Trends In Education
TEACHER OF INTEREST
65
LASHAWNDA MCNAIR
Lives in: Martin County
Age: 39
School: J.D. Parker Elementary
Teacher
Family: Husband, Floyd; daughters,
Shannon, 20; Shanna and Shawna, 15
Education: Associate degree in
finance from St. John’s University;
bachelor’s degree in elementary
education from Florida Atlantic University; currently pursuing
Outstanding
Teachers of the
TREASURE COAST
a master’s degree in educational leadership from Florida
Atlantic University
Background: Born in Sewickley, Pa., and at an early age
moved to Paramus, N.J., where she grew up; worked in banking
for Trust Company Bank of New Jersey before becoming a
stay-at-home mother. She moved to the Treasure Coast in 2003.
How I got into teaching: “I never thought I’d become a
teacher. But then I had children and I would volunteer in
their classrooms. I was amazed at what their teachers were
doing with these kids. I was a stay-at-home mom at the time
and thought, ‘I’m going back to school.’”
What I like best about teaching: “It’s an adventure every day.”
Something my students probably don’t know about me:
“l love Broadway musicals and I have seen The Lion King on
Broadway, three times, and would absolutely watch it again.”
elementary education from Florida Atlantic University. The
following year, she began teaching third grade at Weatherbee
Elementary School in Fort Pierce.
McNair found her first year of teaching challenging. She
praises the teachers at Weatherbee who gave her tremendous
support which helped make a rough road seem more smooth.
“I would not have survived without them,” she says.
“They kind of held my hand through it, and I feel as a new
teacher, you need that. You need somebody who will walk
you through this process, because you feel like you’re failing
every day. I had so many who just kept me going and telling
me that I was doing what’s right for these kids.”
As it turns out, the first-year teacher really made the grade
in her classroom. In 2014, McNair was voted the New Teacher
of the Year by her peers in St. Lucie County.
She taught at Weatherbee for two more years and in 2016
began teaching third grade at J.D. Parker. Known as a school
of technology, it focuses on science, technology, engineering
and math.
An essential part of the third-grade curriculum at J.D.
Parker is reading. McNair teaches a reading workshop that
helps students develop foundational skills including comprehension,
analyzing text and analyzing characters within the
text. She believes in providing a relaxing environment in her
classroom because it promotes reading.
“We have cushions, lounge chairs, a bean bag chair — I want
them to love reading,” she says, as she points around the classroom.
“That is the goal here. We have to create lovers of reading
first, before we can ask them to comprehend and analyze.”
To encourage reading, McNair has set up a library in her
classroom. Books and other reading materials are at the top
of her wish list, when she is asked what she needs for her
students.
“Not everybody has a library at home or access to one, so
here is where they can get it.’’
McNair wears many hats in her classroom. She’s not only
a third-grade teacher, but some days she acts as a nurse, >>
Food
forTalk!
FamilyMealsInc.org
familymealsfl@gmail.com familymealsinc
IT’S OKAY TO GET HELP!
The Mental Health Association in Indian River County is the
only mental health care agency in the county that operates
a Walk-In & Counseling Center where Indian River
County residents (children and adults) can
receive an immediate mental health
screening, free of charge without an
appointment. We provide a full
range of mental health services
and accept many insurances.
www.mhairc.org
A U N I T E D WAY AGENCY O F E XC E L L E N C E .
AN A F F I L I AT E O F M E N TA L H E A LT H A M E R I C A .
820 37th Pl.
Vero Beach, FL
772-569-9788
/www.familymealsinc.org
/www.mhairc.org
/FamilyMealsInc.org
/www.mhairc.org
link