Many individuals who enter the field of education do so because they have a strong desire to help children grow and learn.
Kylie Harness, a kindergarten teacher at Parkview Elementary, is one such teacher.
On March 29 at the spring conference of the Missouri Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (MACTE), Harness was recognized as one of Missouri’s Outstanding Beginning Teachers.
The Outstanding Beginning Teacher Awards recognize teachers in their first two years of service who demonstrate excellence in serving children in school districts across the state.
Fifty-nine of the approximately 8,000 teachers who were certified in the last two years were given engraved glass apples for their dedication and service to Missouri’s schools and communities. Award recipients were selected based on recommendations from Missouri’s state and nationally recognized teacher education programs, and a recommendation from candidates’ school districts.
“Teachers do so much more than I ever realized,” Harness told the Democrat. “I would have thought that being in a classroom all through school would have given me a good understanding, but it didn’t. Teachers pour themselves into their work for students and the majority of their work goes unnoticed by their students and community members.
“This isn’t because students and community members are ungrateful, it is because teachers do it out of love and do not expect anything in return,” she added. “Therefore, it is all done behind the scenes early in the morning, late at night, and on the weekends simply because they care. It is just remarkable how invested all teachers are simply because their students inspire them to be.”
Harness described herself as the kind of person who wanted to help people in any way possible, commenting that teaching is full of opportunities to help make a difference in the lives of other people.
Movement and activity are important concepts in Harness’ classroom. Students complete their work while bouncing on balls, sitting on the floor, standing at tables, or wobbling on a wobble chair.
Harness said she feels this method of allowing students more movement helps them become more successful in developing their problem-solving skills and perseverance.
“As we learn you can hear students teaching and questioning one another,” Harness explained. “We explore math concepts through play and we learn about our world through literature that is engaging.
“We build our vocabulary by using elevated language and studying new words,” she said. “We celebrate our differences by learning all about one another. “
The students also film videos to learn about technology and as a way for their parents to witness the activities and learning that occur on a daily basis.
It is the little things that become some of the greatest treasures Harness said she will keep with her throughout her career.
“My job is everything I thought it would be and more,” she said. “I knew that I would love my students, but I didn’t realize just how much I would grow to be invested in each one of them. I didn’t realize that it would actually make my heart drop when I was told a student was moving and I had no idea that I would honestly be sad when a teacher would tell me that a student had misbehaved.”
Harness explained that although she knew there would be a great deal of work involved, she didn’t realize the extent of time she would devote to her students.
“Yes, I knew there was planning and prep involved, however, I didn’t realize the amount of meetings, data, and paperwork that goes on behind the scenes,” Harness said. “It’s always funny when my students ask what I do while they are at specials or lunch because they always respond with a question similar to, ‘Do you ever get to go to the bathroom?’ or ‘Why don’t you get to rest?’”
Harness said she owes her success as an educator to the teachers she had as a student, her parents and husband, her co-workers and the administration at Parkview, and her students, who she said “inspire her right back.”
She said there are three schools of thought she has found to be helpful in her classroom.
“The first — always care more about the students’ self-confidence than their academic achievement,” she said. “I know teachers are very concerned about academics, however, my No. 1 goal is to make sure all of my students walk out knowing that they can achieve their goals, even if it is hard, or even if they haven’t already.”
Second, Harness said she is a learner just like her students, and third she said to enjoy the time spent with students.
“The best part of teaching is seeing children achieve a goal that they never thought they would,” she said. “It is as if you can see a giant mountain move right before their eyes and you can see the pride swell up inside of them.
“Just one moment like that is enough to make you want to teach for the rest of your life,” she added. “I get to witness countless moments like that.”
