Rebecca Witherington recently completed her second year of teaching fourth grade at Fairhope Intermediate School, a career she didn’t originally plan to attain.

“For many years I thought I wanted to be a marine biologist and then I got a job right out of high school working at Bayshore Christian School,” says Witherington. “Working there opened my eyes and my heart to teaching. Seeing the joy on a child’s face when they have finally understood something is like nothing you have experienced before. Since then, I knew teaching is the only thing that I am meant to do.”

In her current role at Fairhope Intermediate, Witherington teaches all of the core subjects — math, science, reading, writing and Alabama history.

Witherington says she hopes her classroom can be the same welcoming environment as the science classrooms she learned in as a child.

She says the science teachers of her youth presented the lessons in fun and creative ways.

“They all allowed me to learn and experiment in an area that I truly loved learning about,” she says. “I had one particular science teacher for three different classes in high school, Mrs. Impastato. She made learning so much fun and we never did the same thing twice. We always had a fun and exciting learning activity that awaited us each day.”

Witherington says the memories of the positive environment she found in that classroom has stuck with her ever since.

“That meant so much to me as a student but even more so now as a teacher,” she says. “She made me see that learning can be fun and that students will take more from a lesson if they are actively engaged.”

Witherington says she wants her students to not be afraid of making mistakes in her classroom.

“I want my students to know mistakes mean that you are learning and growing,” Witherington says. “I want them to learn to set goals and to achieve them. But most importantly, I want my students to know that as long as they are giving their best, they will go far in life.”

She says a big reason she wants to make the children at ease in her classroom is so they can learn to be comfortable with being themselves.

“I’m teaching my students that showing a little kindness will get them further in life than being rude, selfish and mean,” Witherington says. “I also want my students to know that being himself or herself is better than being anyone else because there is no one else like them.”

Along with teaching multiple subjects, Witherington says she plays many roles in her classroom.

“Teaching is more than just giving students instruction,” she says. “When you are a teacher, you play many roles, you take to heart what your students are going through and your students become your ‘kids.’ You have to have a lot of patience and flexibility as a teacher but more than that, you must have a big heart.”

Even with the emotional highs and lows that come with such a challenging career, Witherington says she revels in the opportunity to step into the classroom each day.

“These kids will make you laugh, they will make you cry and they will make you laugh until you cry,” Witherington says. “However, each day with your students is a new day to make a difference, to be an example, to show love and give a smile.”

Name: Rebecca Witherington

School: Fairhope Intermediate School

Subject(s) taught: Fourth grade

INTERESTING FACT: One thing that my students quickly learn about me is that I love marine life. That is evident in my classroom décor as well as just talking to them about all the many fishing trips I have gone on.