“Every single year I reflect on how much the children teach me. Some years they remind me to be extra patient. Some years they remind me to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and that I will eventually get to where I am heading. Some years it is simply to be kinder and gentler with myself and others because we are all dealing with a lot,” shared Debbie Carnley, a first-grade teacher at Fairhope West Elementary. “Last year my class reminded me that each day is a new beginning, perseverance is vital and so are second and third chances.”
Debbie has been teaching first grade since 2002 and she loves this age group. She started her career at the Fairhope K-1 Center as the snack/lunch lady, office helper, and special needs paraprofessional while going back to school to get her teaching degree. She ended up graduating with a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from the University of South Alabama and then continued on to receive her Master’s in Education from GCU. This will be her 22nd year teaching in a classroom.
“I wanted to be with my kids and get to know their friends, so I started out substitute teaching,” shared Debbie. “I fell in love with the profession, watching the eagerness of learning and being around all the kids.”
Using Kagan’s instructional strategies within the classroom allows the kids to interact with their peers engagingly and cooperatively while enhancing their communication and listening skills, building their self-confidence, and working together to problem-solve.
“As a grade level, another way we keep our kids motivated is through Room Transformations. This is where we transform our rooms into a fun learning environment like Glow Day, Mad Science Day, Camping Day, or Past/Present Day. All the learning targets for the day are incorporated into the themes,” Debbie shared. “The kids are having so much fun they do not realize they are learning new material or reviewing skills they have already learned.”
“I feel children learn best when they know what the expectations are and that they apply to everyone,” she said. “Most of us need structure and consistency to achieve our best and children are no different.”
Debbie values family above it all. She has been blessed with identical twin boys and several precious grandchildren. When she isn’t working, she enjoys reading, running, participating in 5K races, the beach, kayaking, traveling and exploring.
