Alice Clements has been a third-grade teacher at Darlington School for the past 10 years. As I have worked with Mrs. Clements this year, I have learned that one of her greatest attributes is that she sets such high expectations for her students.
Part of her effectiveness is that she does not set limits on any of her students. She believes they all can be successful and consistently challenges them to do their best. She is a caring professional who builds students’ confidence and teaches them to believe in themselves. She has the highest standards for her students and for herself. It is not uncommon to see her car parked outside her classroom over the weekend in order to plan integrated, relevant lessons to meet the needs of her students. She is consistent in maintaining that it is unacceptable to not give your best effort.
In Mrs. Clements’ classroom, one never hears a muttering, “I don’t know.” If students do not understand, Mrs. Clements focuses on them and re-teaches the content until mastery. She continuously monitors students’ progress so that she can differentiate instruction to meet individual needs. She has developed a culture in her classroom in which it is acceptable to ask for further explanation. The students are eager to offer support to one another if there is a misunderstanding.
Mrs. Clements is teaching her students to speak up for themselves and to learn how to gain a better understanding of material. Her students know they can depend on Mrs. Clements to support them and to understand them.
