Georgia native and Gulf Shores resident Jessica Partin is Magnolia School’s 2010 Teacher of the Year award winner.

Partin has taught at the Magnolia Springs-based school for four years, and she has been a teacher for a total of seven years. She started as a teacher in Georgia after earning her degree in early childhood education and special education from North Georgia College and State University. She then moved to Gulf Shores.

“I love it (in Gulf Shores),” she said. “That’s why I moved here.”

Magnolia School offers pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, and Partin teaches third grade general education. The three previous years she taught special education students in second, third and fourth grades.

She talked with The Foley Onlooker about the differences between teaching in Georgia and Alabama, her least favorite part about being a teacher and what she thinks is an integral part to being a good teacher.

Q: Since you have taught both, what are some differences between teaching general education and special education?

A: The paperwork is different. With special education, the goals for special education are much more specific. With general education, it’s more core curriculum. Special education teachers are also working with smaller groups of students in special education, and the teaching is more individualized.

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

A: My favorite part is seeing the growth in kids throughout the school year. Both academically and socially, they grow a lot over the course of the year.

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

A: Right now, I’d say the economic ups and downs in education. Things are bad in education right now as far as the economic realm of the profession. Some problems are funding, teachers haven’t received raises in Alabama in over six years and there have been major cuts in both funding and staff.

Q: What are some differences between teaching in Georgia and Alabama?

A: The standards are pretty much the same from state-to-state. The programs are a little bit different. The pay step is a lot more gradual in Alabama than in Georgia. They step up things more frequently.

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

A: I do after-school tutoring until 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I’m one of the people who gets here at 7 a.m. and stays until 4:30 p.m. I’m on campus for at least two hours over the time that I am required to be here each day, and I also take a bag of books and papers home daily and prepare for the next day’s lessons. Even on the weekends I work, because you have to do that to prepare for the next week.

Q: Are there any other grades that you want to teach?

A: I prefer the lower grades. I’ve taught fourth grade in Georgia, but I prefer first through third grades. The reasoning being I think kids have a greater hunger to learn in those grades and the kids are easily molded.

Q: In your seven years as a teacher, what have you learned about the teaching profession?

A: I think communication is most definitely the key to being a good teacher. Communication with the students is important regarding your expectations, and communications with the parents to let them know what is going on and the expectations at home.

Q: Do you enjoy the months of June, July and August?

A: I usually do a workshop or two in the summer, but not much. I enjoy those months so much. That’s the time of the year when I get to visit my family. It’s hard to take off days during the school year, so it’s nice to visit and see my family.