FAIRFIELD COUNTY, S.C. — “Ms. Wright is an awesome teacher. She's been working with our pre-school students. She's an assertive director. She goes over and beyond the call of duty,” says Dr. Roberta Heyward, Principal at Geiger Elementary School in Fairfield County.
We’re giving two thumbs up for our next News19 Teacher of the Week.
For the past 10 years, Jalissa Wright taught students at Geiger Elementary School.
“To watch them come in with the crying and the hollering and the snot and leave out reading, it’s the part I like," says Wright. "We've had several students leave out here reading on a kindergarten reading level. And they're in Pre-K.”
“We play, we go outside and do puzzles,” says students Kataleya Walker & Iyana McKinstry.
But it’s much more than playtime in Ms. Wright's class. She makes sure her students are well rounded.
“I just want them to keep learning and keep having fun while they’re doing it. Learning can be fun. It’s the biggest thing I tried to show them. Learning can be fun. It doesn't have to be all cries and hard work and 'I can't do it'. If they try, they can do it,” says Wright.
Wright is a Charleston native and a South Carolina State University graduate.
She didn’t always want to be a teacher.
“When I started college, I was a business major. When I finished high school, I had a CTE for business,” says Wright. “It was never one of those things. 'Oh I want to be a teacher when I grew up'. I was never one of those kids.”
But after her first year of teaching, she knew this was the right career path for her.
“After I got to my first year, I was kind of nervous because there were some teacher kids in here and some district kids. And I thought, 'oh, this is kind of tough for a first year'. But apparently, they must have liked me, because they let me stay another year,” says Wright.
“She’ll read with us sometimes. And we get to take a nap,” says Kataleya and Iyana.
This isn’t the first time Ms. Wright was in the spotlight. She was featured on News19 earlier this school year for her manners tea party.
“You will see her interact with the students in the community. You will see her bring things outside of the curriculum such as teaching manners. The children are exposed to so much beyond the expectations of ABC's and addition. It's amazing,” says Principal Heyward.
"When that light cuts on, to watch them sit here smiling, happy, growing. I'm going to keep doing it. As long as they're happy. I'm happy," says Ms. Wright
“She goes over and beyond. She is the type of teacher if she sees a need, she fills the need,” says Principal Heyward.
If you know a teacher like Ms. Wright who deserves to be recognized for their hard work in the classroom, you can nominate them by emailing us at TOW@WLTX.COM. Tell us what that educator is doing every day to go above and beyond in the classroom.