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Hamilton County honors teachers of the year

By: Kelli Gauthier
(Contact)

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Elizabeth Renneisen
Janet Smith
Jeff Paulson

Even though Janet Smith has made a career of standing in front of people, the pomp and show surrounding Monday’s Hamilton County teacher of the year luncheon was almost too much for her to handle.

“I’m not used to this attention,” Mrs. Smith said. “I’m used to being in front of seventh-graders.”

Mrs. Smith teaches seventh-grade language arts at Loftis Middle School, and was honored along with teachers Jeff Paulson and Elizabeth Renneisen for being the best in the county. The three were treated Monday to a limousine ride from their schools to The Chattanoogan hotel for a recognition luncheon. The winners also will be recognized at the April 17 school board meeting with a Barnes and Noble gift card and a commemorative ring.

Each year Hamilton County chooses three teachers of the year: one each from an elementary, a middle and a high school. The teachers are nominated by their peers and principals and are evaluated based on state guidelines.

Mrs. Smith said her students, whom she refers to as her “precious babies,” were convinced she became a teacher of the year because she occasionally brings them homemade cookies.

“With middle school students, the most important thing in their lives are relationships. You’ve got to build a rapport with them to get anything out of them,” she said. “When my students say, ‘You remind me of my grandma,’ that’s the best compliment.”

Mr. Paulson, who is the lead literacy instructor and teaches third grade at Thrasher Elementary, said he became a good teacher when he realized his passion was not enough.

“You’ve also got to be able to teach intentionally,” he said. “When you can look at a student and see where he is and where he needs to be, and teach on that path, it feels magical, but it’s more skillful.”

Like all of the honorees, Mr. Paulson insisted that he did not become an award-winning teacher on his own.

“I feel like a turtle on a fence post right now,” he said. “If you ever see a turtle on a fence post, you know he didn’t get there by himself.”

Dr. Renneisen, who recently defended a doctoral dissertation in English at Middle Tennessee State University, said she did not talk to her Tyner Academy students about her award until they read about it in the newspaper.

“I’m just their teacher every day,” she said. “That’s what they need from me.”

Dr. Renneisen teaches English at Tyner Academy.

Superintendent Jim Scales said teachers should be recognized each day for their strong work, and Monday’s luncheon highlighted just a fraction of the talented teachers in the county.

“This recognizes the excellent work that’s going on in our schools,” he said. “I think these teachers are representative of the strong teaching force we have in our schools.”

BOX

* Jeff Paulson, lead literacy instructor and third-grade teacher at Thrasher Elementary

* Elizabeth Renneisen, an English teacher at Tyner Academy

* Janet Smith, seventh-grade language arts teacher at Loftis Middle School

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