The seeds, and revel in the results. Staying in Richardson has allowed me to see the fruits of my labor, the success stories of my former students who come back to visit long after they have graduated. I never judge success by financial gains, but rather by those who do what makes them happy. I have talked to teachers, doctors, lawyers, auto mechanics, veterinarians, and more with one thing in common: they all had me as a teacher. I continually have my “George Bailey moments,” thanks to my students.

I am truly blessed to have grown up in Richardson and now make my living in some of the same schools I attended. It is an honor to give back to the community that made me feel safe, valued, loved and excited about learning, all at the same time.

In the summer of 1977, my mom moved us to Richardson after my father passed away. I was enrolled in Springridge Elementary in kindergarten and spent all seven years of elementary school there. I then went on to Liberty Junior High and graduated from Berkner High School in 1991. I attended Angelo State University, the longest time I have ever spent away from Richardson. While preparing to take the MCAT, I met a girl who was in the middle of student teaching. Several conversations later, I changed my major and my future. I remember calling my mom and telling her, “I’ve decided to be poor for the rest of my life!”

After graduating in December, I received a phone call from my childhood principal asking if I’d want a teacher’s aide position for the remainder of the year…at Springridge, the same elementary school I had attended. At that moment, Richardson became my Bedford Falls, the fictional town that is the setting for George Bailey’s journey in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life. I admired the character of George Bailey—the fact that he poured so much into making Bedford Falls a better place to live, with no regard for himself.

Ernie teaching at Liberty Junior High

In class your students may hear me use the phrase, “I love you, but I’m not going to help you, yet.” When our students say they don’t know, we must remind them that they just don’t know, yet. They need to give themselves a chance: to use their notes, their resources, their strategies. More often than not, they’re able to take a step in the right direction. If students try but fail, part of our job is help them realize that failure is simply a part of the process. We learn from every error and we take that knowledge and move forward. By creating a safe space where taking risks and failing is encouraged and accepted, we empower students. We show them how capable they are and how to take that first step without fear.

Mary Atlman on far right

A lifelong love of learning is not built from textbooks and routine notes, but rather through experiences that make learning engaging and memorable: singing, dancing, movement, art (yes, even in math!), technology, robotics and so much more. Students in my classroom are exposed to new skills such as coding or using apps like Keynote, GarageBand, or iMovie that will be additions to their toolbox for the future. These experiences create a true, deeper understanding of information and an excitement to learn as students use their content knowledge to solve problems and apply their learning. Take any opportunity to have a fun learning experience with your family. Be open to new ways of exploration. Use your learners’ interests as an avenue to show and teach them new things. When we create experiences, we make learning accessible to all and encourage learning inside and outside of the school day.

In today’s world, students are using technology more than ever. Although it can absolutely serve a purpose and benefit students in their learning, we have to remember to teach students the skills of collaboration and communication, both verbal and written. Not only do they need to practice formulating thoughts and sentences beyond texting or Instagramming, but they also need to practice working with others.

Sometimes we need to take students away from their screens and teach them how to communicate with one another. By putting students in a situation where they must work together and collaborate with others to reach a common goal, we are giving them a skill that will follow them no matter what they choose to pursue in their future.

It’s true: I am a math and science teacher. However, I believe that encouraging a love of reading is arguably the most important item on this list. We often hear students say they don’t enjoy reading, to which we respond that they just haven’t found something they enjoy, yet. It is our job as educators, parents, family members, and community partners to support the literacy of every student.

You can read with your students or talk to them about what they are reading. Let them see you reading or talk to them about something you may be reading. Allow children to choose any books that they are excited about reading. Reach out to your school or local library for recommendations of a new genre or for more books in a genre your student loves. Reading is the foundation for every skill and every avenue students will encounter. By fostering a love of reading, we are supporting their personal and academic growth.

My favorite part of my job is my role as cheerleader. No matter what, my students know that they are loved and cared for every single day. When students feel cared for, they love being at school, they are motivated, and they are comfortable. Despite any grades, scores or extracurricular activities, the most important thing is for students to be happy and to know they are loved. If they stumble or make a mistake, we are there to encourage them. If they need extra help or need to be challenged, we meet them where they are. If they are having a tough day and need a listening ear or a hug, we are there to offer it. Our job as educators and as a community is to be the biggest cheer squad for students. When they know we see how wonderful they are, they believe it too, and that is when real growth happens.

Students stretching their imaginations

“The idea of a CUTX branch coming to Berkner began before the pandemic,” said Austin Gunter, assistant principal of L.V. Berkner High School and STEM Academy. “We were all in a bit of shock and excitement when the project was finally greenlit. You should have seen the faces of our students, faculty and community members when we shared the news. It was a sense of awe and amazement.”

The working bank branch will be the third such overall and first in Dallas County. About two dozen students will work in the branch, and upon completion of a one-year program and fulfillment of a mandated 30 hours of community service, each student will receive a $1,000 scholarship from CUTX.

CUTX Chief Marketing Officer Eddie Army said the SMART branch allows students to gain an understanding of servant leadership while motivating them into active learning with inherent lessons in reasoning and technology use. It’s a real-world banking experience that increases financial literacy for all students and aligns with the RISD Graduate Profile as well as the state’s TEKS guidelines.

Berkner Assistant Principal Gunter said the application process was open to every student at the high school who is in a business pathway. He and the interview panel—Lakevia Wilkes, manager of the SMART branch located in Allen High School and Amy Chadbourne, Vice President of Retail Operations at CUTX— scheduled interviews for every student who applied. “Even though I knew some of the students were not qualified for a few different reasons, I wanted to extend them an opportunity to come in and interview so they could experience a professional interview process and all that entails. We want to expose all students to what they can expect after high school graduation. And interviews are a big part of being an adult and landing a job in a career that interests you.”

Berkner will provide the space that CUTX will build out while providing all the supplies, marketing, and technology needed to run the branch. As the partnership grows, RISD expects to have students from all grade levels and every learning community visit the branch at Berkner.