Robyn Ballinger

Jefferson County
Chenowith Elementary

My mom was a special education teacher, and I grew up in her classroom.  After initially getting my degree in special education, I went on to get my Master’s in Sport Administration and worked in the event management and sports industry for several years.  I ended up working for a national sports governing body, teaching in our local public and private schools, and providing professional development to teachers. That was a good reminder of much I loved teaching; however, in that role, I was in different schools every week, and I was unable to build connections with students. This prompted be to transition back to the classroom, where I’m able to build classroom community and lasting connections with my students. 

Building classroom community often starts outside the classroom.  I am an active member of the school community, attending before and after-school activities such as dances and basketball games. This helps me gain a better understanding of what motivates my students and helps me create real-world connections they will understand.  While in the classroom, I strive for equity of voice amongst all of my learners.  I teach them that their voice has power and is just as important as anyone else’s.  For some students, this means they need to speak up, while for others, it means they need to learn to take time to listen to others. This helps them be more invested and engaged in their learning.