Fifteen years ago, Rebecca Rhodes (’01) sat in Mrs. Starnes’ first grade class contemplating what she wanted to be when she grew up.
“I remember making a poster that detailed certain qualities about us, and that was one of the questions that was asked. After growing up at Darlington and watching teachers all the time, teacher seemed like a natural choice,” she said. “Throughout my experience at Darlington and at Wake Forest, I oscillated between teaching and other professions; however, I kept coming back to my first grade decision and the desire to touch lives like so many teachers at Darlington have done for me.”
Rhodes vividly remembers her Darlington years and the classroom experiences that inspired her to pursue a career in elementary education.
“In kindergarten, letter books; in Mrs. Starnes’ first grade, frogs, Bubble Day and the treasure box; in Mrs. Smith’s second grade, reading in her blue bathtub; in Mrs. Tharp’s third grade (now Mrs. Michell), great books like ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and Mrs. Cordle’s flea; in fourth grade, Mrs. Bradshaw’s hands-on science, reading ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ with Mrs. Carroll and ‘Island of Blue Dolphins’ with Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Eberhart’s bonus room,” recalled Rhodes.
Lower School teacher Lola Bradshaw was thrilled when her former student stopped by to visit her class Monday, Jan. 3.
“When you do your student teaching, you are constantly recalling your own teachers and incorporating their teaching talents into your own style. These teachers become models of how you want to influence your own students,” said Rhodes. “It, therefore, feels like an indescribable privilege to enter the classroom of someone that you are attempting to emulate, especially someone like Mrs. Bradshaw whose enthusiasm for her profession is just as fresh as it was when I was in her classroom almost 12 years ago.”
Rhodes visited the fourth grade classes to read to the students and illustrate the story of “Pink and Say” by Patricia Polacco.
“I used a
Story Sack. Normally, students would take the sack home and read the book and do activities with their families; however, the classroom works well, too,” explained Rhodes. “When I read the book, I got students to put on costumes that I had made for each of the characters. When students step into the shoes of the character, they become more capable of seeing that character’s perspective and what motivates his or her actions, plus it is just more fun.
“I think that any time you can show children how to learn and think in different ways then they are automatically more responsive,” she continued. “Children are naturally curious; they want to know what I have in the sack and how it is going to be used.”
Rhodes also did a thumb print activity with the students.
“One of the main symbols in the book is hands … Using a stamp pad, students made thumbprints on index cards and then, using an identification card, identified the type of thumbprint they had,” she said. “This is a science activity that examines one of the symbols that the author utilizes.”
Rhodes, daughter of Headmaster David Rhodes and Middle School math teacher Dee Dee Rhodes, has recently completed her student teaching in Winston Salem, N.C. She will graduate from Wake Forest University in May with a degree in Elementary Education and History.
