With two-plus decades of teaching under her belt, Marti Smith has been recognized by Ector County ISD as the Elementary School Teacher of the Year.
Smith has been teaching at Ireland Elementary for five years and is in her 23rd year in the profession. She will be nominated for Region 18 Education Service Center Teacher of the Year.
Smith started out teaching in Lufkin, moved to Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District and Amarillo. She took about 12 years off to raise four children.
She and her husband, Shawn, the minister at Crescent Park Church of Christ, now have six grandchildren with one on the way.
After Amarillo, they moved to Florence, Ala., and when her children were school age, she went back to teaching fifth-grade math for Florence city schools for 13 years. At Ireland, she has been teaching fifth-grade math.
She’s moving to Crockett Middle School in the fall where she will be teaching sixth-grade math. Crockett is making the transition to a Middle Years International Baccalaureate campus.
In Florence, she taught at a fifth- and sixth-grade campus.
“I thought about moving up to sixth grade for a few years. but I guess I’ve been a little too scared to try it. … I think you grow when you make changes so I’m ready to grow and try sixth grade,” Smith said.
Born and raised in Tuscon, Ariz., she attended the University of Arizona her first three years. She met her husband and they moved to Lufkin where she finished her bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a minor in math from Stephen F. Austin University.
As far back as Smith can remember, she wanted to be a teacher.
“I had some really good teachers growing up and they always seem to really love their job. I guess they inspired me to want to be a teacher also,” she added.
Smith said she has loved teaching at Ireland.
“There are so many amazing, dedicated teachers here that have helped me in so many ways. (There’s) a lot of teamwork here. We don’t just go in our classrooms and do our own thing. We collaborate and help each other. It’s been wonderful.,” she added.
Crockett moving to a middle years IB school by the end of the 2024-25 school year will be a challenge. Smith is following Ireland Principal Noe Ortiz to the middle school.
“I think I’m looking forward to the challenge. I think we’re going to have to really challenge those kids that are interested in that program …,” Smith said. “… It’s going to be different. I don’t know a lot about the program, but I’m anxious to learn.”
As for winning the Elementary Teacher of the Year award, Smith said she was taken aback. District officials came in when she was teaching class, so the students were very excited.
“There are so many teachers in this district, so I was very surprised; very thankful; thankful to God who has blessed me beyond measure over so many years and thankful to my coworkers here at Ireland who have helped me and then honored; honored to represent Ireland first of all, and then honored to represent ECISD,” she added.
“I’m glad that they did that in front of the kids because that was a lot of fun to share with them,” Smith said.
She added that the students at Ireland are great.
“They’re all very (supportive) and happy for the teachers when good things happen to them. It’s a very good school. I’ve enjoyed it. I’m going to miss having the little ones around because the little ones will come up and give you a hug in the hallway. I’m going to miss that,” Smith said.
She added that getting the award makes her want to work even harder.
“It kind of like puts pressure on you to. If they think that about you, then you’d better step it up and prove them right,” Smith said.
What she enjoys about teaching is building students’ confidence.
“Most of the kids when I get them coming into fifth grade, they’re 10 or 11 years old. You would be amazed how many hate math by fifth grade or have such math anxiety. Every one of them can be good in math. It’s their background. It’s what they’ve been exposed to that plays a huge part in their ability. But every one of them can be successful in math. I have to build their confidence. They have to believe that they can, so the very beginning of the year that’s what we work on first. This is a safe place. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. I’m going to make mistakes; you’re going to make mistakes. It’s about not being afraid to make mistakes, and it’s about learning from those mistakes. We have math discussions where nobody laughs at each other when we make mistakes. We just have discussions and they learn how to respectfully disagree with each other,” Smith said.
Ortiz, the Ireland Principal, said Smith absolutely deserves the award and many more for her outstanding work with students.
“She consistently demonstrates excellence as she works tirelessly to understand our students and their needs, both academic and social,” Ortiz said.
“Ms. Smith sets high expectations for all her students and follows up by working with them to help them each meet their personal goals. Students respect her because she’s patient and compassionate and they know she always has their best interest at heart. She is truly a shining star,” he added.
