Teacher Profile - Abby

This month, I would like to introduce you to our incredible ‘feature teacher’, Abby.

My name is Abby Woolard (my very handsome husband and I just recently got married - hence the name change), and I am 'Miss Du Plessis' - the teacher and face behind Passionate About Primary. I am a full-time 3rd Grade teacher, currently finishing off my 5th year of teaching. I teach at a Christian independent school based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

In 2018 I started my own initiative “Passionate About Primary”. This idea was fuelled by my passion for teaching and learning. As our precious little learners learn both in and out of the classroom, I truly believe that teachers are life-long learners and one of the greatest ways of learning is from other educators.

This initiative originally started on Facebook as a way to share ideas and inspiration with other teachers who perhaps do not have access to what I have. Truthfully, I wanted a place to share my ideas as a teacher, and a place to connect with other teachers. I began creating digital resources for teachers, writing posts, selling teaching resources, sharing my ideas, and sharing photos

Abby

Passionate About Primary offers me a platform to write, to share, to encourage, to empathize, and just to be. What a wonderful place for teachers! Not only do I share resources, but I also share my learners' work, ideas, achievements, and so much more. This encourages other teachers and offers them teaching ideas, as well as allows them to know that they are not alone. 

Since 2018, Passionate About Primary has really grown, and so have I. We now also have our Instagram account, as well as our YouTube channel that we started in and among our school closures.

1. Why did you become a teacher?

I always knew that I wanted to work with children, I just hadn't figured out the 'how' until later on in my teens. I knew I wanted to change lives and make a difference in whichever space I occupied, and teaching offered me exactly that. I became a teacher as I wanted to make a difference in the lives of the children in and around my classroom, as well as in the lives of the families I get to meet and the staff I get to work with each and every day. Being a teacher puts me in an incredible position to impart life lessons to my eager little learners, their families, and my colleagues, as well as allows me to influence their decisions, behaviours, strengths, weaknesses, and imaginations, in a good, positive, godly way.

2. Tell us your favourite; year to teach, subject to teach and platform for resources

Favourite year to teach: My absolute favourite grade to teach would definitely have to be grade 3! At this age my learners are still young and eager, they love school and they adore their teacher, they're not worried about making a fool of themselves, but would rather take part in each and every moment, and make the most of every opportunity. This year is such a huge transitional year from being a Foundie (Foundation Phase learner) to a big kid. Within Grade 3 I teach English, Afrikaans, Mathematics, as well as Life Skills.

Favourite subject to teach: English would definitely by my favourite of the four subject areas! Observing how much my learners grow and develop, and seeing and hearing how much their language and understanding develops throughout the year is something exceptional.

 3. What is one of your favourite teaching memories?

One of my favourite teacher memories would be taking my 3rd Graders on a history outing in our beautiful city. We spent the morning visiting various historical monuments and sites around the bay, learning about the history of our city, how it got its name, how people used to live long ago, and just how much has changed over time. We were able to see it all. What a wonderful way to end off a particular topic and theme.

4. What is the most important thing you have learnt while teaching?

The most important thing I have learned while teaching is that we are all life-long learners. Teachers and learners alike. No one is ever at a point where they know everything, or even know enough. We need to continue learning, growing, questioning, moving, and getting better.

5. If you could invite one guest speaker into the classroom who would it be?

What a good question! There are far too many to choose from. I think it would depend on our theme or topic, as well as the learners that I am teaching at the time. If I had to ask my kiddos this year, I am sure they would say Mystery Doug from Mystery Science.

6. What is your best teaching tip for beginning teachers?

Do not think you are the only one! Being a first-time teacher can be tough. For most of your first year, you are just going to question yourself. Yip, we have all been there! Give yourself grace, enjoy the adventure, and have fun! It will get easier!

Abby teaching

7. Teaching can be very demanding. How do you achieve a work/life balance?

As any teacher would know, this can be a challenge! However, there are some golden rules that need to be put in place - such as, set specific time aside for work and for home (this includes a time when all electronics need to be put away) - though I am still learning to master this one. Do not underestimate the effect you are having on your learners - you are a part of their story. You are planting seeds that you may not necessarily see grow, but what an incredible opportunity you have to plant what is good and true. Sometimes you have to say no to somethings in order to say yes to other things - you are allowed to say no! Connect with people outside of work and school - this offers you a space to breathe. Most importantly, don't sweat the small stuff!

8. What is one thing you like to do every day with your students?

Brain breaks! My kiddos and I absolutely love silly little brain breaks. They are so simple to do, and they really get my learners active and moving and super excited. Some brain breaks are educational, some are motivational, some are silly or funny, some are purely for exercise, but all of them help us refocus and refresh. 

9. How do you minimise your environmental footprint in the classroom?

Our class word is CHOICE. In each and every choice that we make we try and think about how our choice might affect our environment and the people around us. We also have implemented various sustainable choices, such as: Using erasable whiteboards for various activities, rather than on paper that will then be thrown away, reusing plastic lunch containers and drinking containers, reusing paper or using both sides of the paper, incorporating the 3 R's (reduce, reuse and recycle) into our daily teaching and learning throughout the year, switching off the lights when we are not in our classroom, teaching using digital posters and displays, etc. Children practice what they see, so I ensure that I am making good, sustainable choices each and every day, in order to be a good role model for my learners.

10. Plan a perfect teaching day for us

The perfect teaching day would not necessarily be a day where we covered all the concepts and objectives listed in our daily planning, but rather a day where my learners came to school, with a smile on their face, excited about the day ahead. A day where we learned more than just what was expected of us - not simply academic learning. A day where we challenged ourselves, made good choices, where we grew and built onto what we already knew. A day where my kiddos leave the classroom feeling loved and cared for, and proud to be a part of our classroom.

Thanks for sharing Abby. You are making such an incredible difference to teachers lives all around the world. I love it.

To read past teacher profiles; click here.

If you are a teacher and are interested in being featured next month, we would love to hear from you. Send an email to laurathexplaura@gmail.com or drop a note below.