Local preschool teacher named Teacher of the Week

By Doug Schroder

Editor

PECATONICA – WREX TV13 awarded local preschool teacher Mary Saxby the Teacher of the Week on Thursday, Nov. 5. Mary has been a teacher for 20 years now and this is the first time she has won such recognition. News reporter Shara Taylor presented the award prior to class starting on that day.

Mary was nominated by two-time Teacher of the Week award winner Laura Wanke, a 1st grade teacher at Pecatonica Elementary School.

“She’s just magic. Everything she does interacts with the kids. Every part of her day she uses as a learning moment. The way she loves and teaches the kids is just magic,” Laura stated.

Miss Becky Mitchell assists Mary in her teachings.

“They are quite the team,” Wanke stated.

Mary takes the time to really engage the kids. There are absolutely no electronic devices in her classroom. The most updated equipment she uses to teach with is a phonograph she still plays records on.

On this day Miss Mary played a record with the turkey song on it and she and her students strutted and gobbled to the song. Later she played a song where the students drew shapes in the air with their fingers and toes.

Class sizes are kept to about 15 students to ensure the maximum attention is given to each student.

“She even calls parents on her own time, to let the parents know how their student is progressing,” stated Wanke.

After having the students recite the Pledge of Allegiance, Mary told the students they were going on a journey where each student was to find a leaf. As they lined up to leave the room I asked Miss Mary if I could join in the journey. She said yes and I filed out behind the kids.

After assisting a few students in getting on their jackets, I fell in line and followed them out on their journey.

As soon as we excited the church, Miss Mary explained that a tree right outside the front door of the church was cut down the day before, and she showed us the stump.

The group then proceeded around the corner of the block in search of leaves.

It didn’t take long to find what we were looking for, as leaves were everywhere with this being the Fall season. There were many kinds to choose from.

As Miss Mary led us around the block I noticed how not once did she ever raise her voice. Not in any of her teachings. She was always very low-key, yet stayed very much in control. That was part of the magic Laura Wanke had mentioned about.

After our journey around the block in search of a leaf, we all filed back into the classroom. It was there that Mary then sat all the kids down and explained to them how to draw a leaf. She knew it wouldn’t be easy for them.

“When something is hard, just keep trying. The important thing is you try your best,” she told the kids.

After the children divided into two groups to do their leaf drawings, I left. It was very enriching to see how Mary engaged the children and was able to capture their attention during the entire time.

Mary Saxby and WREX TV 13 reporter Shara Taylor show the Teacher of the Week awarded to Mary. Doug Schroder photo