Seen, Heard, and Valued: The Power of A Machesney Park Teacher’s Classroom

This week's Teacher of the Week is a Machesney Park educator who has made 4th grade the best year yet for one of her students.  Through patience, positivity, and a simple daily smile, she has helped build confidence, spark a love for learning, and create a classroom where every child feels seen and valued.

97ZOK TEACHER OF THE WEEK

More: Byron Teacher of the Week: More Than a Teacher, A Lifelong Influence

Congratulations, Sarah Wade, from Olson Park Elementary School in Machesney Park, Illinois.

Megan Schulz & her son Miles wrote this sweet letter about Ms. Wade!

"I want Ms. Wade to win the teacher of the week for my 9 year old in her class. He has made it clear that 4th grade has been the best year he has ever had. He pinpoints Ms. Wade every time he speaks about why this year is different. He has recently recognized positive changes in close friends and stated that these changes are because of Ms. Wade's class. He previously told me that he knows Ms. Wade is going to smile when he walks into class. That smile has shown my son that he is seen. He has bonded with Ms. Wade through their mutual interest in books and Harry Potter. We have been so excited as parents to see our son gain confidence, speak positively about school (this was a rare occurrence previously) and we attribute this to his 4th grade classroom and teacher.

 

As you may know, the Harlem Board is voting on closing OP. This has been a difficult time for us. We want to be able to showcase all teachers at OP and what they have done for our children, of course, but Ms. Wade changed the way my child views school, increased his self esteem and she treats her students like humans. She is patient and calm. She makes learning fun and motivates her students. She utilizes deferred gratification with goal tracking, which we as parents believe our kids need more of. She is a wonderful teacher and she deserves to be recognized for the contributions she is making not only in her students' lives, but also the contribution she is making to society. Ms. Wade should be a role model to future teachers. Her classroom management and teaching style should be utilized by more educators, because she's doing it right.

 

THANKS, MS. WADE. 4th grade will be hard to beat!"

Related: Rockford Celebrates a Teacher Whose Impact Lasts a Lifetime

As Teacher of the Week, Ms. Wade was surprised with a cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes, money to spend at WM Day Spa Salon, and lunch courtesy of Redd Insurance Group.

Listen to the full interview below with Ms. Wade on 97ZOK.

TOTW - SARAH WADE FROM OLSON PARK