Golden Apple Award: Boyd Buchanan’s Bonnie Ray
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – The best teachers are interested in their students’ lives outside the classroom. Boyds Buchanan’s Bonnie Ray has been known to show up at her kids’ sporting events and recitals. It’s all part of her holistic approach to teaching. That earned Ms. Ray the Golden Apple Award.
Stacy Ridley is the Lower School Division Head at Boyd Buchanan. She says, “Mrs. Ray has been with us for five years. She has developed into a master teacher. What I appreciate the most about her is the love for God and the love for these children that she displays every day. She fully nurtures children. She develops that whole child. She is a blessing to our school community.”
When asked to describe herself Ms. Ray says, “I am a follower of Jesus, a wife, mom, and a new grandmother and a Christian educator. I had my teaching degree, but I was raising my family, and I had four daughters that went to school here, and I just love being a part of the mission here, even as a parent, and then I was drawn to come back to teaching but I was just waiting for the right time.”
3rd grader Mary Chandler says, “I like being in her class because she teaches me so much about God, and she reads the Bible every day, and she’s super nice, and I love her so much.”
3rd grader Karen Mullet says “Ms. Ray is very nice, and she teaches so much. I love her. And she’s always very nice to us.”
3rd grader Josue Cardenas chips in, “She’s really forgiving. She’s really nice. She teaches us a lot of things. And she’s really, really, really, fun.”
Ms. Ray concludes, “I love the philosophy here at Boyd Buchanan. We teach with thematic units. It’s all literature based and so they’re learning so much within a meaningful context; like how to read and write, but in meaningful contexts. It’s just a great place to learn. The kids love to be here, and they’re excited to come and to learn, and I enjoy watching them grow and learn. This is my sixth year teaching third grade, and all my daughters have graduated, but I’m still so thankful that I have the opportunity to come back here every day and be part of this mission.”
