Dara Seamans – Hilltop Elementary

Dara Seamans is the 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year for Hilltop Elementary School. She is from Tennessee, which is where she met her husband, and attended college. Seamans earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Tennessee Martin, and her master’s degree at Western Governs University. She came to Houston County in 2013. She first applied as a substitute teacher, but wasn’t called until the fall of that year to sub. Then she was hired on as a teacher in January 2014 at Hilltop Elementary, and has been there ever since. Seamans has taught third and fourth grades and is in her second year teaching fifth grade. She and her husband have two children – one daughter and one son – who both currently attend Bonaire Middle School.

Why teaching/What brought you into this field?

“My husband joined the Air Force and was first stationed in Oklahoma at Tinker Air Force Base. Not long after that, I joined the military as well. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do at first, because I wanted to be a teacher, but also wanted to try nursing. So while I was in the military, I worked in public health. I realized that it wasn’t for me, so after three years, I voluntarily left the military. I then went back to college and started taking classes to become a teacher and I immediately knew that was the career path for me.”

Any inspiration from past teachers?

It was “one of my college professors at University of Tennessee Martin who taught a reading class on how to teach students to read. She wasn’t just one of those teachers who gave you the course curriculum and be done. She was more of taking all the time to help everyone. She gave me this magnet that I still have today, and it says, ‘You have not lived until you have done something for someone who could never repay you.’ And what I got from that was no matter how hard things may get, passion has to exceed how tough it may be. Your passion is your drive and yes, there will be a lot of tough days, but at the end, you know your purpose and it’s all worth while.”

What do you enjoy most about teaching?

“Getting to know the kids, seeing their creativity blossom, and what they enjoy outside of school. So far, I have really enjoyed teaching fifth grade because they are like mini adults. They understand sarcasm and they can be quite the comedians themselves. But they are still kids who want their birthday to be recognized and hugs. Getting hugs from my students is the best.”

What is the most challenging part of teaching?

“It’s important every day when I get up in the morning to pray that I am my best. When I get to my classroom, I try to leave everything at the door, except what my students need from me, which is my best. It is hard some days when you have a lot going on from all different areas of your life, but you have to stay focused.”

Advice to students

“Be better than you were yesterday. Every day, you should focus on one thing to improve, one thing to practice. If you aren’t challenging yourself, you can’t change yourself. You must decide to never compare yourself to other people, and focus to challenge yourself to be better academically and socially every day. Be proud of who you are and who you want to become.”

Advice to parents

“I do believe a child’s best advocate is their parents and teachers. Push your child to learn as much as they can at school each day. Talk to them about their day; ask questions about what they learned. Continue to be more specific, if their answers are short. For example, you can ask, “Did you learn something you never knew before, or what can I help you with this evening?” Be present and mindful that your child’s teacher has their best interest at heart and always wants the best for him or her. We’re not waking up every morning just to be here. Be there and speak up for them.”