What goes on during a day in the life of a teacher? A visit to Mrs. Jennifer Phillips’ classroom at Lincoln Elementary School will show you that it involves a great deal of learning, plenty of fun—and a whole lot of hugs!
“One of my favorite quotes from one of my students this year is: ‘Every day is the best day,’” said Phillips, who teaches fourth grade.
7:45 a.m.: Phillips greets her students as they come into the school—usually with a big hug.
“The best part of my day is when kids greet me in the morning,” Phillips said. “I feel they are always excited to see me, and so excited for the day.”
During a typical day in her classroom, students are busy learning and growing, she said.
10 a.m.: Phillips leads her students in a math lesson about the box method—and then one student even gets to take a turn leading her fellow classmates in the lesson.
“The best part of my job is helping kids grow to reach their potential,” Phillips said. “I love the moments where I can see the kids are excited to learn.”
12:30 p.m.: Phillips leads her class in a read aloud of her soon-to-be second published children’s novel, a sequel to her book, Omnificland.
“My goal is to create an atmosphere where learning feels like an exciting journey,” Phillips said, “one where they are inspired to explore, grow and develop their talents.”
1:30 p.m.: Phillips, who has been teaching for 23 years, is highly involved outside of the classroom as well—including leading an Aerobics Club for students in grades 2-5.
2:45 p.m.: The class prepares for dismissal to the tune of the 1980s hit, “Never Gonna Give You Up,” by Rick Astley.
3 p.m.: It’s time for dismissal, and students line up for one last hug—or for a special handshake. Phillips has countless individual student handshakes memorized, even from students she taught in previous years.
Phillips said that when her students walk into her classroom each morning, “I hope my kids feel loved, I hope they feel safe, and I hope they’re excited to learn.”
And when they leave each afternoon, she said, “I hope they know that I am proud of them, and that I look forward to seeing them the next day.”
Student Perspectives
It’s clear that Phillips is passionate about teaching—and it’s also clear that her students love being in her classroom.
“My favorite thing about Mrs. Phillips and the classroom is about how kind she is to us no matter what happens,” said Theron Chingman.
“My favorite thing about Mrs. Phillips is her warm heart and her very, very warm hugs,” said Kayla Lesoski.
“My favorite part of the day is during the morning because I get to hug my favorite teacher,” said Greysen Ross.
“My favorite thing about Mrs. Phillips is how much she cares about us,” said Emmitt Kimball.
Eleanor Redinger said her favorite part of being in Mrs. Phillips’ class “is working on projects with classmates, me and Mrs. Phillips’ end-of-day handshake, and the bond with me and Mrs. Phillips (plus classmates).”
“My favorite thing about Mrs. Phillips and the class is the class pets and Mrs. Phillips’ kind heart and our handshake,” said Joshua Reyes Minaya.
“Mrs. Phillips, she is one of the best teachers I’ve had,” said Lennix Ensaldo, “and I do not want to leave her class because I just will really miss her.”
Phillips, too, will miss her students at the end of the school year.
“It is definitely very hard to say goodbye to the kids at the end of the year,” she said. “You just build a community that’s very special just amongst those people. I always tell them you can always come and see me anytime, and I have a lot of kids that come see me from previous years because they want to say hi. I also give them an addressed envelope with my address on it, and I tell them if they initiate the first letter, I will write them back.”
Advice for New Teachers
Phillips offered advice for new teachers, including:
· Build Relationships First: Create a classroom where students feel loved and valued from day one.
· Embrace Fresh Starts: Every day is a new opportunity.
· Encourage Bravery: Let your students know it’s okay to make mistakes and to be imperfect.
· Make Learning Fun: Infuse excitement and creativity into your lessons.
· Foster a Sense of Community: Teach your students the value of kindness, empathy and teamwork.
· Be Consistent and Present: Be someone your students can rely on every day.
· Learn from Them: Your students will teach you just as much as you teach them.
· Above All: Remember that teaching is about making a positive impact on your students’ lives!
Thank You, Teachers!
In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, Phillips expressed her own gratitude for her fellow teachers.
“I want to thank all the teachers I’ve had throughout the years, and all the coworkers I have that are teachers, and all the teachers just for everything they do because they inspire me,” she said. “Teachers work so hard and do so much, more than a lot of people know, and they just deserve a pat on the back, and a thumbs-up, or a hug, or whatever. So give them some kind of greeting, or even a card or something like that just to tell them great job.”
This Teacher Appreciation Week, be sure to thank all the wonderful teachers like Mrs. Phillips who have made a difference in your life!
Watch the Video
Check out the video to see for yourself all the learning, fun, and hugs that make up a teacher’s day.