Nonprofit Mississippi News Each year, Mississippi recognizes a teacher who has made a significant contribution to the classroom by naming them Teacher of the Year. Hannah Gadd Ardrey, Lafayette High School’s music appreciation teacher and choir director, was awarded the title of Teacher of the Year. She spent the year giving Ted Talks and speaking at conferences. Her students even sang for the governor. The Mississippi Teacher of the year program recognizes teachers nominated by their school districts and who are then interviewed with the Mississippi Department of Education. On March 27, the 2020 Teacher of Year will be announced. The finalists include teachers from Clinton, Forest, Petal, and Petal. Mississippi Today interviewed Gadd Ardrey about her year, and how her childhood and grade school experiences shaped the way she teaches. Editor’s Note: This interview was edited to be more concise and clear. Q: It is clear that you are passionate about teaching fine arts. Why?
A: Music has changed my life and I am passionate about it. From kindergarten through my master’s degree, I am proud to be a Mississippian. Because I believe every student should have a qualified teacher in their classroom, I strongly advocate for quality education being available to all students. The teacher shortage is a major national problem. It is important to find something you love and be passionate about. Teaching and fine arts can help you do this. Sometimes, students can use music and art to express themselves. On the first day of school, I ask my students what their favorite song was. This tells me everything about them right that moment. It lets me know if they are in a happy mood or a sad mood. If they are struggling with something it tells me that we might need to have a private discussion…on a deeper basis. It’s important to not only see fine arts in their entirety, almost as a spotlight, but also to recognize that fine arts are valuable and to show other educators how they can be used and integrated into their daily teaching. Q: Your plan is to visit schools throughout the state. Why?
A: I’m not the best teacher. Being Teacher of Year doesn’t mean that I am the best. It just means I am lucky to have great students who make me look good. I want to promote and see other educators doing great work in their respective districts. They are changing lives of students, their community and the world. It’s not about what you can see in a spreadsheet, through data or numbers. It’s about how those people are affecting their local community. It’s not often that people see the work of teachers in schools that don’t have the funding or awards. I want to see how these teachers impact their students. Q: How has the arts impacted you?
A: While teachers must meet certain standards in education, what do you actually do to ensure that students are successful? Music is what drives me crazy. It has changed my life. As a child, I was bullied. From third grade through ninth grade, my father was in prison. I was the only child of an imprisoned parent. My mother was a teacher of music and raised us. It was that moment I felt I could really make a difference. It was the only time I felt that I could make a difference in the world. There’s so much we can see in students today. Students are constantly dealing with so many things and they’re always looking for an outlet. They’re also constantly trying to find a way for them to express their feelings and share what’s going on inside. Music was my outlet. Music allowed me to have an outlet. Music allowed me to be a good at something. Even though I am not the best at everything, music helped me feel connected and part of a team. It also made me feel like a leader. It’s about creating independent citizens that are motivated, understandable, and sculpted so that they can make the world a better place. It’s why I am so passionate about education and why I feel the greatest recruitment base for it is right here in my classroom. You wouldn’t be excited to go to work with your students. They are the most powerful people in the world, but we haven’t given students a chance in real life. I believe that students can make a difference. It’s up to us to see every student as if they could, and then convince them. Statisticians told me I couldn’t. My friends told me I couldn’t do it. It took a teacher (and) a supportive group to show me what I could accomplish. Q: This title was awarded to you last year during an election year when politicians took the time to discuss how teachers are valued and wanted to increase their pay. Do you really care about the dollar amount?
A: Because everyone has different opinions about this, I will only speak for myself. No matter how big or small the policy, educators know that our students are the most important thing. We want to do the best for our students, regardless of what salary or pay. It’s not about dollars, but about respect and resources. A state’s ability to attract businesses and build a community that is educated speaks volumes about its state. It is important to me that students receive an equitable education and have access to multiple opportunities. Providing teachers with the resources — whether that is money, time or funding for classrooms — can be done in many different ways by different people. For me, in my classroom, it boils down to teachers having the resources they need to help students succeed. Q: What advice would you give fellow educators?
H: Teachers, be supportive of your students in all they do. You never know who will become the next Mississippi Teacher-of-the Year. It’s impossible to predict if they will become the next governor. It’s impossible to predict if they will be your doctor. You can take ownership of the best profession in the country.