Robert Asp Teacher of the Year builds relationships with students
May 24, 2016
Becoming a teacher seemed the natural path for Becky Anderson, since she loved working with kids and loved English.
“Elementary education was the road I took, and I’ve had more joy, love, laughter, sadness, frustration and sleepless nights than I could have ever imagined,” said Anderson, a third-grade teacher at Robert Asp Elementary School and this year’s Robert Asp Teacher of the Year.
Anderson has taught in Moorhead for 21 years first at Riverside, Washington and S.G. Reinertsen Elementary Schools before moving to her current position at Robert Asp Elementary. Prior to teaching in Moorhead, Anderson taught in Kelliher, Minn., and the MACCRAY district in the Willmar, Minn., area. She has also taught preschool and Head Start and coached at the junior high level.
Anderson earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and coaching from Minnesota State University Moorhead and her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of St. Thomas.
“Teaching, for me, is all about building relationships,” she said. “Getting to know my students and showing them that I truly care about them lends itself to a mutual respect. Students just seem to want to work harder when they feel cared for.”
According to Chris Triggs, principal of Robert Asp Elementary, Anderson is very deserving of being recognized as Robert Asp Teacher of the Year.
“She is a great model for how to build relationships with her students and manage them with kindness and respect,” he said. “Several of Mrs. Anderson’s former students maintain that relationship with her often by coming down to her classroom to visit with her or help her in the classroom before and after school time.”
Anderson tries to create a classroom climate where students feel safe enough to be themselves and take risks and have fun while they’re learning.
“This teaching style seems to be a mix between structured and fun-loving,” she said. “It’s what has worked for me.”
Triggs describes Anderson’s classroom as a caring community that has a passion for reading and writing inspired by a teacher who shares this same passion for literacy with her students.
“She is a collaborative member of her PLC team but is humble in her approach so is a great model for new teachers,” he said.
Over the years, Anderson has been involved in many different service-learning projects partnering with different agencies in the community. Most recently is a seven-year partnership with Golden Living in Moorhead.
“My third-grade students and the residents of Golden Living get together once a month to play math games, read, sing and enjoy each other’s company,” Anderson said. “The lifelong lessons in compassion are immeasurable.”
Photo caption:
Becky Anderson, third-grade teacher at Robert Asp Elementary School and this year’s Robert Asp Teacher of the Year, reads a book with a math theme to her students after they practiced with fractions.
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