It was announced in December that Alycia Pollard has been chosen as the November Above & Beyond Award recipient.
“I am shocked,” Pollard said of being nominated. “Sometimes I feel like I am unorthodox. I do things differently than most and I am out of the box. I beat to my own drum. I have a strong relationship with students and I do silly things. This nomination really makes me feel like my hard work is being noticed and that it's okay to do things differently. Personally, I have had a lot going on and this came at a time that I needed to be reminded that my work does matter. I really am just amazed that someone felt I needed this recognition.”
Pollard’s nominator had this to say about her:
“This person goes above and beyond for each and every student learning and getting to know them. They make sure everyone is on the same page. They go out of their way to learn other cultures to make sure every student feels important and special.”
Pollard started teaching in 2020.
“My first year of teaching was during Covid. Eek! I have been at Garfield in 3rd grade, since then - 6 years. I travel to work everyday because I LOVE 503.”
Besides teaching in her classroom, Pollard is involved in the Parsons National Education Association. She also takes part in the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL ) services at Garfield.
“I do more things at Garfield since I live out of town with an 8-year-old” she said. “I did go back to school to get my masters in ESOL services. I have put a lot of work and training into learning how to make sure we are culturally appropriate and how to better teach the students who do come to us that speak other languages. Not only does it help me teach ESOL students, it has made me more mindful of how to help all of my students.”
Pollard finds many rewards in teaching, but the most rewarding is the students themselves.
“I love reaching them in areas that they struggle in. I love building the connections with them and seeing how excited they are to see me. I love watching them finally understand a hard topic. The most rewarding part of teaching is being able to watch a child grow in just a year. We truly are shaping the youth of America one child at a time. I really feel like my calling was to be a teacher. The kids make sure I remember that!”
If you would like to nominate someone for the Above & Beyond Award, you can use this form: https://forms.gle/hDgBEkAW8RHcPd7w5