Kathryn Deal says she was drawn to teach

Teacher of the Year Kathryn Deal, who teaches first grade at David Perdue Primary School, knew what she wanted to be at a very young age.

Deal, who grew up in Perry, said this is her ninth year teaching first grade at David Perdue Primary. Starting out in her career, she was first hired to teach kindergarten at Perry Primary, but due to a change in student numbers, she was needed at David Perdue Primary and has been there ever since.

Deal graduated from Georgia Southwestern State University with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education, as well as her specialist degree. She is also gifted-endorsed. She alternates teaching gifted and regular education.

“I really love this school,” Deal said, commending the administration, which she says is great to work with and is very supportive. “I appreciate that a lot.”

Why teaching?

“I always just kind of knew it was what I wanted to do. I never really thought of anything else. From the time I was a little kid, I was going to be a teacher, and everyone knew it. In high school, I ended up working at Perry Primary in the after-school program and then my senior year, I worked in the office. I always had my hand in some kind of childcare, one way or the other.”

What brought you into the field?

“Most of the jobs that I had in high school and in college had to do with kids and working with children. It was what I was drawn to from the start. There was never really any specific turning point in my life that made me say, ‘I want to teach.’ I just always knew that was what I wanted to do.”

Any inspiration from past teachers?

“I’ve had a lot of really great teachers in the past, but the one who inspires me the most is my mom, Valerie Deal. She retired last year. She was a reading specialist, but she taught everything under the sun. She’s taught pretty much every age. The thing that inspires me the most about her is she was so devoted to it and she made sure she knew her kids in and out, knew what they needed and made sure to give it to them. She spent so much time and energy into knowing them very specifically and making sure they got what they needed. She never got burned out. She just always loved it. She still goes and volunteers at Langston Road, where she retired from. She was very devoted. I want to be just like that.”

Best part of teaching?

“The best part for me is that with the younger kids it’s not just about reading, math, writing, social studies and science, it’s about helping them learn how to be little citizens, how to communicate with each other and how to disagree and still talk to each other in a reasonable way and a productive way. We talk about character education words — kindness and responsibility. You have to intentionally teach those things. It kind of makes you a little bit closer to them, almost like the mother figure. If you’re just teaching subjects all day, you don’t really get on that personal level. I feel like it brings us closer and it’s just neat to watch them grow in that way. It makes me feel like I’m helping a little bit for things that are more long-term, not just facts and figures.”

What is it about teaching that you like the most?

“The relationships that you build with the kids. You always kind of get closer with the ones you wouldn’t really think you’d be close with at the beginning of the year, but then it always turns into a really cool bond and then it’s hard to see them go. Even when I get a more difficult student, sometimes you get closest with them because you spend so much time trying to guide them. You feel like they’re yours when they leave. They’re with you all day. If you think about it, they spend most of their waking hours with me. We really do turn into a family.”

Most challenging part of teaching?

“The most challenging part would have to do with knowing each student so specifically in every subject area. I have anywhere from 19 up to 23 kids, and you have to know exactly what skill they’re working on in reading, exactly where they need to go in writing, exactly what they’re working on in math, in every subject area. It’s a real balancing act to not only know what they need but to plan how are you going to give it to them in this large of a group setting. There’s lots very strategic planning to get it all done and to do it well.”

Anything that makes your job difficult?

“All the hats we wear as a teacher. We do teach every subject and we do have to stay on top of all of it, along with all of the paperwork and other things that go with teaching. You have to know how to manage your time and plan accordingly so that you still have time for your life outside of school, and that can be pretty difficult sometimes. It is a difficult job and it is time consuming. It can be a balancing act for sure.”

If not teaching, what?

“I really enjoy art. I like to paint and I like to do crafty things. It probably would be doing some kind of art with kids.”

Advice to students:

“What kids need to hear the most is: ‘Be happy with who you are.’ Even at this age, they’re already trying to be other people and mimic other people. They are already doubting themselves and starting to lose confidence even at such a young age. Just be happy with who you are and believe that you can do things, just at least try. Believe that you can get there. It may not happen tomorrow, but you’ll get where you want to be eventually if you keep trying. Don’t give up.”

Advice to parents:

“If you have a distaste for a certain subject or something is not just your favorite, don’t really share that with the kids, because at this young of an age, they believe everything that their parents believe. Even if they might like reading, if they hear mom and dad say they hate reading, they’re going to catch that. It’s contagious. Try to make learning as fun as it can be. Show them that it can be fun for them even if it wasn’t fun for you. Let them enjoy it and be kids.”

Home life:

“I spend most of my free time with my family, boyfriend and friends. Some of the things that I like to do is Bible journaling. I like to do pretty much anything outside. I love the outdoors and another thing I like to do is visit baseball parks around the United States. I’ve actually been to seven so far. It’s a great way to see the country and enjoy baseball, which is something that I really love. It’s been a fun adventure.”

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