When Hannah Watlington graduated from Bartlett Yancey Senior High School, the only high school in Caswell County, she always knew she wanted to return there one day to teach. Now, after earning her bachelor’s degree in mathematics education in the NC State College of Education, not only is Watlington a math teacher at the high school, but she was also named the Caswell County Schools Beginning Teacher of the Year.
“It was always my goal to teach in my home county, so being nominated by my colleagues, then chosen by my district, made me feel as though I had not only accomplished my goal, but excelled in what I had sought out to do,” Watlington said.
At Bartlett Yancey, Watlington teaches with some of the same educators who inspired her as a student and she has appreciated the opportunity to join their ranks and serve her community.
“Throughout my years as a student, I had many teachers who positively impacted my life and fostered my dream of becoming an educator,” Watlington said. “I hope to not only spark a love of math in my students, but have a positive impact on their lives and encourage them to achieve their goals.”
To build relationships with her students, Watlington takes time to get to know them on a personal level. She begins each day with a warm-up to encourage conversation, attends after-school activities such as games and concerts and welcomes students who stop by her classroom during lunch or planning.
“I love getting to see what they are interested in outside of the classroom and try to reference it in a lesson or relate it to math in some way,” Watlington said.
Watlington chose to teach math because she wanted to show students who struggle with the subject that it was something they are capable of learning and enjoying.
“Math is typically the subject that students say they can’t do, so it is very rewarding to see them begin to understand and grow confident in their abilities,” Watlington said. “I enjoy watching them explain something to their peers for the first time and begin to shift their mindset from ‘I can’t’ to ‘I can.’”
Watlington, who was an NC Teaching Fellow, said the NC State College of Education gave her the experience she needed to make an immediate, positive impact on her students.
“The NC State College of Education helped me tremendously in preparing me for my position as a high school math teacher,” Watlington said. “I have pulled ideas from many of the classes I took at NC State.”
For example, during her time at NC State, Watlington was introduced to Desmos, DeltaMath, Geogebra and countless other learning platforms that she now uses to help supplement her classroom instruction.
“NC State helped me become comfortable with using technology in the classroom, which I now do on a daily basis,” Watlington said.
For Watlington, the most important part of her time in the College of Education was the student teaching experience. Spending a semester working alongside a cooperating teacher, Watlington said, gave the tools and preparation she needed.
“My transition from college to teaching in a public high school has been very smooth because of the College of Education’s thorough preparation,” Watlington said. “I learned from my time at NC State that education is not perfect, but I was prepared for many of the challenges that I would face in the classroom.”
At Bartlett Yancey, she has also had the support of her fellow teachers, too.
“Everyone is willing to help each other out,” Watlington said. “I feel comfortable asking anyone in the building for help or guidance and the teachers here are very welcoming. The population is fairly small, so it does not take long to become acquainted with everyone. I cherish the relationships I have built with the staff and students at Bartlett Yancey.”
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