Rachel Kimrey
Beaumont Magnet Academy
5th Grade Reading and Social Studies

1. How long have you been teaching? 8 years

2. What inspired you to pursue a career in education? I was a first-generation college graduate. Education was always important to my family, and it has opened many doors for me. I want to give that same gift to my students.

3. What is your favorite thing about teaching or your biggest success story? I love seeing students succeed. Whether that's in my classroom, in another subject area, within our music and arts programming, or even on the sports field, I love having a front-row seat to the awesome things they accomplish and the barriers they overcome.

4. What challenges do you face in the classroom? I think, like many other working moms, balancing my time with the variety of good things I'd like to do is challenging. 

5. How do Gallopade products or Gallopade Curriculum help you in the classroom? Our Gallopade Curriculum matches our Tennessee 5th Grade Social Studies Standards to the letter. The full-color text follows every single topic in the right depth for our state expectations. In 5th grade, one semester is dedicated just to Tennessee History, and if I didn't have the Gallopade resources, there would be several specific Tennessee topics that would be difficult to teach. I also LOVE the supplemental resources that feature map skills, fun-related topics, graphic organizers, and primary sources. They load to the SmartBoard perfectly, and my whole class enjoys interacting with the text and activities. Plus, Gallopade really listens when teachers have ideas or concerns!

6. What is something that every student should know about teachers? I hope every student knows that we chose this career because we care about them.

7. What advice would you impart to a new teacher or someone who wants to become a teacher? I would encourage them to do a few things. First, find a mentor! I was lucky to have wonderful ones when I started. Second, find good professional development! New ideas can really change your craft. Third, on the hard days, remember why you chose this path. You make a difference, and your students are better off because you are there.

8. What do you love to do when you're not teaching? I love to travel, especially to places that I get to teach about in American and Tennessee history. I enjoy hiking and biking. And, contrary to what my students probably think, I also love watching Netflix!

Do you know an educator who goes above and beyond the call of duty to inspire their students? Nominate them for Teacher of the Month!