Boyd Street Teacher Features

from Boyd Street Magazine April 2020

Wine, Grapes & the Environment

BY: Lindsay Cuomo

Megan Allen

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said music is the universal language of mankind, one that often crosses cultures and social barriers. For Megan Allen, a music teacher at Cleveland Elementary, she uses music to help her students build the confidence they need to tackle life’s challenges.

“I’ve always loved music and the arts,” Allen said. “My elementary music teacher inspired me to go into teaching. She made music fun.”

Making learning fun is important to Allen.

“My most memorable moments as an educator are when my students perform or have success in their endeavors,” Allen said. “They come into my class for music and can’t wait to tell me about their achievement. Even if it is not music related, I want to hear about and celebrate it!”

And, at Cleveland, they celebrate student successes in a big way.

“Every week I coordinate a whole school assembly and bring in different performers and outreach programs. I provide performance opportunities for students and we celebrate their success.”

“I also coordinate an educational partnership with the OU Men’s Gymnastics Team,” Allen explained. “We all, elementary students and OU gymnasts, support each other as we work towards our goals.”

For Allen, music is the tool she uses to help develop the valuable life skills her students need to succeed.

“My professional goals in the classroom are for all students to make progress musically, however, I recognize that all students are not going to be professional musicians,” Allen said. “I expect them to participate and try their best. In doing so, students learn life skills that will help them be successful, whatever path they choose.”

Allen is Cleveland’s Teacher of the Year, an honor she holds in high regard.

“We have a lot of very hardworking and dedicated teachers at Cleveland and to be picked out of all of them was quite a compliment from my co-workers.” – BSM

Teaching Norman

Alesia Warner

At some point in our life, we all face the same life-changing decision; wefinallyhavetodecidewhatwe are going to be when we grow up.

For Alesia Warner, her answer was teaching.

“While doing some soul searching, I asked myself what I could do for the rest of my life that would bring me satisfaction and fulfillment. My mind immediately turned to teaching,” Warner remembered. “I go home every day with a full heart.”

Today, Warner teaches fifth grade at Jackson Elementary.

Warner said she strives to nurture her students’ minds and bodies.

“I start my day with a question, ‘Who needs breakfast?’ After everyone gets settled and fed, we recite our class creed… read our daily Mr. Browne’s Precepts about kindness and pick up where we left off on a chapter book that we chip away at as a class.”

Sometimes, students face big challenges that create obstacles in their academic journey, but Warner sees this as an opportunity.

“A sweet and talented girl in my class was a gifted learner who was kind to everyone. After about two months into the school year, this student had been diagnosed with Leukemia.”

Because the student could no longer safely attend school, Warner began teaching her at her home.

“After taking off my shoes and putting hand sanitizer on, we would go over the lessons that she had missed. I would fill her in on what was going on at school and bring her pictures and notes from her classmates. We wanted to make sure that she knew that she was missed and that we were rooting for her.”

“I understand the impact an educator can have, but because of this special experience, I now know that this impact can transcend the walls of our schools.”

Warner was honored as Teacher of the Year at Jackson.

“It’s such a good feeling to know that your colleagues chose you for your hard work,” Warner said. “I will cherish the moment they announced my name, especially since my parents, husband, niece and nephew were there to share it with me.” – BSM