What is your name? Where do you teach? My name is Natalie Babington. I teach second grade at Riverside Elementary School.

What subject(s) do you teach? My second grade class is self-contained so I teach reading, language, spelling, math, social studies and science.

What is your favorite thing about the subject(s) you teach? My favorite thing about teaching all the subjects is the variety. I can’t get bored because I don’t have to teach one subject over and over again in one day.

Natalie Babington

How long have you been a teacher? I have been a teacher for 14 years. Seven of those years were in Foley, Ala. and seven here in St. Tammany Parish. My first year teaching was at Honey Island Elementary back in the 1988-89 school year. I came back to this parish in 2001 when I started teaching at Riverside.

How has the profession of teaching changed since you started? The largest change that I have observed in the teaching profession is the amazing amount of technology available to teachers through the Internet and in the classroom. When I started teaching, there were no computers in the classroom. Promethean boards were not even heard of then. Right now is such an exciting time to be in education.

Why did you become a teacher? I became a teacher because I loved everything about school. My teachers were amazing people who I wanted to be like. Now I stay in this occupation because I want to empower children to be the best they can be.

What is your favorite thing about teaching? My favorite thing about teaching is my children in my class. I get so excited when each one of them grasps a concept that we have been working on in any of the subject areas. My classroom is a fast-paced learning environment where there is never a dull moment. The school day goes by so fast. I love it when my children say, “Wow, it’s already time to go. It feels like we just got here.” I know I have done my job well when my students and I have that kind of a day.

Do you do anything special in the classroom to get through to your students? To get through to my students, I create a safe and supportive learning environment where they are encouraged to do their best and not be afraid to make mistakes. I let the children know up front that we all make mistakes. It’s okay to make mistakes as long as we learn from those mistakes. I rejoice with the children when they make progress on anything. It’s a common sight in my classroom for me to give my students high fives for their accomplishments. My students know that I care for them deeply. They also know that when the bell rings at 8:17 a.m., they have my complete attention until 3:31 p.m.

What is the hardest part of your job? The hardest part of my job is that it never ends. Outsiders would argue that I have summers off, but during that time I am usually doing inservices or planning strategies for the upcoming year. I don’t feel that elementary teachers are given enough planning time in our daily schedules to plan for the 7 subject areas that we teach. In my ideal world, elementary teachers would be given one-hour planning time everyday, just like our secondary counterparts. I am optimistic that one-hour planning times for elementary teachers will come in the future.

Are you involved in any extra curricular activities at the school? I am involved in extracurricular activities at Riverside. Currently I serve on the PTA board and Title I Parent Involvement committee. I have served in these positions for two years.

Do you utilize any special technology in the classroom? I am so blessed to be teaching at Riverside Elementary. Because Riverside is a Title I school, I have so much technology in my classroom. The students have access to 4 computers. I teach the children using my computer that is hooked up to a projector. Recently, the Promethean software was installed on my teacher computer. The students can interact with the flip charts that are highly engaging and hold their attention. Next year second grade is getting the interactive boards that go with the software. I am also trained in using Thinking Maps software (a program that helps students organize their thoughts before writing) and Write from the Beginning.

Have you received any grants to aid you in the classroom? I have not received any grants to aid me in my classroom yet.

What do you do during your summer vacations? During summer vacation, I enjoy time with my family. I catch up on reading, swimming, and home improvements. I also spend a lot of time reflecting on what worked from the previous school year and things I want to change for the upcoming year. I usually attend summer inservices.

Do you aspire to become a principal one day? I don’t aspire to be a principal one day because I love teaching. I do want to have student teachers in my classroom. I can see myself one day teaching at the college level. I would like to pass my enthusiasm for this profession on to the next generation.

What’s the craziest thing that has ever happened while you were teaching? I don’t really have any crazy things that have happened to me, but I do have a cute story that shows one of the many hats I wear as an elementary teacher.

A couple of days ago, two of my girls were having problems getting along with each other. I arranged for the girls and me to sit down together to discuss what each was doing that hurt the other girl’s feelings. I was there just to make sure each girl got to share what was bothering her. I noticed one of my boys was watching the interaction.

He said, “Wow, Mrs. Babington is being like Dr. Phil today.” I had to smile at that one. If my students recognize me as someone who will help them no matter what the situation is, I have done my job.