Growing up in a big family had a big impact on Terri Frank’s decision to become an elementary school teacher.

“I come from a very large family and spent the majority of my childhood babysitting for many of my younger cousins,” Frank says. “I realized at a very young age that I loved working with children.”

Frank has taught at J. Larry Newton School in Fairhope for nine years— teaching third grade for three years after spending six years as a first grade teacher at the school.

After nearly a decade of teaching at J. Larry Newton, Frank says she has learned that thick skin and a sense of humor are just as important as a lesson plan if you are going to teach elementary students.

“Elementary teachers have to have tremendous self-confidence and an ability to laugh at themselves because kids are brutally honest and don't usually know the meaning of tact,” Frank says. “If you've gained weight, they are going to tell you; if you forgot your mascara or didn't get enough sleep, they are going to tell you; if you are grouchy, they are going to tell you. Their brutal honesty usually makes for the best stories, though.”

As a teacher, Frank says she has always enjoyed the moment her students finally understand a difficult lesson.

“My favorite aspect of teaching is that moment when whatever you are teaching suddenly clicks with a child and you can see their little ‘I've got it!’ smile,” she says.

Frank’s inspiration to become a teacher was her fifth grade teacher, who taught in a way that was easy for students that age to understand.

She says she hopes to have a similar effect on her students now that she is a teacher.

“My hope is for every child I teach to understand that they each have a special gift to share with the world,” Frank says. “Some of those gifts may show up in academics, some may show up in athletics, some in their kindness toward others, some in their ability to make people smile or any other area that makes a difference to someone else.”

NAME: Terri Frank

SCHOOL: J. Larry Newton School

GRADE(S) TAUGHT: Third grade

SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOURSELF: I am huge into fishing, especially deep sea fishing. I have been doing that for about 10 years, and it has been a lot of fun.