Staff Focus: Annette Thomas, First Grade Teacher, Forest Ridge Elementary School

December 3rd, 2015

Annette Thomas is a first grade teacher at Forest Ridge Elementary School as well as her grade level’s math leader. Thomas describes teaching first grade with, “I do a little bit of everything all day. Especially in first grade, a large part of my day is teaching children how to read, teaching children math, but I feel like another part of my day is building relationships with my students, modeling positive interactions and teaching children how to interact with one another.”

She wants her students to be able to proudly call themselves “math people.” “I think it’s important to be good at math,” Thomas said. “These kids are truly gaining conceptual understanding and can build upon it. They surprise me everyday, what they can come up with.”

Thomas is driven to foster confidence in her students as they grow throughout the year, saying “There’s a lot of social development from age 6-7. Sometimes I’m putting band aids on cuts or wiping tears because someone is frustrated.” She strives to create an environment that encourages taking risks. “At the beginning of first grade, the students need lots of support, and it’s my job to foster that independence,” Thomas said. “By the end of the year, they’re very independent.” That confidence can shine through when the students feel empowered to select which classroom tool would best help with their work, pick their reading activity or figure out how to spell a word on their own.

“As a fourth year teacher, Annette possesses the instructional skills and knowledge of a teacher with many more years of experience,” said Forest Ridge Elementary School Assistant Principal Jason Ortega. “She is able to seamlessly facilitate dialogue both with and among her students through her use of questioning. In addition, she uses that dialogue to constantly assess student learning and to make in the moment adjustments to her instruction.”

Thomas is dedicated to continuously growing as a math leader at Forest Ridge. As the first grade math leader, she represents her team at countywide professional learning from the HCPSS Elementary Mathematics Office. And as this year’s Math Committee co-chair, she helps connect parents and the school community with resources for their children, as well as educates the staff by offering the most current professional development. She is also now working toward her master’s degree with a specialization in elementary mathematics instructional leadership at McDaniel College.

Always looking to develop professionally, Thomas strongly believes that collaborations bring out the best in teachers. Thomas cites a Forest Ridge saying: “‘Teamwork makes the dreamwork.’ I feel that resonates with our staff members and shines through. It’s what’s best for the kids. It would be confusing if we weren’t aligned in instruction and vocabulary.” She has co-planned and co-taught with several staff members who have brought new perspectives to her instruction, such as a math special educator, reading specialist and third grade teacher.

Thomas was originally an international relations major in college until a health education and poverty elective reminded her of her first, true calling: teaching. Having two grandmothers as teachers, she said she “always had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to work with children.” Thomas went on to earn a bachelor’s in elementary education from Towson University.

Thomas developed her teaching skills in the Howard County system by student teaching at Forest Ridge and Jeffers Hill Elementary Schools and as a long-term third grade substitute at Deep Run Elementary School. During these experiences, she said she determined “how to meet the needs of all learners. At Forest Ridge, we have a diverse community with diverse learning styles, such as visual or auditory. I want to make sure we’re meeting students where they are, so they can successfully access the material.”

After her student teaching experiences, Thomas was thrilled to make Forest Ridge her professional home. “The school is such a unique place,” Thomas said. “The staff feels like family even though there are 100 of us. Everyone is so supportive in this building. If there’s a need, professional or personal, people here just act.”

She’s also drawn to the school’s families. “Our community is fantastic,” said Thomas. The school’s community involvement can be seen, she said, through the strong PTA and the “fantastic” turnout for events. For example, a highly anticipated spring tradition is first grade’s author celebration during which the students read their own work in front of their families.

Thomas has also been involved in the school community as a former Healthy Howard Committee co-chair. She contributed to several efforts to engage students, staff and the community in embracing healthy habits through more than 40 programs last year, including an annual family wellness night, several walk to school days and monthly staff wellness events. And through a Bright Minds Foundation grant, organized by the committee, the school has DeskCycles for student and staff use. Thomas’ involvement with the committee stems from her personal belief that “a healthy body is important for a healthy mind,” which aligns with the HCPSS Vision 2018 focus of educating the whole child.