BRIDGEPORT, Ohio (WTRF) — She teaches with kindness and believes in mutual respect.
These are two mottos this March’s Golden Apple Award Recipient and Bridgeport Middle School teacher lives by each and every day.
Like the word on the wall, Bridgeport Middle School Principal Anne Haverty Lawson says the word compassion is what comes to mind when she describes ELA teacher Beth Ann Albaugh.
“She is an inspiration. She wants to see the best in the students. She is very calm, cool and collected with a positive attitude and very understanding of a child.”
Anne Haverty Lawson, Bridgeport Middle Principal
Haverty Lawson says Mrs. Albaugh has a deep-rooted desire for her students to aspire to learn more through reading.
“You have to read to learn. When you’re reading and you’re taking a college course, it’s a whole lot different than when you’re at the beach reading. She just wants them to grow and develop and aspire to read in a relaxing, welcoming classroom environment. I want to come in here and read.”
Anne Haverty Lawson, Bridgeport Middle Principal
“I just want my classroom to feel welcoming. I like them to feel comfortable. I’d like for the kids to have a safe feeling. I want them to feel that this is part theirs just as it’s part mine. That we share in the comfortable atmosphere and I want them to be able to focus on the job at-hand which is reading, writing, language, spelling, grammar, all those things that go with English Language Arts. So, I want them to feel comfortable and safe, but not cluttered and that they’re able to focus.”
Beth Ann Albaugh, Golden Apple Award Recipient
A graduate of 1979 from Bridgeport High School herself, Mrs. Albaugh, values being a member of the school community.
She remembers that it was, in fact, her fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Floyd, who is primarily responsible for the reason why she loves reading so much.
“Every day after lunch, she would read to our class from the Nancy Drew books and even today when I get with some of my classmates, we still talk about that love of reading that she inspired and us and that love of the Nancy Drew books and it’s just one of my favorite childhood memories.”
Beth Ann Albaugh, Golden Apple Award Recipient
She says reading is a skill that needs to be practiced.
“Kids watch everything teachers do, how you handle situations, that kind of response that you give to kids you have to foster that love of reading while you’re showing them compassion and caring and respect.”
Beth Ann Albaugh, Golden Apple Award Recipient
Realistic fiction is this ELA teacher’s favorite genre.
She says these kinds of stories resemble real life characters and how they deal with real life situations.
“Kids learn how to deal with things that may be have already happened or may happen in the future to them.”
Beth Ann Albaugh, Golden Apple Award Recipient
Wall to wall books, an entire library of learning where her fifth graders have a complete plethora of choices at their fingertips.
A favorite selection this year includes the book Wonder.
“It’s easy to relate to, and it just has a good message about kindness and the importance of that and the importance of not judging a book by its cover, for taking the time to get to really know someone for their strengths and weaknesses. So, it’s a good book. Highly recommend it.”
Beth Ann Albaugh, Golden Apple Award Recipient
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Check out this relaxing atmosphere.
“With the lights on dim she creates the perfect ambience for her students. On this small stand, Mrs. Albaugh has placed a book, a lamp and even her own glasses.
“I want them to feel that this is part theirs just as it’s part mine. That we share in the comfortable atmosphere and I want them to be able to focus on the job at-hand which is reading, writing, language, spelling, grammar, all those things that go with English Language Arts. So, I want them to feel comfortable and safe, but not cluttered and that they’re able to focus.”
Beth Ann Albaugh, Golden Apple Award Recipient
Mrs. Albaugh says she believes in developing relationships with her students.
“I really believe in mutual respect. I really believe in developing relationships with kids. The better they know me the better I know them. The more I am able to help them play on their strengths and develop their weaknesses and honestly the more mutual respect that we have the harder they work for me and I really value that.”
Beth Ann Albaugh, Golden Apple Award Recipient
Mrs. Albaugh says she has read at least one thousand books in her lifetime, but says she hasn’t written a book herself just yet.
She says if she did write a book her target audience would include young teachers or someone who is thinking about becoming a teacher.
