Pre-First Teacher Pat Calhoun is Named Crawfordville's 2007 Teacher of the Year

Crawfordville Elementary School's 2007 Teacher of the Year title has been awarded to Pat Calhoun. Calhoun, who teaches pre-first, began her career in education in August of 1973. She graduated from college with a degree in Home Economics, and her first teaching job was in the Louisiana school system, where she taught middle school and high school Home Economics for six years. "A job change for my husband brought us to Florida in 1990," explained Calhoun, "and we've been here ever since."

pat calhoun 125 Calhoun said she enjoyed teaching the higher grades during her years in Louisiana, and was very involved in extra-curricular activities such as Future Homemakers of America. "I spent a lot of outside time with my students because of the FHA club," said Calhoun. "We were always attending district and state conferences. I had my first child during those years, and she just went along with me to all my activities. When she started referring to me as "Miss Calhoun", I decided it might be time to make a change that would be better for a mother." It was then that Calhoun went back to school and got her certification in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. "I was taking 21 college hours, and had a three year old and a six week old, and still managed to pull a 4.0 average," said Calhoun. "It was a very hectic time. I thought I was leaving something hard and going to something easier, but I went from the frying pan into the fire!" Calhoun stuck with it, and after completing her certification, she began teaching at the elementary school level.

After moving to Florida and with 15 years of teaching in the Louisiana school system behind her, she took a long-term sub position at Idlewild Elementary in Seminole County while continuing to apply for a full-time teaching position. "There was a hiring freeze during the nineties that initially made it hard to get on full-time," said Calhoun. During the fall of her second year in Florida, Calhoun got a full-time job teaching a second and third grade combination class, which was a new experience for her. Calhoun's next teaching position was at a year-round school teaching Kindergarten. "I finished the regular school year in June at my old school, and then started right back up again in July at the year-round school," said Calhoun.

Calhoun taught year-round in Seminole County until moving to Wakulla County in 1996. "Jimmie Dugger, then principal at Crawfordville Elementary School, hired me as a first grade teacher, and I stayed at that grade level for three years," said Calhoun. "In 1999 I moved to pre-first, and have been teaching that age group ever since." Calhoun feels that her years teaching kindergarten and first grade greatly prepared her to be an effective pre-first teacher. "It was such a blessing to have had experience in both those grade levels before going to pre-first," said Calhoun. "It gave me the depth of knowledge that I needed." Calhoun explains that pre-first students are those children who really don't need to repeat kindergarten, but just aren't ready for the rigors of first grade. "I was given a lot of leeway to design my program," said Calhoun. "and I am still given the freedom to select my own materials, pending the administration's approval."

Calhoun says she enjoys getting to see her students bloom. "It's neat to see their little light bulbs come on as they begin to start reading for the first time," she says. "That is a reward money just can't buy." Calhoun describes each student as "a present that you unwrap that first day of school, and you really don't know what's inside there at first. Then you get to know it and uncover it. Each child comes in with their own unique personality; you have to find a way to unlock their little box and make it all work for them. It's so exciting and wonderful."

Calhoun says that being a teacher in a small town makes you into sort of a "star". "I can hardly walk in the mall in Tallahassee without hearing 'Miss Calhoun' Miss Calhoun!'," she says. "You can't help but feel special because these children are excited to know you. It's an awesome reponsibility because you know they are watching your every move and it just verifies how much you are modeling for them. The parents often take their cues from you, as well."

pat calhoun group shot 300 Along with her teaching position, Calhoun is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, the Wakulla County Teacher's Association, and the Chairman of the School Improvement Committee. She has worked with the Crawfordville Relay for Life team in the past, as well. Some of Calhoun's past classes have been the recpient of a service learning grant. Calhoun used the money to allow the children to set up a small "store" at the Wakulla County Senior Citizen's Center. "I got donations to buy little items that the seniors could use, such as wipes, lotion, etc., and the children sorted and priced the items, then placed them for "sale" in the store. Play money was given to the seniors to allow them to shop for the items they wanted, and the children acted as the cashiers and baggers. They even wore matching t-shirts that were their "uniforms". Several other projects we participated in was the planting of a butterfly garden at the center, and the creation of an exercise video for the seniors." Calhoun said the kids were actually the stars of the video, teaching the seniors a series of low impact exercises. Missy from BodyTech Gym in Crawfordville actually taught the exercises to the kids first. "It was so much fun for the kids, and the seniors," said Calhoun. "As part of our program, I required the kids to greet the seniors with a little hug and a hello. They also had to tell them something about themselves. It was a good lesson in language development for my students."

When asked what inspired her to become a teacher, "Well, at first it was for practical reasons," said Calhoun. "At that time, being a teacher was a wonderful job to have when I was a young mom. My children were so important to me, and I wanted a profession that would follow their same school hours and schedule of holidays. Of course, my reasons have changed through the years, and now I feel that I am a real highlight in the lives of my children. I love the interaction with the kids, and knowing that the ones who received the most discipline in a day are usually the same ones that come up and give you the biggest hugs at the end of the day. I love seeing them do their 'firsts'; it's like watching your own babies. The milestones make it all worthwhile. I've gotten to see them lose their first teeth, and heard them read their first words."

Calhoun says the camaraderie of her colleagues is another reason she loves teaching. "At Crawfordville we are a very supportive, close-knit group," says Calhoun. "I can't think of any one teacher I couln't go to if I needed something who would not help me. The administration is also very supportive, which makes Crawfordville a good place to be."

Calhoun says that being voted Teacher of the Year by her peers was the most wonderful thing that could happen. "I am humbled and just appreciate them giving me that honor," says Calhoun. "They are a great group of people to work with and I know that any one of them could fill these shoes and do just as well or better than me."

Calhoun says that life has blessed her richly and given her a heart for understanding. "Sometimes children come to me with more baggage than a child should ever have to carry," says Calhoun, "but God has given me many life experiences that allow me to deal firsthand with many of the parents issues; I feel I can often offer them help and hope. When you have walked in the shoes of some of these parents, it is much easier to relate to them. Our day to day walk in life teaches us so much, and I guess I will continue to learn until I retire."

This article originally published on January 8, 2007.

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