By Ed Pierce
For more than three decades, Bonnie Wiley has been a steady and positive influence in the lives of students at Raymond Elementary School and the foundation for their future academic success.
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| Bonnie Wiley has worked for 34 years as an educator in Raymond and is currently serving as the first-grade teacher at Raymond Elementary School. She believes her work is critical to students in developing strong skills that will serve them academically and throughout their lives. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
She’s worked for the Raymond School Department for 34 years and believes that her work is critical to students in developing and mastering strong skills that will serve them well not only as they go through school, but also later in life.
“I think some people view teaching as similar to daycare or babysitting. We are not sitting and watching children as they play,” Wiley said. “We are actively engaged with them throughout the entire time they are in school. For example, we are teaching social skills during recess and manners during snack and lunch times. Neither do we truly have summers off. While we are not going into the school building, we are constantly thinking of new lessons and creating materials to use during the school year. School is never far from our minds.”
When she was first hired by the school, Wiley said that she didn’t quite know what to expect.
“I had applied for a classroom teaching position but had not heard anything from the school until I was called several days before school began by the special education director,” Wiley said. “She needed a special education teacher and had looked through the applications on file. I had spent two years working in that setting and was able to get a conditional teaching certificate. I began three days later.”
According to Wiley, her greatest challenge as an educator is making her lessons relevant for students.
“The biggest challenge is keeping children active and engaged,” she said. “With all of the curriculum that needs to be taught, there is very little time for play, and children have a limited attention span.”
This year she is leading a classroom of 19 first-grade students ranging in age from 6 to 7 years old and Wiley says the best aspect of her job is when a student understands a lesson she has taught.
“It is wonderful to see the light in children's eyes as new learning clicks into place and they understand it,” Wiley said. “That Ah-ha moment.”
Through the years she has accumulated a treasure trove of many unforgettable moments in her career at Raymond Elementary School and says it’s tough to choose one above all the rest.
“There have been so many, it is hard to pick one,” Wiley said. “I always love it when a student that I had in class comes back as an adult to let me know that I made a difference for them.”
She said one fact that she’s come to realize while working as a teacher at Raymond Elementary School is undeniable.“I’ve learned that good administrators make an incredible difference in the atmosphere and climate within the school community,” Wiley said.
Being a teacher involves so much more than standing in a classroom and giving lessons. Every year Wiley spends hours every night grading papers, supervising students on the playground, keeping records about student progress and behaviors, in meetings with school administrators, creating lesson plans, collaborating with other teachers, and speaking with parents.
It’s a difficult job and one Wiley says people may not fully know everything about.“One thing that the public may not know about my job is that teachers are constantly doing work at home in the evenings, on weekends, and during vacations,” she said.
Over her long career at Raymond Elementary, Wiley says that her family has been highly supportive of her work.
“It was great when my children were growing up because I was able to be home with them during the summer,” she said. “They understand and value the time and energy educators spend on their students.” <
According to Wiley, her greatest challenge as an educator is making her lessons relevant for students.
“The biggest challenge is keeping children active and engaged,” she said. “With all of the curriculum that needs to be taught, there is very little time for play, and children have a limited attention span.”
This year she is leading a classroom of 19 first-grade students ranging in age from 6 to 7 years old and Wiley says the best aspect of her job is when a student understands a lesson she has taught.
“It is wonderful to see the light in children's eyes as new learning clicks into place and they understand it,” Wiley said. “That Ah-ha moment.”
Through the years she has accumulated a treasure trove of many unforgettable moments in her career at Raymond Elementary School and says it’s tough to choose one above all the rest.
“There have been so many, it is hard to pick one,” Wiley said. “I always love it when a student that I had in class comes back as an adult to let me know that I made a difference for them.”
She said one fact that she’s come to realize while working as a teacher at Raymond Elementary School is undeniable.“I’ve learned that good administrators make an incredible difference in the atmosphere and climate within the school community,” Wiley said.
Being a teacher involves so much more than standing in a classroom and giving lessons. Every year Wiley spends hours every night grading papers, supervising students on the playground, keeping records about student progress and behaviors, in meetings with school administrators, creating lesson plans, collaborating with other teachers, and speaking with parents.
It’s a difficult job and one Wiley says people may not fully know everything about.“One thing that the public may not know about my job is that teachers are constantly doing work at home in the evenings, on weekends, and during vacations,” she said.
Over her long career at Raymond Elementary, Wiley says that her family has been highly supportive of her work.
“It was great when my children were growing up because I was able to be home with them during the summer,” she said. “They understand and value the time and energy educators spend on their students.” <
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