Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Strait.
Hi Kelly, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I hated reading when I was a kid. I was in the “bluebird reading group”, otherwise known as the low reading group with a teacher who wrote workbook pages on the board for students to complete after reading a story on their own. From there, students would line up next to her desk as she marked the wrong answers on each page with her red pen. It wasn’t until the summer after fourth grade that my mom asked my teacher, Mrs. Lane, if she could borrow the teacher’s guide for the summer to tutor me herself. When Mrs. Lane asked the principal about borrowing the book, he didn’t approve of it but Mrs. Lane ignored his answer and sent it home with me anyway so my mom tutor me. That summer I still hated reading but I made so much growth as evident in Mrs. Lane’s monthly meetings with me when she tested my progress. In fifth grade, I moved into the average reading group. It wasn’t the highest reading group but it was a significant improvement. I remember my mom saying, “You may be a teacher yourself someday teaching kids to read.”
In high school, my favorite class was psychology. I took every class offered, and when there were no more classes left, I took an independent study. For that, I helped in a classroom of five boys labeled with emotional impairments. I still have the lopsided wooden plaque they made me for Christmas. It hangs kind of crooked which always makes me smile when I pull it out of my Christmas decor box each year. Perhaps this is the main reason I had goals of becoming a school psychologist when I headed to Michigan State University. In spite of the fact that my mom had always told me I should become a teacher. So, I went to college, shadowed a few school psychologists and then, off to grad school at Western Michigan University.
In the meantime, I also started working at two elementary schools as an assistant counselor and loved it. I ran small friendship groups, met with struggling students, and taught social/emotional learning lessons in the classroom. I ran a “random acts of kindness” club with students who were role models and those who needed help with their social stills. We cleaned the local library, made thank you cards, and gave police officers “good” tickets to hand out to the community. I loved connecting with kids and feeling like I was making a difference in their lives, and implementing creative ideas to teach students social/emotional skills.
After a year of working as an assistant counselor, a school psychologist on staff sat me down and explained, in detail, how she spent her days. Within a few minutes, I knew exactly why she had decided to meet with me. She felt that my heart was in teaching and creating long lasting relationships with students. I know that a lot has changed in the world of school psychology but at that time, she didn’t spend much time truly connecting with kids or teaching. After telling my parents about the conversation, my mom reiterated what she had always believed and told me. “You should be a teacher,” she said.
I pivoted, switched schools and earned my masters in education. I was lucky to student teach first grade at one of the elementary schools where I worked as an assistant counselor. Following student teaching, I became engaged and moved to Holland from Grand Rapids and began a long term guest teaching position for West Ottawa Public Schools at Woodside Elementary teaching second grade. It lasted for almost half a year, and I was so grateful for the experience of it all. West Ottawa hired me permanently to teach at Lakewood Elementary that spring, and I’ve worked there ever since. I feel so blessed to be a teacher at Lakewood all these years.
In the beginning of my teaching career, I waffled between third, fourth, and fifth grades for many years. Seniority played a big role in all the changes from year to year but after about 12 years, I became a consistent third grade teacher. I’ve now been a third grade teacher for over 16 years. In my opinion, third grade is a pivotal year. There’s substantial growth academically and emotionally, and most third graders are excited for school and learning. I’m certainly bias but I think it’s the best.
Over the years I’ve done my best to be a highly effective educator. Like all teachers, my goal is to facilitate as much growth as much as possible under my watch. I know that change is possible as it was for me. Therefore, I always accentuate the importance of having a growth mindset with my students. I look for ways to think outside the box for to support and inspire kids. My classroom is a combination of service learning projects, PBL projects, and cooperative learning. So far this year we’ve combined readers’ theater performances with a food collection for the local Hand 2 Hand organization and held a VanAndel Purple Power Donation Market to raise money for cancer research. Giving my students a real purpose for learning is always top of mind for me. Recently, a student asked, “Mrs. Strait, why we are writing fictional stories again?” When I reminded her that we are creating books for our kindergarten buddies, she smiled and said, “Oh yeah! I can’t wait.” Music to my ears. Purpose often enhances motivation and motivation increases learning.
Covid was challenging for all of us. West Ottawa did an incredible job of providing instruction to round out 2020. When we went into lockdown, it wasn’t long before our elementary students were receiving virtual instruction. I was on the third grade math team so I created video lessons for kids to watch. My high school aged daughter edited them for me and my brother provided me with extra video equipment. We were back in person the following fall, in masks, but together.
About a year later, my third grade colleague and close friend was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. I was devastated but committed to supporting all of our third graders and keeping them updated on her progress. We held “family meetings” with her class whenever necessary to tell them the latest. We sat in a circle on the floor, and I did my best to keep the news honest but uplifting. Though it was certainly the most difficult time in my career, I am grateful for all it taught me, and even more so for the miracle of a friend and colleague who is now cancer-free. Like in all careers, I presume, who you work along side is incredibly important. Nicolette Dunn was a blessing to my career, and I am so grateful for her support as a teacher and friend over the years. She continues to volunteer at Lakewood.
Currently, I am in my 30th year in education. I’m not certain how long I’ll teach but I have a lot of interests so I may parlay them into a second little career at some point.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My career in education has had its share of ups and downs. Switching grade levels for several years at the start was difficult. It takes time to feel like an expert so constantly changing grades made that a challenge but as time went on, I realized that the changes provided me with a different lens compared to those who’ve always taught the same grade level. Now, I relish in having taught various grade levels and know that it shaped the teacher I am today.
Change is constant in the field of education. Those changes can be challenging and beneficial. There’s always something new and different. For example, updates to instructional methods and research-based teaching and learning, new curriculums to implement, new students to build relationships with and unique obstacles to help students overcome. For that reason, it has been a challenging and rewarding career.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As I think about what I’m most known for as a teacher, it is likely my creativity. I seek out opportunities that allow me to use my creativity with students. Last year, my class designed a “Geome-Tree Village” because one schoolwide goal was to increase geometry skills. My class also perform shows usually in a readers’ theater style. Students often design the set and costumes. Sometimes, we even add stage make up. I take headshots to display in the hallway and audience members receive a program. This year, we asked for “payment” to attend the show in the form of non-perishable food items to be donated to Hand 2 Hand, a local non-profit that supports families in need of food assistance. In addition to these shows, for years, our school performed a schoolwide program on an outdoor stage at the end of every school year. Alongside our music teacher, I supported these shows by writing scripts, sometimes adding choreography and helping direct the all-school rehearsal held the day of the show. It was always a highlight of the school year for me. It’s my hope that these creative projects are memorable, learning experiences for kids.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
So many people have supported me in my journey as an educator. It started with my mom and fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Lane, back at Collins Elementary School. They modeled the importance of going the extra mile to do what’s right for kids. A huge thank you to principals, Jerry Philips and Jeff Worman, from Caledonia Community Schools for giving me the chance to be an assistant counselor which ultimately led to a teaching career. The school psychologist who sat me down and encouraged me to change course and become a teacher at Dutton Elementary School deserves credit. At West Ottawa, there have been several principals, including Michael Ghareeb, my current principal, and colleagues who have taught me so much. They’ve listened to me, provided advice, and encouraged me to move forward with new ideas. I’m ever so grateful for Nicolette Dunn, my former longtime colleague and beloved friend, who was one of the best teaching partners I could have asked for. Of course, I have also learned so much from the families and students I have served over the years. I feel blessed to have had a teaching career in a school filled with so much support for its teachers. Lastly, my husband, Kyle, and two children, Emmorey and Andersen, deserve credit for their support. They have listened to school stories and have been patient when I run into former students in the community calling “Mrs. Strait”. I’ve certainly been nurtured by an extremely supportive group of colleagues, administrators, and families.
