Hamilton County new teachers prepare for the school year and the challenges ahead

Luronda Jennings, a exceptional education lead teacher for the Opportunity Zone Schools, speaks during a breakout session on student disabilities during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The breakout session which was held to simulate student disabilities in order to give teachers a better understanding of some of the challenges their students face daily.

By Meghan Mangrum July 22, 2019 5 min read

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New Hamilton County teachers

Kimberly Colen, a counselor at East Lake Elementary, participates in a breakout session at the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. This year is the second year for the professional development workshop.

Tabitha Beck Christy, a third grade teacher at Red Bank Elementary, speaks as a part of a panel discussion during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The four-day professional development workshop kicked off Monday.

Catherine Casselman, a second grade teacher at East Side Elementary, Brenda Morris, a kindergarten teacher at Dupont Elementary and Tabitha Beck Christy, a third grade teacher at Red Bank Elementary, participate in a panel discussion during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The panel was held for first-year teachers to be able to ask questions of more experienced teachers.

Kayla Bowman, a kindergarten teacher at Daisy Elementary, speaks during a panel discussion at the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The workshop Monday consisted of a variety of breakout sessions and keynote speakers.

Callie Phillips, a first grade teacher at Hardy Elementary, listens to a panel discussion during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The four-day professional development workshop kicked off Monday.

Tabitha Veck Christy, a third grade teacher at Red Bank Elementary, speaks on a panel during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The workshop Monday consisted of a variety of breakout sessions and keynote speakers.

Brenda Morris, a kindergarten teacher at Dupont Elementary, speaks about how she has handled a variety of different behavioral problems in the classroom during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The panel discussion gave new teachers the opportunity to learn from teachers who have been in the classroom for a few years.

Anna Kraus, a kindergarten teacher at Woodmore Elementary, takes notes during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The four-day professional development workshop kicked off Monday.

Vanessa Hernandes, a second grade teacher at East Ridge Elementary, takes notes during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The four-day professional development workshop kicked off Monday.

Vanessa Hernandez, a second grade teacher at East Ridge Elementary, takes notes during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The four-day professional development workshop kicked off Monday.

Callie Phillips, a first grade teacher at Hardy Elementary, asks a question during a breakout session at the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The workshop Monday consisted of a variety of breakout sessions and keynote speakers.

Catherine Casselman, a second grade teacher at East Side Elementary, Brenda Morris, a kindergarten teacher at Dupont Elementary, Tabitha Beck Christy, a third grade teacher at Red Bank Elementary, and Kayla Bowman, a kindergarten teacher at Daisy Elementary, participate in a panel discussion during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The panel was held for first-year teachers to be able to ask questions of more experienced teachers.

Catherine Casselman, a second grade teacher at East Side Elementary, speaks during a panel discussion at the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The workshop Monday consisted of a variety of breakout sessions and keynote speakers.

Victoria Fider, a school-based therapist at Centerstone, speaks to a breakout group during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The workshop Monday consisted of a variety of breakout sessions and keynote speakers.

Castwell Fider, a Project Inspire talent management specialist , speaks to a breakout group during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The workshop Monday consisted of a variety of breakout sessions and keynote speakers.

Tamela Cooley, a fourth grade English language arts and history teacher at East Ridge Elementary, takes a quick math quiz to simulate student disabilities during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The breakout session which was held to simulate student disabilities in order to give teachers a better understanding of some of the challenges their students face daily.

Allison Latham, an exceptional education teacher at Barger Elementary, places printed descriptions on desks during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. Teachers were instructed to match descriptions of disabilities with a card with the name of the disability.

Teachers read descriptions of disabilities to match with the specific disability during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The breakout session which was held to simulate student disabilities in order to give teachers a better understanding of some of the challenges their students face daily.

Luronda Jennings, a exceptional education lead teacher for the Opportunity Zone Schools, hands out math quizzes during a breakout session on student disabilities at the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The breakout session which was held to simulate student disabilities in order to give teachers a better understanding of some of the challenges their students face daily.

Rachel Bossong, an exceptional education teacher at Lookout Valley Middle/High, takes a math quiz during the Hamilton County Schools New Teacher Academy held at Hixson Middle School on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Hixson, Tennessee. The math quiz was made to simulate disabilities some students have in order to help teachers better understand the challenges some of their students face daily.

Rachel Bossong, Carrie Ross and Abby Sparks huddled around Allison Latham.

One of them rubbed a sheet of paper up against Latham’s head, another sang the alphabet song loudly, as another read a paragraph off a purple index card.

Latham, a brand-new exceptional education teacher at Barger Academy, was expected to listen to the paragraph and answer questions about the passage, despite the distractions and invasion of personal body space.

The educators, soon-to-be first-year teachers and employees new to Hamilton County, were taking part in a disability simulation workshop at Hamilton County Schools’ second annual New Teacher Academy on Monday at Hixson Middle School.

The workshop was created by Luronda Jennings, exceptional education lead teacher for the Opportunity Zone. Jennings, who works with exceptional, or special, education teachers across the district’s 13 highest-needs and lowest-performing schools, said it is her passion to make sure general education teachers are prepared for the varying needs of students with disabilities in their classrooms.