Third quarter: Checking in with first-year teacher Kim Nightingale

Kim Nightingale has made it through her first semester of teaching fourth grade at Blanchard Elementary, and she's starting 2014 with a new set of goals: preparing for MAP testing, working on her organization skills and teaching new levels in math and science.

"The students have really come a long way in taking responsibility for their work," says Kim. "Their grades are improving, and I think once they realized fourth grade is harder than third, they started putting in more effort."

Kim's class just finished units in multiplication, weather and erosion; next up is division, rocks and minerals and, as always, reading, spelling and grammar.

"Each quarter the students make an Accelerated Reader goal," she adds. "First semester was a struggle for some. However, second semester every one of my students made their goal! This was a great accomplishment, as many new students to the district were not familiar with AR and had a hard time."

Kim has also been pleased to discover her school's Parent Resource Room, where students can check out audio books, Gameboy-type electronics and other games to help them practice academic skills.

"The audio books have helped a few of my lower students increase an entire grade level in reading, which makes me incredibly proud," she says. "The resource room is also used for academically high-achieving students who want more of a challenge or are interested in reading along with the audio CDs."

Kim's first winter in Southeast Missouri has seen unusual amounts of snow, ice and subzero wind chills, and it's made for a sometimes-wacky schedule at school.

"I have definitely learned to go with the flow and be ready for anything, whether that is a student getting sick on the floor or the students getting dismissed early due to the weather," says Kim. "You have to be ready ... to adjust your lesson plans to make things work."

Kim has worked very hard in her first year as a teacher, and she's put in the time to match -- the term "workaholic" has even been used by her friends and family. What many people don't understand, she says, is that even though students leave school around 3 p.m., teachers put in several more hours before the day is done.

"Even after I leave, my bag is full and I work the majority of the night," says Kim. "Each weekend I come up either Saturday or Sunday for at least a few hours to put up students' work in the hallway, put grades in to the computer, run copies. ... The list of things I could do is endless."

But Kim doesn't have children of her own yet, and her family lives far away, so she's glad for the time and opportunity to develop as a new teacher.

"My highlights so far have really been my students. I love how excited they are when they come in each morning," says Kim. "We work really hard, but we always have fun while doing it. The best feeling is seeing your students improve. Sometimes they struggle and then a light bulb goes off and they get it. It is really neat to think that I am helping them grow as learners and make these great accomplishments."

Next, Kim and her students will start preparing for MAP testing.

"I want all my students to do extremely well and show how far they have come this year. I think I will be more nervous than them just because their scores are a reflection of me," says Kim.

Pick up the May issue of Flourish to read about how they did, and how Kim's school year wraps up.