire department. Like you shouldn't call the fire department when you can't find your little stuffed bear named Boo Boo.

Of course, we have to end with something a little silly! I hope you all enjoyed reading about the fabulous Coach Sanders.