Renae Drey, St. Patrick Catholic School
Position: 1st & 2nd Grade Teacher
Years Teaching: 3 years
Hobbies/Interests: Coaching and playing volleyball, traveling to see family and friends, craft projects, visiting my family farm and helping with harvest
What do you enjoy most about teaching? I enjoy celebrating holidays with my students! It’s so exciting to see the joy come to life for each and every little thing. I also enjoy connecting with the students. It is so fun to get to know them and build a relationship with them! Last but not least, I love seeing the growth of the students! Of course I love seeing academic growth, but I also love seeing their own personal and social growth. It’s amazing to see the people they become over the course of the year because of their peers and those around them!
What do you find most challenging about teaching? The hardest part about teaching is finding the time to teach everything that needs to be taught, but also finding time to do all the fun activities you want to do!
Best tip for new teachers: Don’t compare yourself to anyone else or any “Pinterest teacher” you may see! Be confident in yourself, your education, and your ability to teach! Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it and remember that your classroom is a “home away from home!” You get to make your classroom whatever you want
Best tip for career teachers: You are AMAZING! You inspire so many students each and every day! There are many rewarding days, tough days, and some days that you may feel lost. Keep on keeping on! Your hard work does not go unnoticed and you are truly making a difference!
Favorite piece of advice for students: Never forget that we care about you and you matter! No matter where life takes you, remember that we are all here to support you and you can always come back whenever you need. You make us proud each day! And never forget to keep spreading kindness, no matter where you go!
What being a Gold Star Teacher means to you: Being a Gold Star Teacher means all of the hard work, education, and long hours have paid off! But more than that, it means that somewhere along the lines, someone saw that there was more than curriculum to be taught in our classroom. They saw that deep down, I care about their success as a person and as a student. Students have the biggest hearts and being a Gold Star Teacher means that one (or a few of those students) wanted to share their big heart with me! There have been so many people who have helped me along the way. I am blessed to be surrounded by an amazing staff of educators and parents at St. Patrick School who push me each day to be my best! I am humbled by the nomination I received. There are so many amazing educators in the Cedar Valley and I feel blessed and honored to have been chosen.
Watch Renae’s video here!