“I am grateful and humbled that my families would think of nominating me for such an honor,” said Elizabeth Seiffert, a first-grade teacher at Bayshore Christian School. She recently received the Eastern Shore Parents Teacher of the Month Award. “However, the honor must be shared, for no teacher is an island, and I have been shaped as an educator by effective professors in college, an incredible administration and support staff at school, my past and present fellow teachers, and the love and support of my family.”
Mrs. Seiffert has been teaching for 11 years. She graduated from Huntington College with her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and earned her Master’s in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Auburn University at Montgomery. She desires to return to her own education and obtain an Ed.S. Degree as a Reading Specialist or seek a certification for Dyslexia therapy.
“For as long as I can remember, I have loved to learn. I thrived in a school environment. I was enchanted by books, and the library was my favorite playground,” she reminisced. “I vividly remember my first-grade teacher, Mrs. Jiminez, whose classroom was a child’s delight. She had built this big wooden dragon for the classroom, known as the “reading dragon,” which you could climb upon or crawl inside to read books. She showed me that learning could be an adventure.”
Deriving her strength from the Lord to keep her motivated, Mrs. Seiffert believes that preparation is key to a successful year in the classroom. She spends a little time each summer thinking through how she would like the upcoming year to go. Then, she seeks out resources to support her goals and considers all the potential variables.
“Don’t wait for the school year to start to try and wing it because the day-to-day happenings are exhausting enough,” she said.
At the end of each school year, Mrs. Seiffert values her students’ academic growth and personal development equally.
“I want my students to know that yes, they can do difficult things when they put their minds to it,” she shared. “We can do so much more when we set our minds on progress, not perfection.”
Elizabeth Seiffert has been married to Justin, the love of her life, for 23 years. They have one son, Fin (16). This close-knit family simply enjoys being together, whether playing games, relaxing at the beach, or watching movies. They also enjoy serving on the worship and production team at their church.
