She also said the thought of becoming a teacher first entered her mind in the second grade with Mrs. Causey at T. W. Stanley Elementary.
“She was so kind and soft spoken she made learning personal to each of her students,” Baird said. “Looking back she taught me that all students could be learners; the ones with learning disabilities, the gifted ones, and even the class clowns who were a challenge. I remember that she used every opportunity to teach; even that day that Charles let the frog out in class.”
Baird said she enjoys sharing her teaching experiences with her peers.
“As the last five years have passed, I have realized that my passion for teaching is not just about teaching or tutoring or cheering my students on but it is also about how I can help my faculty,” she added. “For me, being a teacher involves sharing with peers…the technology that might help with the processes that they use in their lessons…sharing knowledge about new subjects, building morale, and sometimes, just recognizing when someone needs some TLC. Teachers help open up a student’s mind, guide students to look at a challenge from a different perspective, watch their wheels turn as they make learning connections and that continually motivates me to walk back through the school doors each day. Teaching is something far more than a subject and a room; it’s about the heart of person introducing the world of opportunities for all of those around them.”
Picture Information
Tison Middle School Campus Teacher of the Year Laura Baird (left) and Weatherford ISD Education Foundation Past-President Donna Dickinson (photo by DERIK MOORE).