Russell Elementary TOTY putting the needs of her students first

“You just know that this is what you want to do,” says Russell Elementary Teacher of the Year Marley Mills.

She says there are so many benefits to being a teacher. Originally from Houston County, she attended Russell Elementary when she was younger. Her principal then while in fifth grade is now her principal as a teacher.

“It’s neat that I get to come back and work for her,” Mills said.

She graduated from Houston County High School. She said after graduation, she really didn’t know what she wanted to do as a career. She said her family comes from a long line of teachers and she thought that she wanted to try something different. However, she says she just couldn’t get away from the profession.

“I love the kids and love working with them,” Mills said. “I enjoy that atmosphere and building those relationships with them.”

Mills attended Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, graduating with her bachelor’s degree in education. She recently finished her master’s degree in reading and literacy from Walden University. This is her fourth year teaching at Russell Elementary. She originally started teaching pre-k, but then she realized that she was ready for a change. She decided to teach older students, taking on the third grade.

“I was ready for it,” she said, smiling.

To be chosen as Teacher of the Year, Mills said she was shocked because “I just do what I’m supposed to do.”

“I feel like going that extra step for the children is just what you’re supposed to do as a teacher,” she said. “It’s definitely exciting and rewarding to see from my peers that they notice those extra steps are being taken. It was very sweet of them.”

Mills also commended the administration for being very supportive.

“No matter what your student population is, if you have the administration to support you, you can do whatever you need to do,” she said.

Why teaching?

“It was more of I wanted to build relationships with my students because growing up I had those relationships with my teachers. I remember specific teachers doing specifics things. I wanted to do that with my students as well and make those connections. The students that we may teach here may not get the same opportunities at home. I wanted to make sure that they had all of the opportunities that I had whether it’s at home or at school.”

What brought you into the field?

“I come from a long line of teachers. I was trying to do different things, but in the end, I really love being with the kids and seeing that aha moment, where it just clicks for them. We have so much flexibility with them. What may work for one student may not work with another student. They all learn, but they all learn differently.”

Any inspiration from past teachers?

“There were a couple of teachers definitely. My first grade teacher, Sheri Blair, who teaches at Hilltop Elementary now, was always invested in everything that we did. I can remember making things with her and taking the things that I made home and being so excited to come to school. Also, my third grade teacher, Hayley Reid, who teaches kindergarten here now, I can remember her having the best time and things that she would do. She was so fun and I wanted to be like that when I got older. They just really instilled a love of reading, too. They would always read to us and I want to make sure that I do that with my students as well.”

Best part of teaching?

“Seeing those aha moments for the students and the relationships that I build not only with the students, but with the parents and the faculty. We say all the time here at Russell that we’re such a big family unit. We love each other and we care for each other like a family. The children in my room, I treat them as if they’re my own children.”

What is it about teaching that you like the most?

“I love teaching reading and for a student to be able to understand what they’re reading and apply it to what they’re learning maybe in another subject or being able to apply it to something that they’re doing at home. We read a story about water parks. The vivid details that I had them add to a story about a water park, they were able to relay those experiences to that.”

Most challenging part of teaching?

“I want to do it all. I want to do everything for them, and I have to realize that I have to say, ‘OK, I have to spend time with my family now.’ I want to stay late and make sure that they’re learning everything they can get within that day. It’s just wanting to do too much.”

Anything that makes your job difficult?

“We don’t have enough time in the day to cover everything. We have 50 minutes for math and when we get going, we get going. And we have 50-55 minutes for reading, so our day is very broken up. I feel like I’m constantly going. The kids like that, but for me, I wish that we could slow down a little bit. The hardest part is that they have to learn so much in third grade. There is so much expected of them that were not expected of us when we went to school. I want to take the time and do those memorable things.”

If not teaching, what?

“When I was younger, I was diagnosed with some autoimmune diseases and I had to stay at a children’s hospital. When I stayed there, they had a child life specialist who came and taught me the procedures and used play therapy to explain what was going on. I thought this was the best job in the world, helping children that are sick. I really wanted to do that, but those jobs are few and far between. I thought I could do that here at the school and reach more children.”

Advice to students:

“Always read and enjoy school because it’s going to go by so fast. Always ask questions when you’re unsure.”

Advice to parents:

“Love your children and support what they’re doing in the classroom. We are not here to upset your child; we’re here to work together with you. That’s my goal is to make sure they understand that it’s a team effort. We’ve got to do it together. We, together, are making the best decisions for your child.”

Home life:

“My husband, Matthew, went to Russell, too. We did not know each other. He was a year older than me. We actually met in college. We have been married for four years and we found out in January that I’m pregnant. This will be our first child. We bought a new house in January and I found out that night that I was pregnant. Everything fell into place. We love to travel; we’ve been to New York City, California and Boston. We have a dog, Bo. He is the love of our life. My mom is Kendra Hudson, who also teaches here at Russell and is retiring this year, and my dad is Danny Hudson. Also, my aunt, Caroline Cormack, teaches at Houston County High School. My sister is Melissa Bridges and she has a husband and two children. We all live here.”

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