From walking the hallways at Kline Whitis Elementary School to becoming the campus’ teacher of the year, everything has come full circle for Magan Vann.
Vann, a kindergarten teacher, not only was named teacher of the year at Kline Whitis but also was selected Lampasas ISD’s elementary school teacher of the year.
“I was really surprised. I did not expect it, not even a little bit,” Vann said when she learned the news of her special recognition.
Vann said the key to her success is creating a familylike atmosphere in the classroom to help students acclimate to an education setting.
“For some of them, it is their first time in a school setting,” she said. “Some have been at home, and I want them to feel comfortable. We’ve been told if they are comfortable, they will be willing to make mistakes, try to answer a question even though their answer might be wrong.”
The family environment in the classroom was not an idea Vann created. She was introduced to the concept as a fourth-grade student in Connie Hendrix’s class.
“I remember being at Hanna Springs [Elementary as a student] and being at the counter and mixing our chocolate cupcakes,” Vann said. “I got to bake and make stuff -- usually that is a home thing, and I got to do it in our classroom. I remember that being a cool thing we got to do at school.”
Vann didn’t always plan to become a teacher. Originally, she was looking to follow in the footsteps of her sister, a dental hygienist, and become a dentist. However, her path changed when she served at the LoneHollow Ranch summer camp. There, she developed a passion for teaching youngsters and seeing them blossom.
“Teaching them a new stroke of swimming, and then you see them doing it. Ten minutes before, they couldn’t do that,” Vann said. “Seeing that growth and those ‘ah-ha’ moments, I was like ‘This is awesome.’ ” Vann’s first teaching job after graduation from Texas Tech University was in Lometa, then she moved to Taylor Creek Elementary School in the Lampasas school district. She has spent the last five years at Kline Whitis Elementary.
Early in her career, Vann said she learned the “special sauce” to help kids succeed in the classroom was confidence. She recalled helping a student who struggled with behavior issues, but she learned not all of his needs were met. Vann helped the child acquire new “school shoes” and a toothbrush to help him feel better about himself.
“That helped me to grow and realize every kid needs something different,” Vann said. “But, if we can figure out what it is and I can work with them, that kid can turn it around – their behavior, confidence, everything can change.”
Vann said through the family atmosphere and confidence-building, she can allow students to be comfortable in the classroom.
“If I feel comfortable with my boss, liked by my boss, recognized by the staff, I am going to work harder,” she said. “I’ve been in work environments where it is kind of toxic, and I don't want to work as hard and make mistakes, and you just stay on the line. I feel it is the same in the classroom. I want them to want to come and love to be here and do all their work.”
Although the curriculum may be simple in kindergarten, Vann said the grade is crucial to a child’s success in education.
“It's the building block, not only for learning, of course, but that love of school,” the teacher said.
Students learn how to read sentences, identify shapes, make graphs and other basic concepts in Vann’s classroom. In kindergarten, students are learning concepts they can take into the real world, she said.
One lesson Vann uses is the comparison of products at the grocery store to teach youngsters pricing on products so they can learn which is less and which is more.
“I've had parents message me, ‘Oh my gosh, we were at the store [and my child told me] – this one is cheaper Mom, let's get this one,’ ” Vann said. “They take that into the real world and apply it in the world with their parents. We try to make these real-world connections so they will understand that is why.”
Along with teaching, Vann has to juggle behavior in the classroom. Vann said she enjoys discovering each child’s needs to help them succeed.
“I see it as a challenge,” she said. “What does this student need from me so that we can regulate our emotions and stay in this classroom. Instead of ‘Stop whipping your hair around,’ I’ll tell the little girl in my class, ‘Come here, I’ll braid your hair for you today. Let’s braid it really quick.’ ” As the years in the classroom add up for Vann, she is beginning to see her former kindergarten students grow up. She admitted it is difficult every year letting her students move on, but she is excited to see where they will be one day.
At a Lampasas High School cosmetology event with her daughter earlier this school year, Vann caught up with a former student, Macy Slagle, and learned of her ambitions for the future. The moment served as validation for Vann, who was successful in her goal of making that student fall in love with learning.
“It is cool to see where they go and what they do after they are in your class,” Vann said. “We get to see them, and then they go to middle school, high school, and you lose touch. I saw a quote the other day that said, ‘Teachers plant seeds that they never get to see grow.’ ” Vann never expected to be named the district’s elementary teacher of the year, despite having been nominated at her campus for several years. The moment celebrating the accomplishment with her students will live on in her memory.
“They all just ran and gave me big hugs and almost knocked me over,” Vann said. “That was a great feeling, just to be recognized by them, but for my students to be here and come give me hugs.”