Golden Apple: Leah Broersma, Rivermont Elementary
CHATTANOOGA. TN (WDEF) – Parents of students in Leah Broersma’s special needs pre-k program at Rivermont a grateful to have such a good teacher. They describe her as passionate and attentive.
Jill Evans is the Principal at Rivermont.
She says, “She is a wonderful teacher. She has a heart for all students. She always finds the best. She always finds student’s strengths, and while she is working with the strengths, she always pulls in that one thing that is going to help them grow just a little bit more.”
When asked to describe herself, Leah says, “I am the Special Education teacher. I have been doing this in Hamilton County for 10 years. I love my job. I love where I work. I love Chattanooga. I am very invested in my students and their families.”
She continues, “It is more difficult, but it is so much more rewarding in that sense. I grew up with my mom being a Special Education teacher, so I grew up in a very diverse inclusive environment, and I just always had a calling to work with kids with disabilities. I’ve loved it. I loved being around that population, that community. I just couldn’t wait to go to college so that I could do this. I have two amazing assistants that are my back bone, and I couldn’t do my job without them. Truly, that’s how our classroom functions. I look forward to coming to work and being with them every day so I really want to give them credit where credit is due.
Frances Barron is one of those assistants.
She says, “We cannot do this without Miss Leah. She is a wonderful teacher. She is very proactive with the children. Very good communicator with the parents. She is well deserved of this award. She is very positive person. We start off our day we have a schedule. We know what’s going on. The children know what is to be asked of them. They know what is expected. They try very hard. It is an exceptional education program. And we are there to support them and help them in this program.”
Leah concludes, “The biggest thing that I push in here is just for them to feel encouraged support it that they are doing something that matters. That they get a sense of independence and that they can see their growth. Whether it is small or big, they leave my class from knowing that they have grown in someway.”
