MELBOURNE, Fla. — Before Laura Negi became an A+ Teacher she traveled the world teaching students. She eventually made her way back home to the same classroom where it all started.
What You Need To Know
- Laura Negi teaches third graders at Sabal Elementary School
- After college Negi went to the Peace Corps and taught in Mongolia and India
- She now teaches in the same classroom where she attended school
- Here’s how you can nominate an A+ Teacher 🍎
Negi’s class at Sabal Elementary School in Melbourne is high energy and fast-paced.
“I enjoy how active teaching is. I’m a really active person. I have a lot of energy and this job gives me the ability to use all my energy to get the kids excited about their day. I mean, we have fun and we laugh. Honestly, the relationships. These kids are family to me,” she said.
Her third graders seem to feed off her enthusiasm for learning.
“Even a kid might come in sluggish, but they rise to that level of energy. They do the work I ask them to do,” she said.
But things never move too fast in her class.
In between her questions about their lesson, Negi will throw in one asking students what they had for dinner the night before.
“It seems really silly, but we learn what we’re doing at home every night and I share about my family. I share about what I ate. They share what they’re doing and it creates this closeness because we’re learning about each other outside the classroom,” she said.
Sabal Elementary School is a familiar place for Negi too. It was her classroom in the third grade.
“I went to Sabal as a kid. My mom taught at Sabal and I’ve been teaching here my whole career here in the United States but after college I went to the Peace Corps and taught in Mongolia and then I taught in India as well,” she said.
Negi adds, “I feel like my job has a huge purpose and if I can impact one kid’s life in one year, then that’s a successful year for me. I am ride or die team Sabal!”