Why I teach: Kalyn Denny

"Jamie" had been in resource for three years. When she entered my fourth-grade class she struggled with math and spelling and needed help with nearly every assignment we did in class. Without even consciously deciding to do it, I started to give her a little extra help whenever I could and gave her practice papers she did at home. I tried to think of ways to help her succeed. On her first report card she got a couple of F's, mostly D's and a few C's. Second term she got a few D's and lots of C's. Third term she got a few C's, some B's and even one A. Her resource teacher wrote on the third-term report, "Jamie has improved in all areas this term." When I showed her mother that report, Jamie beamed. At the end of that conference, Jamie's mother turned to me with tears in her eyes and said, "How can I ever thank you? You have really turned her around this year." In a frustrating year of too many students, not enough prep time, no pay raise and too many standardized tests, this was a supremely satisfying moment for me. — Kalyn Denny, West Bountiful Elementary