Marquell Woodson always planned to become a teacher after growing up playing school with his cousins. On Tuesday, he’ll officially kick off his career at Albemarle County’s Woodbrook Elementary.
“I have had teachers who actually inspired me to become a teacher just from the interaction and the support that they had given me during my time as a student,” said the Fluvanna County High School graduate. “I can really see myself in this role and giving back to the students.”
Woodson, an African-American Teaching Fellow, is one of 117 new teachers in the Albemarle school division. Although the first day of school is not what he envisioned, with the first nine weeks to be all-online, he said he’s excited to get started and meet his students. He hopes to serve as a role model for all of his fourth-graders, and especially the students of color.
“They can say, ‘Hey, you know, this is something that I can do. You know Mr. Woodson? He was a teacher; I can be a teacher,’” he said. “I think it’s just very important for them to see us serving in those capacities.”
Albemarle County moved its annual new teacher academy online this year, and Charlottesville City Schools organized a socially distant orientation for new employees.
In Charlottesville, 49 classroom teachers joined the division over the summer, including Meghan Comer. A Monticello High School graduate, she’ll be teaching fifth grade at Walker Upper Elementary.
Comer finally got to start getting to know her students last week during meet-and-greets at the school.
“It’s not what I pictured,” she said of the school year. “But I think this week helped me put it in perspective that there are students behind the screen and reminded me that even though it’s different, the goal is the same.”
Instead of welcoming students from the front of her classroom, Comer will be in her apartment with a whiteboard and calendar behind her, talking to them over Zoom. She spent the summer, like other teachers, learning about the technology for online classes. During this first week, she wants to help students get to know one another and start building relationships.
“And just kind of talking through things so that the students know that they’re not alone in this,” she said. “It can be a difficult time for everyone.”
Comer, who graduated from the University of Mary Washington, said she always wanted to come back to the area to teach.
“I wanted to make an impact on the next generation because I think that is going to be so important and just making sure they have the best opportunity to succeed,” she said.
Woodson, a graduate of Longwood University, has wanted to teach at Woodbrook since he started driving a school bus for the division in 2016 while a student at Piedmont Virginia Community College.
“I fell in love with Woodbrook; I fell in love with the staff, students and families,” he said. “Just being involved in the school community, I knew this is where I wanted to be.”
When he transferred to Longwood, he continued to drive the bus on breaks.
“I would come in and work just to make money to support myself through school,” he said. “That really helped me.”
Driving a bus will help him manage the classroom, in whatever form it takes, he said.
“I really feel that if I can handle 60 kids from a seat, then I don’t think it would be an issue to handle 40 students in a classroom or however many I’m working with,” he said.
He’s also served as an academic coach for two fifth-graders at Woodbrook to help them get prepared for middle school.
Being a part of the African-American Teaching Fellows program is one of his greatest achievements thus far, Woodson said, citing the financial, professional and social support the organization provides. There are four fellows this year in the program.
“It really helped me through this entire process,” he said.
So far, AATF has helped Woodson to navigate working in a place where he’s in the minority and provided other networking opportunities.
“I would say they do a great job of creating space for educators of color, and that really makes me feel comfortable at AATF,” he said.
To make the school year a success, Woodson said he needs openness, support and flexibility from the division.
“Just being flexible in our learning experiences so that we can learn and grow together as one, and be successful,” he said. “I have faith in Woodbrook, my team and also AATF that I’m going to get that, without a doubt.”
The school year will be a journey, he said.
“We’re taking this journey together,” he said of his students and colleagues. “We’re all in this together.”
Source: www.dailyprogress.com
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