Q2, Western Security Bank, City Brew Coffee, and the Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools have teamed up for "One Class at a Time." The program recognizes teachers who go above and beyond to help their students.
Meet Jennifer Paterson, a 4th and 5th grade combo teacher at Burlington Elementary who shows her students how kindness can change the world. She understands the challenges of having different age groups learning in the same class.
"We definitely have very different personalities," said Mrs. Paterson. "We have a lot of maturity that happens in 4th and 5th grade. Fourth-graders come in as just babies, just out of 3rd grade, and not as independent and things like that. That's an opportunity because I use my 5th graders to be good role models and show the 4th graders along. We really develop a community that we are 4th grade and 5th graders, but we also are a classroom of one and we can work together. Partnering them and growing them is really important to me."
She knows kindness is the key.
"If everyone's kind, we can all learn, we can all make progress. If we are unkind, it stops all progress from being made, both learning and emotional, and social progress as well. If we can start by just being kind then the world is our oyster and we can grow."
For being a teacher who truly feels called to make her students kind members of the school community, Mrs. Paterson was presented with a $500 grant from the Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools, proudly sponsored by Western Security Bank, and a $150 gift card from City Brew Coffee. Congratulations!
If you would like your teacher to be the next recipient, make a nomination HERE.
