A Sky Full of STARS: Wendy Stinson, FSUS Kindergarten Teacher

“There is never really a typical day,” Wendy Stinson says. “That’s why I absolutely love kindergarten.” Despite the days not being the same, there are some constants in her classroom. For one, the Florida State University School kindergarten teacher always greets her young students in the hall with a hug and a greeting. Another constant is her students stating the classroom motto to start class: “I am a SuperSTAR! I shine bright! I am cute! I am smart! I am sweet! I am kind! I follow directions because I am a SuperSTAR!”

The other constant? Excellence from Wendy Stinson. This year, she was named the Mary J. Brogan Excellence in Teaching Award winner, which recognizes an extraordinary district teacher of the year that goes above and beyond for their students. The award was made all the more special to Wendy, as she fondly visited the Mary J. Brogan Museum with her children growing up. “It was a full circle moment for me when I realized I was being recognized for what I truly love to do,” she says. “My heart was so full that evening, and I display my award proudly above my desk in my classroom.”

Wendy Stinson, Mary J. Brogan Excellence in Teaching Award winner

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

Many of the ideas she shares with her students come from her personal experience: always trying their best, never giving up, and being kind. These life lessons helped her find success in life and achieve her own dreams.

For instance, while she always wanted to be a kindergarten teacher, the road to her dream profession was far from straightforward. As a young child, she had difficulty learning how to read and write. However, that struggle also inspired and fueled her. “I was in first grade when I decided I wanted to help other children like myself,” she says. “I became a teacher to help students like myself who struggled, felt intimidated and insecure while learning.”

The teachers who helped her became her inspiration. “I knew I wanted to be like those teachers, the teachers who helped students with their insecurities and helped them realize we can all learn and grow.”

She can still recall her first-grade teacher, Carol Winger. “It’s been almost 47 years and I still have the fondest feelings for her. That’s the power of a dynamic teacher.” She recalls that in 2018, while Wendy was hosting a practicum student from FSU, she received word that Mrs. Winger would be visiting her classroom. “I remember the day she came to visit, and I felt like I was in Hollywood meeting a celebrity for the first time. I shared my story with her, and when I told her the year, she told me it was her very first year teaching.”

It was a lesson that stuck with her: every interaction with one of her own students could “leave an impact that will last a lifetime.”

Drawing by Cole Lucera, one of Stinson’s students

TEACHING LOVE

Despite knowing from an early age that she wanted to be a teacher, her path was not always straightforward. She began her career by teaching Pre-K early special education for several years but took some time off to raise her own children. During that time, she started volunteering in her children’s kindergarten classrooms. “This is when my love for kindergarten was reignited, and I knew this was where I needed to be.”

She began teaching kindergarten at the same time her youngest son started kindergarten, and she has been happily nurturing her young students ever since. “Teaching kindergarten is what I truly love to do and creating a love for learning while helping to build a foundation for my student’s educational career is what I consider my passion.”

That passion and love for her job has propelled her to the stars, and she stresses that individuals looking to work with young children should focus on building relationships. “When students and parents know that you genuinely love and want the very best for their children, the bonds of trust begin to form, creating a team that works together successfully,” she says.

That desire to create a unique bond separates the profession of teaching from other professions, Wendy said. “Teaching is so much more than instruction and learning. I truly believe it is difficult for learning to take place when students do not feel safe and/or comfortable.”

The reward for loving what she does? Getting love in return, she says. “I love hearing, ‘Mrs. Stinson, I love you! You’re the best teacher ever!’ Being a kindergarten teacher truly brings me so much joy and happiness daily.” Even after her students leave her classroom, she keeps in touch and celebrates their accomplishments. It is, after all, easy to spot her students. They are the ones lighting up classrooms as they shine brightly, forever Mrs. Stinson’s SuperSTARs.