Golden Apple Award: Arlene Slaughter, Dupont Elementary
CHATTANOOOGA. TN (WDEF) – Her fellow educators at Dupont Elementary describe Arlene Slaughter as an excellent role model. Her patience and kindness extend far beyond the classroom to every member of the Dupont Community. Ms. Slaughter’s passion for teaching and making the world a better place earned her this week’s Golden Apple Award.
“Miss Slaughter is one of the best teachers I could ever lead with. She is a teacher mentor for new teachers at our school. She is like the secret elf who has all the sweet things for teachers from notes to a special gifts and she is so supportive,” Tersheia Hayes, Principal, Dupont Elementary School said.
“Who is Arlene slaughter I am a wife. I am a mother. I am an educator here at Hamilton County and a woman of faith. I did not always want to be a teacher. I actually wanted to be a sports journalist at one time and then when I went to college, there was a lot of writing going on and I was like oh I don’t know if this is for me. And then I started working at summer care programs and I fell in love with the children and students. What got me into teaching was when I first moved to Tennessee, where I didn’t know anybody. I had a teacher that impacted me and encouraged me and I wanted to be the same kind of person for my students,” Arlene Slaughter, 1st Grade Teacher, Dupont Elementary School said.
“What I like about Miss Slaughter, is because she helps us learn new things, and I really always wanted to learn math and a lot of other things about her class that she learns,” BrailynWilson-Jones, 1st Grader, Dupont Elementary School says.
“What are the best about being in Miss Slaughter’s class is that as soon as you step into here feels like in like you’re in a whole the world. Like nobody can stop you what you’re doing. It’s just all you, nobody else; just it feels like it’s a great day to be a great day. And I just hope she gets a better class,” Ezekiel Easley, 1st Grader, Dupont Elementary School said.
Slaughter continued, “I’ve always had that kind of nurturing personalities. And I just feel like children they’re, they’re just such a treasure, no filter they’re funny. And you learned a lot from them. So that’s like this is where my heart.”
“I just want them to know that you know I’m always there for them . And I’m always wanting to celebrate you know the success as they make a life. And I hope and I have had students come visit me and they’re like is Miss Slaughter still at DuPont? So I’ve had students come visit me and it’s just great for them to come in and talk to my current students. And talk about when they were in kindergarten or where they were in first grade,” Slaughter said.
