Foley Elementary School announced Janis Gassenmeyer as its’ 2010 Teacher of the Year.

Gassenmeyer is a third-grade special education teacher. She also co-teaches in general education classes, she said.

“We pull those special education students for extra help,” she said.

Gassenmeyer has been teaching for 15 years, seven of which have been at FES. She earned her undergraduate degree in special education and general education from William Patterson University in New Jersey, where she is originally from. She earned her masters degree at the University of South Alabama, and she currently resides in Spanish Fort.

    Gassenmeyer spoke with The Foley Onlooker reporter about her favorite part of being a teacher, how much time she spends on her job outside of the classroom and how much she enjoys time off during summer and Christmas break.

    Q: Do you want to teach any other grades besides third grade?

    A: I wouldn’t mind going up, possibly to middle school.

    Q: What about high school?

    A: I’ve never thought about high school. I like the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh grade range. They can do work. You can make it a little more academic.

    Q: Being a teacher for 15 years, what have you learned about yourself and about the teaching profession in general?

    A: I learned that I actually can be well organized. I also learned to have more patience. I can wait on answers longer. I’m a quick mover, so I learned to pull back to wait on the students. About my job, I learned that I’m on stage when I’m teaching. It’s a lot of preparation to do the best job you can do.

    Q: What is your favorite thing about being a teacher?

    A: I love getting kids to believe they can do things that they didn’t think they could do. Especially with special education, because they don’t really think they can do much. Getting me excited about learning is good. Like today, we served chocolate when learning about fractions.

    Q: Do you often use object metaphors or learning tricks?

    A: A lot of learning tricks. We do a lot of hands-on stuff. We do a lot of activities that involve all the students. When I’m teaching general education and some of the students are special education, I have to get them all involved and find a way where everybody can respond.

    Q: What is your least favorite thing about being a teacher?

    A: State testing. For special education students, it’s a lot to ask a child that has cognitive issues to do the exact same things that your highest students do. It’s a lot of pressure on them. It’s hard to see them go through the struggle.

    Q: What is your favorite subject?

    A: I’d have to say reading, because reading impacts everything. I love to teach them how to make sense of it. Math is my second favorite.

    Q: How much time do you spend on your job outside of the classroom?

    A: Special education is more. We have to do all case work. It’s a lot extra with special education. I actually had a meeting today that took up my hour break.

    Q: How much do you enjoy the months of June, July and August?

    A: I teach all summer, sometimes voluntarily without pay and sometimes with pay. I really don’t mind teaching during the summer.

    Q: What about Christmas break?

    A: Well, everybody wants a break at some point.