Wednesday, November 13, 2002
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Wednesday, November 13, 2002 |
Like mother, like daughterFayette math teachers share talent, passionThe saying "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" certainly applies in the case of Kay and Kayla Seabolt. This mother/daughter duo has been taking the state by storm this year, earning statewide awards that not only reflect their talent for teaching but also the respect the math community has for their passion to their craft. Kay Seabolt, who is in her 31st year as a math teacher and who has served as the Fayette County School System's math coordinator for the last 19 years, was honored by her peers in October as the first recipient of the John Neff award given by the Georgia Council of Teachers of Mathematics. This award is given to an outstanding district math coordinator who has served as a mentor to teachers and has been an advocate for math education. Kay says she had no idea that she was receiving the award although hints were being dropped left and right. Even when her daughter was called up front to help present the award it still did not dawn on her that she was the recipient. "I was totally surprised to learn that the award was being given to me," said Kay. "Earlier I had heard some say 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree' in relation to my daughter Kayla and at the time the award was being presented that same phrase was used. I should have known something was up but I really didn't realize it was me until my name was called." At the beginning of the academic year, Kay was beaming with pride when her daughter was named the 2002 Georgia Teacher of Promise by the same organization. Kayla, who is now in her second year of teaching at Flat Rock Middle, was nominated by school principal Tyrone Jones to receive the award which is given to a teacher with one to three years of experience who has shown exemplary teaching skills. Both Kay and Kayla say they knew early in their lives that teaching was their chosen path. Now these two teachers enjoy sharing stories of triumph and struggle with each other as they strive daily to bring the best math education possible to Fayette's students. "It's really great to have someone in the family who can relate to what I am talking about," said Kayla about her mother. "The best advice my mother gave me when I first started teaching was to have fun and relate to my students' lives. That advice has served me well." Following her mother's example, Kayla has established a reward system in her classroom called the Stars Reward System. Her classes are divided into teams. Each time members of the team perform well in class or exhibit exceptional behavior, Kayla rewards them with a note. She posts a running tally in the room so teams can see who is in the forefront with the most notes. At the end of every eight weeks the winning team receives a prize. Kay says the most unique aspect about the two is that their teaching style is nearly identical which sometimes scares both of them since neither of them ever discussed techniques until Kayla began teaching. "When she talks to me about how she handled a discipline problem or a particular classroom situation it is the exact same thing that I did as a classroom teacher. Her reward system is a good example. It has to be genetic," said Kay. "In fact, we are so identical that other than the fact that I'm much older, I could take over Kayla's classes and her students would not be able to tell the difference." Both mother and daughter say that math has always been their best subject. Both share the philosophy that math should be a hands-on activity that students enjoy. Kayla, who is in the process of working on her master's degree, someday hopes to follow in her mother's footsteps and hold an administrative position. However, for right now, both educators are happy to be where they are helping Fayette's students gain a better appreciation for math. "It is very enjoyable for both of us to be able to share our experiences and help each other become better educators" said Kay. "It doesn't get any better than this."
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