One Class at a Time: Kathy Parham

For this month’s One Class at a Time award, 1st-grade teacher Kathy Parham of Shell Elementary School in Hawthorne was selected to receive $500 courtesy of GatorLand Toyota and BMW of Gainesville.
Kathy Parham teaches 1st grade at Shell Elementary School in Hawthorne.
“Watching that lightbulb come on and they realize oh my gosh I’m reading!”
Mrs. Parham says her love for reading inspired her to start teaching.
Her career has now spanned more than 30 years, 12 of those over in Africa homeschooling her sons and 20 of those teaching at Shell.
“My teaching style i would describe as meeting the whole child and trying to understand where the child is coming from. Some have trauma in their life, some of them don’t just meet the child where they are and help them learn to their best manner because every child learns differently” said Parham.
She says she likes the eagerness the young ins have to learn and they say she makes it fun!
“She does everything for us she lets us play outside for half of our she teaches us math, and I love everything she does” said student Zoey Bateholts.
Mrs. Parham plans to retire in 2 years but continue to volunteer at the school.
“The Shell community is a family that’s why I have stayed for 20 years. I’m a country girl at heart and Hawthorne, we are a rural community I love how teachers work together were a family we do things together outside of school it is just a special community you don’t see at other schools” said Parham.
We are taking a break from One Class during the summer, but please continue to nominate impactful teachers as we will pick back when the new school year begins.
If you would like to nominate a teacher for "One Class at a Time,” enter your submission here: www.wcjb.com/o...