“Ah-ha,” and “Oh, now I get it,” are words every teacher wants to hear in their classroom, regardless of the teacher’s experience in the classroom and grade or subject taught. Even in Sherry Howard’s 17th year of teaching, that’s her favorite part about teaching.

“That never gets old and is the light of my day,” Howard says.

Howard currently teaches seventh grade math at Foley Middle School.

She was working at a bank as the Training Specialist when Howard realized she wanted to be a teacher.

“I was training the new bank tellers and secretaries,” she says. “My adult students were so appreciative for what they learned and said I was so helpful. I wanted to do the same for children.”

Born into a Navy family, Howard moved a lot as a child growing up. In every state she lived in, she gained something from every teacher.

“I gained something from every teacher I had in four states,” she says. My favorite teacher was in Virginia Beach. Her name was Mrs. Pace. Her passion for literature drew me in.”

Howard was also a teacher’s assistant when she was in middle school.

“I believe my teachers saw it in me before I did!” she says.

There are several traits Howard hopes her students learn outside of the lesson plan but in her classroom.

“Humor, self-reliance and creativity lead to success just as much as doing well in school,” she says. “But the same qualities will help them do well in school. Win-win.”