In early December 2021, Ector County ISD Executive Director for Leadership Corey Seymour issued a challenge to all administrators.
Over Twitter, Seymour asked them to teach a minimum of 30 minutes a month for classroom teachers. The post said teachers could use this time for a mental break or a simple pause.
“It may not sound like much but it is certainly a start,” Seymour wrote.
Now once a week, Seymour puts his social media where his mouth is at Noel Elementary School, a grade three through five campus.
He joined Irma Rizo’s fourth grade math class Thursday.
“I know that just in education in general, we’re having some struggle. The foundation of making sure that our kids get to where they need to be starts with our teachers,” Seymour said. “… Many teachers are burning out and teachers, they’re having some struggles. We wanted to give them a break from that.”
When you think about it, Seymour said, most people in the central office were teachers at one time.
“And I always tell myself, I’m still a teacher, I’m just in a different position. I just have a different title, but my heart is still the heart of a teacher. And that’s kind of why I have brought up that idea … We have all this experience. We’ve done all these different things … let’s go back and support our teachers and go back and teach our kids,” he added.
Seymour oversees 10 campuses. His administrators were going into classrooms even before he issued the challenge.
“… They … provide examples for the teachers. I do lessons for the teachers, because that’s my cohort of principals. They have the mindset of making sure that … they’re going to do whatever they need to do so kids can be successful,” he added.
He added that it has refreshed his teaching skills.
“… It makes me truly realize how education continues to evolve. … When I was a teacher, we didn’t have the internet …,” Seymour said.
Now technology is a big part of how students learn and everything they do.
“… It just keeps me abreast of the challenges that teachers have; the methods that they have to teach, and allows me to reinforce those things and help them with that stuff. But I love teaching. It’s one of those professions that I think is underappreciated, so to be able to come back and provide that … it’s always exciting,” Seymour said.
He added that he also enjoys connecting with the students.
“… Sometimes you get in other positions and you don’t get to come back and see the kids. The most fun I have is when I’m on campuses,” Seymour said.
Seymour took a seat at a semi-circular desk and sat with three students in Rizo’s class to review math questions involving money.
Principal Jennie Chavez said small group instruction is where students come to work on individual skills they might be struggling with, or need a little extra help in.
Chavez said the teachers love having Seymour visit.
“… They see it as support. They don’t see it as intimidation. They know he’s our number one supporter, so he’s helped with … after school tutoring. He’s been in our PLCs (Professional Learning Communities) during our meetings with the teachers. … They know that he’s just here for support and help, so they enjoy it. … ,” Chavez added.
She added that Seymour also offers advice, ideas and suggestions. Chavez said he also does walk-throughs and he’ll sit on the floor with them in third grade, for example.
When he doesn’t make it to a students’ classroom they’ll mention it.
“They look forward to it,” Chavez said.
Rizo said she likes having Seymour visit.
“He keeps us motivated,” Rizo said. “He definitely keeps us motivated …”
When the students know Seymour is in the building, they get excited and when they know he’s coming to her classroom they get “very, very excited.”
Rizo said it does help lighten the workload a little bit, but they work the same every day no matter who the visitors are.
“We like to teach students what they need to know, so whenever someone comes in I think it’s just an added bonus that they’re really following expectations …,” Rizo said.
This is Rizo’s first year at Noel, and she’s worked for the district for four years.
Her favorite teacher quote is, “I want to be to them what I need when I was their age.”
“So I love my job,” Rizo said.
Fourth graders Mya Lucio, 10 1/2, Omar Almaraz, 10, and JoAiden Flotte, 9, all like having Seymour as their small group teacher. Seymour was using play money with his lesson.
Lucio said it was really cool.
“I think it’s a fun experience,” she said.
Almaraz said having Seymour teach him was really great.
“… I’ll never forget this experience because I need to learn more,” he said.
Almaraz said using the manipulatives helped him learn more easily.
“It helped me learn a lot because I love to learn,” he added.
