Doretha Garland is PSES first Teacher of the Year

Philip Simmons Elementary School recently awarded its first Teacher of the Year award to second grade teacher, Doretha Garland.

Garland was full of gratitude at the February 10 announcement party held in her classroom.

Amidst the bustle of giddy students enjoying cupcakes piled high with frosting were several parents, at the ready with napkins, and a few of the school’s staff and administrators, all of whom were present to congratulate the honoree.

“I’m honored and humbled to be named Teacher of the Year,” insists Garland, an educator with 29 years of teaching experience at the elementary school level. “The community of PSES - by that I mean the administration, the staff, all the kids and their parents - welcomed me with open arms when I first got here. The feeling of acceptance and security made all the difference for me to be able do my job to the best of my ability.”

Garland continues, “When I came to PSES for the interview, I immediately felt a sense of peace and calm. I also felt a strong connection to the school’s principal, Dr. Karen Whitley. She’s got the same energy and passion for her job as an administrator that I have for mine as a teacher.”

The admiration is mutual. Principal Whitley points out, “I can’t tell you what a wonderful addition to our school Ms. Garland has been. She has created such a positive learning environment, not only in her classroom, but in the school community as a whole. What’s more, she’s a real team player, always ready to pitch in and help no matter what the job is at hand.”

All this hard work and achievement has been years in the making. Garland knew she wanted to be a teacher by the time she was eight years old, she said.

“I was very inspired by my third grade teacher, Mrs. Robinson, who I still keep in touch with.”

A native of Florence, S.C., Garland received her undergraduate degree from Francis Marion University and her Masters of Education from Columbia College and has built her career primarily at elementary schools in the Columbia area. Two of her former schools, H.E. Corley Elementary (Lexington School District V) and Langford Elementary (Richland School District II) also recognized her with a Teacher of the Year award.

But Garland’s passion for teaching goes beyond the proverbial “three R’s” of elementary school (‘reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic). As a former high school basketball coach, she volunteers her coaching skills on the Philip Simmons Middle School Iron Horses basketball team.

“I love working with the middle school girls, helping them to strive do their best, as individuals and working together as a team,” says Garland. “What’s more, volunteering on the basketball team is another bridge to getting to know more of the Philip Simons School community. Besides, coaching is a lot of fun! So far, in our first year, we made it to the play-offs.”

When Garland isn’t busy teaching or coaching basketball, she’s most likely taking in the sound of the surf on Sullivan’s Island. “I love the beach,” she confesses. “It’s one of the reasons I moved to Charleston.”

What books are currently on her bedside table? “Right now, I’m reading ‘Awakening the Heart’ by Georgia Heard. It’s a book for teachers, parents - anyone who’s passionate about instilling in children a love for narrative writing by drawing on memories of their own life experiences.”

At PSES dismissal, right after the classroom awards party, dozens more teachers, administrators and parents continue to crowd around Garland, congratulating her with enthusiastic hugs and exclamations of joy.

“I am so happy for her, she’s an amazing teacher,” shares mom Angela Williams. And her daughter, Reagan Williams, concurs, “Ms. Garland is always fair. She teaches us how to share with each other.”

Second grade student Hunter Graham adds, “I love that she gives us bonus points if we’re following directions.”

It’s Garland’s teaching style, however, that earns the highest marks from her students. “One of my favorite things she’s taught us to do is math journals,” reports second grader Ty Scofano. “Writing sentences actually helps me think more carefully about the math problems I’m doing and how the numbers work together.”

Reagan Williams adds, “Ms. Garland wants us to be excited about what we’re learning! If anybody looks sleepy in the class Ms. Garland will say ‘It’s time for everybody to wake up! We’re going to play a game to help us learn today’s lesson!’ It might be a spelling game or a math game, but Ms. Garland always keeps us moving!”

Thanks to Garland’s passion, enthusiasm and dedication, her students report that they actually like going to school - and that learning is fun! Now that’s a grade she most certainly can be proud of.