The Whale Classroom at Jones County Pre-K has been learning about dinosaurs with Teacher Shirley Powers and Paraprofessional Jessica Kelly.
Powers asked her class what they already knew about dinosaurs from the books they had read together.
“Some are big,” one student said.
“They have horns that break out of their eggs,” another said.
“They protect their babies,” a third student said.
The teacher praised the class for their correct answers.
“That makes my teacher heart happy. Very good,” Powers said.
She continued to ask questions to encourage conversations about dinosaurs, such as how the students might observe dinosaurs at a museum. The students suggested that they could observe dinosaur bones, leading to a class discussion about fossils and the concept of extinction.
“How do the bones get to a museum?” Powers said.
“A truck brings them,” one student said.
“A paleontologist gets them,” another added.
Powers expressed her delight at the students’ ability to recall what they had learned during their dinosaur unit and reminded them that a paleontologist is a kind of scientist.
She read selections from another book that allowed students to learn about dinosaurs that lived in water and the air, such as the Pteranodon and the Pterodactyl.
The teacher explained that flying dinosaurs would travel over the ocean to eat fish.
One student pointed out an illustration in the book.
“That big one has a fish in its mouth,” the student said.
Powers also discussed dinosaurs that swam in the water and explained that they are called reptiles. She encouraged the students to pretend to be dinosaurs, swimming in the air to catch their breath and diving underwater to catch fish to eat.
The students split into small groups once Powers finished the book, engaging in interactive activities that guided their understanding of the dinosaur unit. These activities included creating dinosaurs with colorful blocks, measuring dinosaur bones, and matching words with pictures related to dinosaurs, such as “volcano,” “egg,” and “bone.”
Powers began her teaching career 21 years ago, spending 19 of those years at Jones County Pre-K.
“I always wanted to be a teacher as there is no greater enjoyment than seeing a smile on a child’s face when they have been successful or just greeting you when they see you,” Powers said.
She is married to her husband, Jeff, who drives for UPS. Together, they have five children and one pet. In her free time, she enjoys watching sports, attending live Broadway productions, traveling, camping, and spending time with her family.
“I always love sharing inspirations with my class about traveling and encouraging them to be culturally diverse as my husband’s ethnicity is of Hispanic, French, and Irish background,” the teacher said.
She also encourages her students to be truthful and always try their best.
Kelly has been a paraprofessional for the past two years at Jones County Pre-K and aspires to become a teacher.
“I am currently enrolled at Gordon State College, pursuing my degree in early childhood and special education,” she said.
As a mother of a nineyear- old who attends Gray Elementary School, she enjoys spending time with her son, traveling, cooking, reading, and experiencing nature when she is not in the classroom.
She noted her decision to pursue a career in education was influenced by her son.
“He begged me to become a teacher since kindergarten. After volunteering at his school, I realized how much I enjoy the school atmosphere and, most importantly, interacting with the students,” Kelly said.
She enjoys spending one-on-one time with students in small groups and always reminds them that she loves them.
Kelly reflected on what she finds most rewarding about her career in education so far.
“Watching the students learn and grow, especially seeing their progress from the beginning of the year to the end,” she said.
