Joy in Teaching with 2026 Arkansas Teacher of the Year Stephanie Williams

Please note, this transcript is generated by AI and may include some errors. 

Spencer Payne: Okay, here we are with another episode of Front of the Class Real Stories from Real Educators. Our real educator today, Stephanie Williams. Stephanie, how do you introduce yourself to other educators? What do you like to share?

Stephanie Williams: Well, so I am Stephanie Williams. I am a music educator. I knew I always wanted to teach music. I I've known that since fixt grade. So I was a band director for thirteen years out of middle school. I also helped with J Ryan High School. but then after thirteen years I was like I felt like I was on autopilot and I wanted to challenge myself more. So I went to elementary music and I love the change. It's awesome. And I love both. They're both amazing, but it was a good change for me. I am very big into cross curricular work in my music classes. I I really thrive and enjoy the collaboration of all of that. I'm also the 2026 Arkansas Teacher of the Year. So this year looks a little different for me, but I'm excited about the journey that is going to happen. So yeah.

Spencer Payne: And big congratulations. can you share a l a little bit about what are some things that you do that are the same versus what are some of the biggest differences in how you approach teaching middle schoolers versus elementary schoolers? Cause I'd imagine there there's might be some teachers out there who are, I'm making that same switch. What do I need to do differently? Like how did you approach that? What worked for you? What what stayed the same and what was most different?

Stephanie Williams: Thank you. You know, it's funny you say that because there is kind of this weird shift now where band directors are moving to elementary music. So I love that you brought that up. so middle school in general is, you know, they're trying to find like their independence and like who they are. So you have to kind of go with that flow of guiding them to that independent state of you know, learning how to grow and move socially and all of that. you know, it's all...

Sometimes there's the eye rolls. How do you handle that? You're gonna handle that very differently than when you were in elementary. but you know, it's funny. I told somebody the other day that I feel like I would have been almost even like a better middle school teacher if I had taught elementary first, because I saw so much likeness in elementary and middle school that I middle school still needs that like kind of little kid vibe in a middle school mask but I think I would have done things a little bit differently if I go back and teach middle school. elementary, they're still very like innocent and loving. In fact, the first like week I taught middle or elementary, I was very pregnant.

And all of these elementary kids were like, coming up to me, like rubbing my belly and like giving me hugs. And I was like, what is going on? Cause that was not my world for a very long time. Now I'm used to it, but but anyway, so it's just a funny comparison and like the social aspect of things. and I I really love pretend play. And I did pretend play with my middle school. I did a lot of like themed units and stuff where I would act as a character or I would create this kind of personality. but I still do it with elementary because that's what they're so used to. So anyway, it's it's funny. They're very different but very similar at the same time in a lot of ways.

Spencer Payne: Yep. Well, that now I'd like to get into a little bit of this kind of cross collaboration with other topics and kind of some of this role play aspect. I don't remember any of that being part of anything that I had in music education in public school. So you know, can you share a little bit more about about that? Like, for example, cross collaboration in music class. What's an example and how are you doing that? What like like...How are you cross collaborating with math or English or something else in music class? Like how does that come to fruition?

Stephanie Williams: So this past school year I talked with my third grade teachers and I said, you know, what are some things that your kids are struggling with, you know, need support in, and how can I reinforce that concept? And they told me that inference was a really hard topic for third graders to kind of wrap their heads around.

So I ran with that and music has so much inference in it when you're analyzing things or you're composing things, like you're having to kind of figure out what's going on. So but I created this whole persona I called it was gosh what was the name Detective Skarn was my name. if yet that's the office reference if you didn't catch that. It it totally is. Anyway, the kids didn't get it, which is totally fine, but for my personal like happiness that's what I did.

Spencer Payne: Is that a Michael Scarn reference? Yeah, there we go. All right.

Stephanie Williams: but anyway, so in the lesson, I was an FBI agent and FBI standed for Federal Bureau of Inference. And they came into my class, they sat down, I had all of these folders out that were like labeled top secret. And when they came to my class, I gave them the premise that my ukulele has been stolen and I had a big ukulele on my wall, and I had like tape around it.

Showing that it was missing. and so they had to use inference to determine who stole my ukulele, but we did it all through music. So we the storyline was that I had surveillance of somebody walking in, so we watched the surveillance of it being stolen, and the computer was encrypted with body percussion. And the body percussion, so like if you do like three claps, two snaps, one pat.

The code would be three, two, one. so they would have to figure that out. And then they it once they decoded it, there was music playing in the video. And so they had to analyze the music the music that was in the video, determine like what instruments were used, why was that music playing? Was that a clue to who had taken the ukulele? And then towards the end, they actually composed music that would either lure, allow us to sneak or bring the the thief to like a napping state or like a sleeping state, and that's how we'd catch it.

But they would compose music using that anecl analytical value of inference. And so it was an amazing lesson, but I did not change anything that I was doing in music. I was still teaching music, I was still using my language, but I was also adding components and talking about inference and digging in and reading between the lines to reinforce that concept with a third grade.

Spencer Payne: how in the world did that lesson come about? Like did you create this? Did you create this with a couple other teachers on a Friday night? Like did you go to you know, a teachers pay teachers? How do I help teach inference to my music class? Like, how did this happen?

Stephanie Williams: just sat down and made it happen. I I did have I did go around the school and I created a little video of the SRO investigating who had stolen the ukulele. So there were questions. So like the counselor was asked questions, the PE teacher asked qu was asked questions. So they saw interviews of all of these teachers around the school but what was funny is that afterwards the kids had made like their own like clue pamphlet and were asking the teachers all around the school these qu like, did you steal the ukulele? So they were actually using inference even like after all of that. Like a week later, they were still investigating, trying to figure out who had stolen it.

Spencer Payne: And so for those listening who might be thinking, teaching, like it's just the same thing over and over and over again. Well, first of all, like we've gone from middle school to elementary school, that's a whole different experience, right? And then this concept of how can I help reinforce what whatever grade it is that I'm teaching with other other teachers across my school who are teaching those same students.

How can we cross collaborate? So some of these things that are taught in one lesson can be taught in my lesson, and we're acting we're achieving kind of making sure these concepts really stick, which takes a little bit of, again, creativity, creating a lesson, going finding a lesson that you might be able to apply. So for those who are thinking, it's the same thing over and over again, it sounds like you would say, What are you talking about? You can make this whatever you'd like it to be. any other examples of how you've just kind of put your stamp on the classroom? It seems like there's a there's there's a lot of examples we could go through. What what else does a class look or feel or sound like for your students that might be different from what a music class looks or sounds like in other curriculums or other schools?

Stephanie Williams: So I I do like thinking outside of the box when I do create my lessons. I also am very I'm I'm all about student leadership and student advocacy. And so I like to tie that into a lot of things. but you know, music and collaborating and and thinking outside of the box, it doesn't have to be, it doesn't have to be a stereotypical music class.

And you're still teaching like the amazing things that music can create and compose and all of that. but I I would say that, well, for example, in middle school, again, we talked about how middle school kind of some seems a little like older, but I still was able to create that environment of you know, pretend play and we I did a music history lesson, which I did not like music history in college. I was, you know, it was one of those classes that you're kind of talked at. And I don't like that. I don't learn that way. And I always told myself, like, if I ever teach music history, it would not be that way. And so what I did is I like dressed up in like medieval garb and renaissance, like and these middle schoolers didn't know what was happening.

But then I also at the end of the unit had created a Star Wars scavenger hunt where I gr I had this whole storyline. I made myself look like a holograph with like an app and I sent them on a mission to go through like a Star Wars ship and find these clues to find like the Gregorian chant that would save you know the planet or whatever. and the kids are the kids came up to every year. They were like, this was the best test ever. I'd be like, good, I'm glad that worked out.

Spencer Payne: that's yeah. And and obviously again, that that's where I was going next too, is just like, all right, this sounds like this sounds like it would be more fun to put together. You can be a little creative, have a little autonomy. What's the kids' reaction for for these things? The inference lesson, the who stole the ukulele, like you know, yeah, what what do the kid like you you just gave that example? That was the best test ever. But like what what are some other examples of like what what feedback are the kids giving you with some of these more creative out-of-the-box lessons that are being kind of cross-collaborative across some of the other topics and teachers where maybe you're disguising the learning that that you're that they're getting. Like what what do they say? What's their reaction?

Stephanie Williams: I the it's so funny because I even like bump into kids that I haven't taught in years. So like even some like twenty something years old. And they will bring up these random lessons that I taught or how I acted silly and they remember those moments of learning s even as adults, which is so funny but you know, directly after the lessons, I mean, the kids ask questions all the time about it. They want to know more, they want to do more with it, they want like a sequel to it. I even had after the ukulele, the stolen ukulele one, one kid was like, you know, you have a big recorder on your wall. Next year, the recorder needs to be missing. And I was like, a sequel's coming.

So they they always wanted to continue and do more with it, but you can't do it all the time or it kind of loses its sparkle and shine. So you have to kinda sprinkle it in there when you can.

Spencer Payne: A hundred percent. There's a reason why March Madness is special because it's just that that basketball time when there's all those games on at once, but like the the reason it's special is because it's special. If it was like that all the time, it would lose its luster. It would it would not be as special anymore. and there is an example. My my favorite high school teacher was history. And he again, just things that are memorable, things that are just sprinkling in, things that are unique to his personality that also just broke up some of just the, you know.

Stephanie Williams: Yes. Yes, correct. Mm-hmm.

Spencer Payne: Learning, here's the date, blah, blah, blah. he would he would randomly just sit down in front of class, like, all right, well, you know, there's the the Greek muses. And last night I was having a dream and I spoke to Clyo and I said, Clyo, I think these kids have been working really hard. What do you think about not having any homework tonight? And she said, That's absolutely right. It's just like, but you just the just like little things, right? And obviously, for the most part, there's homework, but then that one day you remember like, I don't have homework. And man, what's Clyo?

What was he talking about? That was interesting. So I just share that because sometimes you just add just a little sprinkle of hot sauce onto some of these day to day things. And all of a sudden, that can make not just that one day or that one speech you gave, but the whole experience of your year that much more memorable. for kids to want to come back to learn from you because you're just doing something a little bit different. And ideally, it's something that's unique to you, right? Like I might not be able to do the steal your ukulele Michael Skarn detective scar and experience, you can, but I might do something else that's unique to me that still gives a little, a little sprinkle. so that's a great example. how did how out of curiosity, how did this come about of asking some of the other teachers, hey, what are kids in your grade struggling with that maybe I can cross collaborate and help reinforce?

Like how'd that happen? That doesn't seem like a natural, like some teachers out there might say, like, no, I'm only supposed to teach what I teach. They teach what they teach. So like, how did you kind of break down those walls or break down those barriers and even open up that conversation? How'd that happen?

Stephanie Williams: So I have always wanted to integrate things into my lessons. That's just kind of what I've always liked. I I found that kids learn more when they're when there's things that are like applicable. Like, you know, if they're gonna learn something, why am I learning it? and because of that, if they go through the school and they are realizing like, you know, I'm learning fractions, but I'll never use fractions, but then they come to music and then we're using fractions.

It it kind of makes that connection of like, maybe this is something that's important because I'm not only learning it in math, but I'm learning it in other aspects of my life. and it it's one of the coolest things when you're collaborating with another subject and the kids come in and they realize that there's that connection, they have that light bulb moment and they go, my gosh, like I had kindergartners come into my class.

They learned the five senses. I purposefully create a lesson that is about food. And so all of our songs are about food. And we do like this: like we put food in a pot and we sing about it and how we're cooking and we smell it. And one of the kindergartners goes, my gosh, we're using our smell receptors. And I was like, What is a smell receptor? And the whole class of kindergartners told me smell receptors were and they realized they made that connection of you know we're not just learning it in my class but we can apply this to other aspects of our life and and it all starts with open communication with the other teachers and I asked for their curriculum maps or pacing guide what they're going over what their standards are I look at my year of teaching and I try to pair it up and match it up as best I can. It doesn't always happen.

But if I'm already teaching s songs about food, why wouldn't I do it when they're also learning about the five senses? so you know, it's just one of those things that a lot of people have this misconception of, well, I have to go above and beyond if I'm gonna do that. But really, we're doing a lot of it already in music or any fine arts class. It's just a matter of matching it up and using maybe a little bit of different verbiage, but it's not much extra work.

Spencer Payne: Hmm. Hmm. so a lot of this comes from you just asking. Yeah. Well thank you for well, thank you for doing that. Cause there's a lot of again, there's a lot of sometimes sometimes school can feel very discrete subjects. This and then this and then this, and there's not necessarily a link between them. And if there was ever anything that sounds like it could be that link, why why wouldn't it be music?

Stephanie Williams: Mm. Very much so. Yeah.

Spencer Payne: Exactly. so you mentioned again you are a newly crowned and congratulations, Teacher of the Year candidate. What what has you excited about this next this next twelve months? What does your year look like that's going to be different this year? And what what what excites you? What do you hope to accomplish in that next twelve months?

Stephanie Williams: Thank you.

So my year looks very different. I have been in school pretty much my whole life, ever since I was like two or three. I was in preschool. So this year I'm actually on a sabbatical and I am off from teaching my classroom. They're holding my position, so don't worry. but I am going and I am serving with the State Department of Education and so I am doing a lot of speaking engagement, keynote speaking. I'm working with the Educators Rising conferences across the state. I am like part of kind of like the CTE, like moving around and learning about that. I'm also doing, I have a couple projects that I'm working on. I am interviewing first year teachers across the state, posting it on my social media so that people can see that, you know, their spark and excitement is so contagious. And I think sometimes as educators, especially veteran educators, we get so wrapped up in like the admin work and like, my gosh, this isn't going my way.

But there is something really special about being around first year teachers because they are so eager and excited and just like ready to like soak it all up. And I don't ever want to lose that. So my mission this year is to kind of showcase first year teachers. it's a program that I'm doing it's called Rooted in Rising. So they're rooted, they found their roots and now they're rising in education. and then I'm also going to be interviewing some interns as well, student interns and getting their perspective on, you know, how is it you're in college and you're about to go into education and what are you excited about? What are you looking forward to? What are you scared about?

All of those important questions that I think everyone has a different perspective on. and so and of course, I'm gonna be advocating for music education too. I think music is such a vital role in public education and giving students that creative outlet, finding their voice, finding their leadership roles, just all of it. but it's gonna be a weird year, but I'm very excited about kind of exploring and getting outside of my four walls as a teacher and learning about what it's like at the state level, what does it look like around the state? Because I only know where I am. So it'll be interesting to see what other educators are are doing and learning and growing. So yeah, I'm very excited about the next year.

Spencer Payne: and for those first year teachers, or maybe the about to become teachers, what are some of the most common scary points or fears or anxiety points that that people share with you, maybe a top one or two or three? And then how how do you help them address those? What advice would you give there?

Stephanie Williams: So a lot of the time it comes up to they always want to bring up like their first day. Their fur the first day, like this is their class, there's no one there to help them, they turn around and they see the kids, and it's just kind of like this shock. But I always tell them, I'm like, you know more than the kids. Like you are more prepared than you think you are...whether it's in a class of kindergartners all the way to, you know, seniors, you know more than them. You know more about the subject than them. you are going to help guide them and lead them. and so it it's just funny. They always talk about that first day. And I'm like, You you know more than them, don't worry.

Spencer Payne: that first day. And on that note, yeah, is there any like with your music background, right? I'm curious, what is there any advice you give like before going in? Like, all right, listen to your favorite pump up song for 30 seconds. Like what is there any advice that you give of like how do you, how do you kind of hand like that first time when you're in front of them, right? And there might be maybe there's 20 kids, maybe 25, maybe there's 30 kids out there staring at you, right? Like, do you help them practice that moment? Like, all right, like pret come to my class work on it. Like how do you help them prepare or practice for that that kind of moment if there's there's fears there? How do you help them overcome that?

Stephanie Williams: you know, I I think everyone's a little different in how they kind of prep themselves for entering a classroom. so I just always tell them like find what's gonna bring you joy in the morning. Find whatever that might be, whether it's sitting on the porch drinking a cup of coffee or you know, listening to your favorite like pump up music, that's my go-to. I wanna I wanna be like pumped up, but you know, just finding whatever's gonna bring you joy so that when you go into that classroom, your mind is set. You might want to play some calming music as kids walk in. Just to bring it down. At least not the first day. Like let's bring it down a notch. Let's bring them all calm and so that we can talk about procedures and all that.

Spencer Payne: Yeah. The pump the pump up song maybe doesn't get played for the kids to come in. That's just for you. Yeah, yeah on that on that note, I'm curious, like, yeah, any advice you give or or how do you approach kind of setting the tone for your students, as well as maybe their parents, the first t time you have a chance to meet them of what to expect in your class? what are the rules? Like, you know, do you co-create kind of like here's the core values of our class? or like what what are some of the things that you want to make sure are kind of clear that like, hey, if you're in my class, this is kind of how we do things and this is how we don't do things. What are some of the things that are examples for you? And how do you kind of go about kind of getting that buy-in, not just with the students, but also with parents?

Stephanie Williams: Yeah. So with the students, I have always found it hard to connect with someone if I don't know them in the sense of like being in a classroom. So one of the first things that I ever do, I think of like silly stories about my life and then I share them. And I'm like, hi, Miss Williams, this is what I teach. Let me tell you a little bit about myself.

And then I throw in all of these crazy stories. Just so that they're kind of like reeled in and then I that's when I transition to like, now let's talk about what we do in this class. because then they know me a little bit and they know that I don't take myself too terribly serious, but I've gained that respect of I like I show them this horrible picture of me in what is it, sixth grade. I mean, it's like buck teeth. I have very short, like mushroom cut hair and one kid I remember going like, wow, did you have friends? And I always go, Nope. But but you know, just having that connection of like, okay, all right, you know, she, you know, she's a human being too. But when it you go into those procedures with that kind of mentality, it creates more conversation. I love bringing in kids when we're creating rules, like how would you want to be treated?

How do you how do you define respect? how do you define respect for you as a student? How do we define respect for me as a teacher? respect for our space, all of that. And I love creating that environment with them rather than me just saying like, this is what we're supposed to do. Now I do have my non-negotiables. Like there are certain things that are like, you know, I'm putting my foot down. But

Spencer Payne: Can you share and just out of curious, can you share what a couple of those are just for for others who might be like wondering, like, man, am I too strict? Am I not strict enough? What what non negotiables do you have for your class?

Stephanie Williams: Yeah. so we never ever ever put down anyone for any reason. Whether you disagree with them, whether maybe they're not doing the right thing, that there are moments where I need to step in. That is not your job as a student. Like this is this is my space. I'm here to keep you safe and protected, you know, in any case or scenario. so just making sure that we're always using like positive in affirming language in my class, that's that I that's my expectation.

And when that's not met, that's when I'm gonna pull you off to the side or handle it however I need to. and they've always known that from day one. and then of course keeping my space safe is also my any anywhere from like, you know, when I taught middle school, like don't leave your case just sitting out in the middle of the of the you know, walkway, but also from the extreme, like I'm here to protect you if anything bad happens. and so that I just want them to know like my room will always be safe. you know, I will do anything that I have to do to make sure that you are safe as a human being.

Spencer Payne: Yeah. yeah, thank you for sharing that. Again, just all this is help helping advice for other teachers, especially those who might be relatively new, of like how yeah, how what what are some of the things I can learn from the wisdom of others that I maybe can or should apply in my early years of an experience to to really ground myself and and root myself before I can rise? how can we learn from the wisdom of others? on the note of stories, can you share any proudest moments over the years of teaching of what rises to the top for you of things that you look back on and you're still just like, that was a great moment or a great class or whatever it was. Any any proudest moments rise to the top that you can share?

Stephanie Williams: you know, I had a band class one time that I ended up kind of taking over. And they were not sure what to think of me. I I was a little more strict. I had my expectations in place. And they I remember hearing one student talk outside my classroom and he was like...She didn't know what she's talking about. And I opened that door and I was like, I can hear everything you're saying. And I said, but give me to the end of the year. Just give me to the end of the year. And that was one of my proudest moments of them keeping an open mind of this new teacher coming in. And they learned and grew so much.

And I was just so impressed. And it's funny, at the end of the year, they were like, Wow, yeah, you're we were so glad that you were our band director. And I'm like, thanks. But that class, we ended up having such good rapport. they did they put my stapler in jello.

Spencer Payne: Another another office reference. Like are you are you just are you are you playing the office for these kids? Like

Stephanie Williams: Another alpha's right?

No. I do have like a a little snow globe that has the office on it. but but and then in this same year they had ordered a thousand of like those little plastic babies that you put in what like the Mardi Gras cakes or whatever. Anyway, they ordered a thousand of those and hid them all over my band room.

But that was the kind of relationship that we had. You know, I had fun with them, they had fun with me, but we all learn and grew and they created such good music. And I remember too the same group, they were so enthralled with playing music that at one point I was like, let's play this piece together. And I want us to close our eyes because we probably have this memorized. But I want you to close your eyes and just like feel it.

And we had all closed I'm about to cry, but we had all closed our eyes and we were playing this piece. And all of them were just like in awe and like the emotions were starting to come up and some of them were like tearing up because they were just so proud of themselves. that definitely is probably one of my top moments in teaching. Yeah.

Spencer Payne: Yeah. And and on that one, real quick. So you you took over, do you remember like a month into the school year, three months into the school year? Just can you can you place us a little bit in this experience? Cause there might be other teachers out there who might be, man, I'm taking over a class also mid year. Like, how do I do this? Can you place us a little bit more in detail of like, hey, how many months in were you? and you know, that moment where the kids are, you know, the first day.

They're thinking, who is this person? And you say, you know, hey, just give me till the end of the year. Can you share a little bit more about maybe, yeah, like how did you change things? And like how did you get that buy-in? Obviously, telling that one student went a long way, but again, can you share some advice for others who might be in a similar situation if they just took over a new class, say three months into the year? And they're very different, maybe, than the teacher who was there prior? what else might you share to that person to help them kind of tackle that potentially tricky issue?

Stephanie Williams: Yes.

Well, it's funny, this actually happened at the beginning of the year. so my that situation had already started at the beginning of the year. They were already like, I don't know. but because they were expecting that same teacher to teach them the next year. but my advice would be, you know, of course, keep your keep your boundaries, keep your expectations. Like those do not waver. But

Spencer Payne: Okay. Yeah. I see. I see.

Stephanie Williams: For kids that are coming into a scenario where they're like, I you have to figure out what they love. How are you gonna connect with them? There's gotta be a buy-in. whether it's you're playing silly games at the end of class as like a reward, or you're just sitting down with them and talking to them after class or after school. those connections and creating those moments of joy are what's gonna bring them in and have them learn and grow with you. and it might take a hot minute because it took mine a hot minute. so probab I would say probably by like month two, they were finally kind of coming around and I could see like they were starting to hang out a little bit after school, like want to play their instruments for me. And then by the end of the year, I mean my band room was filled with band kids wanting to play their instruments for me and show off things and

So it it's a gradual, it's a long it's a long game, not a short game, long game. Mm-hmm.

Spencer Payne: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So yeah, don't expect if you go home Monday and you didn't quite handle it, don't expect to go home Tuesday and have nailed it. Like it sometimes takes you gotta play the long game here sometimes.

On that note, any any other advice for tough moments that that seemed like, hey, that in the moment, you know, kids, who is this teacher? Right. In the moment, that can sound like a very tough moment as you're kind of trying to put your stamp on a class that kids are used to something else. and obviously, you know, kind of taking the long game in mind, developing relationships are two very good pieces of advice. But for those who are again going through maybe a tough time in their teaching career, yeah, again, what what what advice might you give? May maybe they're taking over a new class, maybe they have a tr... you know, a tough class this year and things just aren't resonating. any tough times that you've had in your career that you can share and and how'd you get past them and what advice would you give to others?

Stephanie Williams: So I would say this is that at the beginning of my career, I would almost get like offended when things would happen in my class. I'd be like, why are you doing that to me? you know, like it would hurt me personally. I then learned that, they're just kids. and they have good days, they have bad days, they're all over the place, just like we are as human beings and I had learned to not take offense. And instead of going like, why are they doing this to me? I would go, Okay, how can I help them? and I think that's a big moment. And I'll tell this story. I had a really, really, really rough class one year. I think I cried in front of them multiple times because I just I was at a complete loss of how to reach these kids.

And it it was just a it was just a collaboration of kids that really probably shouldn't have been in the same class and they would feed off of each other. but I told myself one day I was like, I am gonna find something positive at little big whatever, and I'm gonna write that kid a note to take home and to show their guardians or parents or whoever. And this one kid came in. We'll call him Kevin. That's not his name, but we'll call him Kevin.

And he came in...Was loud, making all of these ridiculous jokes. And he ended up picking up a pencil and handing it to his friend. And I was like, This is the moment. This is the joyous moment. I see I see something positive that Kevin is doing. So I literally, like, after s after class, now mind you, he knocked it out of his friend's hand like five minutes later, but that's fine. I like wrote a letter down. and it was like

You know, Kevin is showing so much compassion in class and empathy. I'm just so proud of his growth and how he's helping his friends and you know, and anyway, so I sealed it up and I gave it to him the next day, handed it to him. I said, Go and show this to your aunt. And he was like, I I didn't do anything. I didn't wear you right. I was like, Well, hold up. Just trust, just trust me. Go take this to your aunt. So he took it to his aunt. The next day he came in a class. The class was rowdy. I'm trying to get them to like come down and you know, come back to earth with me. And he saw that I was kind of, you know, in this chaos. And he stands up, stands in front of me, and looks at the class and he goes, Guys, she is my favorite teacher. You all need to sit down and we start class. And I I was like so shocked. And the class sat down.

Spencer Payne: Wow.

Stephanie Williams: They listened. It was one of the best classes. but with that, finding those little joyous moments, no matter how small, can make a huge impact in a kid's life. And Kevin would see me in the hallways every day, and he would say, Miss Williams, I love you. Give me a little side hug in front of all of his seventh grade friends.

And not gonna cry again. but that was just such a special relationship that I had that I did not think was going to happen. And so I my suggestion to teachers when they're struggling, just find those little moments and acknowledge them however you can, because your words might make such a huge impact on a kid.

Spencer Payne: thank you for sharing that. That was a great story. And even even though you mentioned maybe he knocked the pencil out of the kid's hand two minutes later, right? We don't again, like in a tough day or a tough class or a tough experience, right? Like maybe the negative things still seem like they outweigh the positive things, but there's still something there that you can latch on to that was a positive. and you chose to latch on to that one positive, and obviously it had a I mean, you could have.

Stephanie Williams: Yeah, thank you.

Spencer Payne: No one, I'm sure no one could have predicted what you saw happen the next day. It's not like you were trying to have that happen, right? But yeah. Yeah. but but maybe that's the first again, maybe that's the first time that his aunt ever got a positive note from school ever. And maybe she was so proud and he had never had proud words from her before. And now all of a sudden his whole like

Stephanie Williams: No. No. I just wanted him to be like, that's cool. And then Right.

Spencer Payne: world just turned upside down. Sometimes that that sometimes that one little thing can just change the entire trajectory, it sounds like, of you know, the relationship with that kid and then how we decided to show up for for you for the rest of that year. so even even in a sea of chaos, right, there's there can be some positive thing to go focus on and go focus on that. Great story. Thank you for sharing that. couple more just quick hitter questions as we unfortunately get close to wrapping up here because this feels like we could go on for a a lot longer...the the stories and the experiences that you have, but a couple more quick ones. how if at all, and maybe not in elementary school, but just just AI in the classroom, phones, tablets, et cetera, like how does your school approach that? you know, not allowed, allowed.

Maybe it's not really that big of a deal in elementary, but when you're in middle school, how does the school kind of pro how the processes and the procedures around phones, smartwatches, et cetera, in class and is that working for you? Is that is that a good thing?

Stephanie Williams: So going to AI, I think it's still such a a known area right now in education as a whole. I know some schools are like completely banning it. Some schools are kind of like, I don't know, you know what we need to do with this. I have my feelings about AI in certain situations, but I will say I kind of played around with it a little bit and I've been able to code like a a website that allows students with exceptional learning needs to interact and compose their own music. so you know if a student is can only blink their eyes, the program can allow them to it attracts their eye movement and they can blink and they can compose their own music. So AI I think has a place.

I don't think it needs to be all the time. I don't think it needs to be in everything. but I think it can have its place if we as teachers teach students how to use it wisely and in the correct way, while also honoring like creative elements of things and and still being creative ourselves. Don't let that process get lost. so with the AI question, that's how I would probably answer that. with the smart watches and phones, it's funny. We our state actually passed a law. It's called the Bell to Bell No Cell. And all of our schools, essentially the students cannot have their cell phone. And my school district has always had that policy.

So I have never actually been in a school that allowed cell phones out. But I will say that we did have schools come into our school at one point. And I think they were just like observing like what we did. And they were shocked to see all of our kids in the cafeteria talking and being loud. And and they were like, it's so quiet in our cafeteria. So and it's because their kids were on their phones. so but what's crazy is with this law passed that teachers are seeing like an abundance of focus now in their classrooms. There's less distractions.

Which in turn helps with academics. So I am all for the no cell phone policy because it allows kids to just be kids. And and talking with like some teenagers too, a lot of them wish that they had not had access to social media at such a young age. They're starting, I think there's like a shift in this generation of...I should not have had access to that and they're seeing like the negative effects of what it can do socially, emotionally, all of that. So anyway, yeah.

Spencer Payne: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Okay. and what to you is the number one single best thing about this ed this profession, education.

Stephanie Williams: You know, there's so many great things about this profession. But one of my absolute favorite things as a teacher, and it did not happen for years, was just being out in public and then hearing Miss Whoops and turning around and seeing this person that you taught that's now an adult. And hearing their story about what they're doing and where they're going in life and their that they have a family and those moments are just so precious to me. And I always tell my kids, like if you ever see me in public, please come up and talk to me. Cause like I I don't want you ever like don't go the other aisle. Like come and say hi to me. But I I literally had one of my former students bump into me at the makeup aisle at Target.

And he looks at me and he's like, Miss Williams. I mean, just a huge huge guy. And you know, we got to talking and I was like, I loved having you in class. And we he just like gave me the biggest hug and we're both like tearing up. But it's those, it's those moments of like you don't really know the impact that you have sometimes until much, much, much, much, much later down the road. And those are the moments that are so magical to me. I I love those moments. Yeah.

Spencer Payne: Yeah. Yep. And on the other side of that coin, what's the single hardest or toughest thing about this profession? Or if you had a magic wand and you could change one thing, what would you change?

Stephanie Williams: Probably the hardest thing about this profession, and I don't think a lot of people talk about it, is that when you have things in your personal life that happen that are really difficult. for example, I lost my grandmother one year. And it it's almost like hard to go into a classroom knowing that you're responsible for all these little lives. And you have to get your mind straight, no matter what's happening outside of your classroom.

And nobody told me about that until one of these big moments happened in my life. And I had kind of wished that somebody had kind of prepped me for that. Like, you know, life's gonna be hard. There's things that are gonna be happening, and you're gonna have to find ways to cope with it and still love on these kids and still be there for them. And here's how you should handle it. that is tough because I think some tongue teachers are not viewed as human beings.

And we are and so it's hard. And I've had my human being moments with my students, you know, where I've maybe not told them everything, but I just say, you know, I'm having a really hard time. You're gonna have to be, you know, show a lot of grace to me and a lot of patience as I just try to get my head right. and kids are so resilient and they can read the room so well. And I've had kids just be like, you know, take a moment. If you need it, just like sit at your desk for a minute. We'll just play our instruments and we'll let you have a moment and then you just jump in whenever you can. 

But that is a hard moment in education, but you can get through it. You can find these moments of, you know, joy in your class still, even though your personal life might be really hard. So

Spencer Payne: Yeah. and anything that is some final words of wisdom, maybe it's something that you want to repeat because we've already shared it, but it's just so darn important. We gotta say it one more time. Or maybe something new that we just, you know, we just didn't have a chance to cover. so any any new or repeated kind of final words of wisdom to educators or soon to be educators.

Stephanie Williams: I would say that find the joy in whatever it is, whether it's with a student or something that you enjoy, bring it into your lesson. But just find joy because when you find joy in what you're doing, it's gonna translate in so many different aspects of your classroom. It it's gonna change your heart, it's gonna change your mind, and it's gonna be contagious to the students too. So just continue finding that joy.

Spencer Payne: Yeah. well, my gosh. Fantastic stories. Thank you so much for sharing some of the real, sometimes hard stories that you just shared. seems like very, very well deserved teacher of the year word. Enjoy your sabbatical. I hope you make a massive impact on some of the first year and soon to be teachers in your state. and thanks so much for sitting down and sharing your story with us. Appreciate you.

Stephanie Williams: Thank you. Yeah.