Kimberly Burkeen

Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher at first because I wanted the same schedule that my kids would have when they started school. Then as soon as I started college, I knew that becoming a teacher was my calling. I tell everyone that school/my classroom is my “happy” place. Building a relationship with my students is very important. Students need someone to believe in them and push them to be their best self. I continue to check on my students even after they leave my classroom.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience was when I heard a student talking about a video I showed while he was taking his weekly test. I always try to open my lesson with a short video on my science topic. This student had trouble remembering things from the book that we read; however, the videos worked. He remembered. After he was successful the first time, he started to believe he could understand science. He scored proficient on the end of year state test. This was so important to him.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I had $25,000, I would use it to get my specialist degree in administration. That is something I would love to do one day.