Golden Apple Award: Lauren Dorsett, Middle Valley Elementary

Hixson, Tenn. (WDEF) – The transition from first to second grade doesn’t always go smoothly, but if Lauren Dorsett is your teacher, expect it to be seamless. We head to Middle Valley Elementary to honor a teacher who’s worth her weight in gold with this week’s Golden Apple Award.

Allyson DeYoung is the Principal at Middle Valley.

She says, “Ms. Dorset has been a true team member at Middle Valley. And what I mean by that is that she is big on personalization, personalization with her children, building those connections and those relationships in her classroom, building connection and relationship across our school community. We love her and love that element that she brings to Middle Valley.”

When asked to describe herself, Ms. Dorsett says, “I am a caring, fun, charismatic teacher that loves kids and loves to build relationships with both my kids and my coworkers. I have had many people along the way that have been influential from teachers that I had in elementary school and middle school up into my family. My dad is in education, my aunt, my grandmother. So, it’s kind of been in the blood. And then, of course, when I actually started teaching, I have had tons of mentors and coworkers and admin and everybody that has just helped me along the way.”

Here is what some of her students have to say, ” She is really nice. She teaches us lots and lots. I love her and I think I’m happy to be one of her students. She’s so kind. I love Miss Joyce. I like that she helps teach us with a bunch of details and she teaches us a lot that we need to know for the next grade that we’re going to be in. I like that Dorsett is calm and she’s a nice teacher and she’s always nice and she’s the best. She’s very silly, but very nice, but very patient. She doesn’t mean like my other first grade teacher. What I like about her, she’s a nice teacher. I’m glad to be her student. And when someone’s bad and she doesn’t actually yell out loud, she’s actually kind of calm about it.”

Ms. Dorsett concludes, “I mean, I don’t think that I yell. I kind of set good boundaries. I think with them and they kind of understand that I shouldn’t have to get to that point. Kids have always been huge to me through coaching, through just being around them and knowing that the adults that are around them make a huge impact as to how they turn out as an adult. And then obviously thinking about the fact that these kids are the ones that will be adults when I’m old and I want them to be good humans. That’s what I talk to them about all the time. So good character qualities, but then also we learn along the way.”