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Heidi Hite

 

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HEIDI HITE

Sugar Grove Elementary School

3rd GRADE

3 Years Teaching

What teaching means to me...

I have the privilege to make a positive impact on students’ hearts and minds in the most formative years of their lives. My “why” for teaching is to make everybody feel like a somebody. As a mother of three beloved boys, I know how I want them to feel while they are away from me for the majority of the day.  When my son was in elementary school, he was instructed to write a narrative about what it would be like to be invisible for a day.  It broke me to hear him say “but, that is how I feel at school every day.”  Because of my experience, I made a vow to intentionally show all students they are special.

I believe that academic successes happen when students feel accepted and cared for. I approach each day with warmth and enthusiasm, and I genuinely enjoy the students’ company every moment we are together. A key function of a positive classroom culture is to make members feel they belong to an important “us.” One way I have accomplished this is by implementing the “Hite Huddle.” This year, I replaced morning work with informal conversations about events in students’ lives. It has produced a climate of acceptance and community

It is also important for my students to take risks and learn from their mistakes.  The author of "Teach like a Champion," Doug Lemov, calls it the culture of error, “an environment where students feel safe making and discussing mistakes.” Children face unique circumstances and require specialized and focused attention to overcome obstacles and maximize their learning potential.  It is my job to inspire students to believe and to want to succeed for intrinsic reasons. 

I am passionate in my commitment to three things: instilling a sense of self-worth among all students, inspiring students’ interest in learning, and maximizing individual student performance.  Teaching requires tenacity and passion, both of which I continuously demonstrate. I understand the impact I have on students’ life trajectories and am honored to be trusted with this responsibility.