Teacher of the Week: Carol Larsen

ONSLOW COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - This week’s WITN Teacher of the Week is Carol Larsen.

Larsen is a second-grade teacher at Sand Ridge Elementary and has been teaching students at the school for 16 years.

However, Larsen has been an educator for over 30 years. She says the spark of excitement they get when learning about a subject, overcoming an obstacle, and /or finding their confidence.

Larsen has not always been a second-grade teacher, she taught Kindergarten for 24 years and has only been with second-graders for the last six years.

“I love teaching second graders because they still have the sweetness and innocence but have more confidence because they’ve learned the basics and now, they’re perfecting their skills and becoming more independent,” said Larsen.

Colleges at Sand Ridge say her leadership is positive and inspiring for all in the school community, and she is always prepared as she takes time to get to know her students so she can find ways for them to be successful.

Larsen says her classroom is built from engagements that begin before instruction starts. She and her students have discussions about the night before and the morning before walking through the school’s doors, as well as, shared responsibilities within the classroom.

“When students have responsibilities in the classroom, they feel more personally invested in maintaining a positive environment,” said Larsen. “I build activities into our day that support students working together and building rapport with one another.”

Jacob Mabry, principal of the elementary school, says former students are regular visitors to her classroom.

“It makes me feel like I made a difference in their lives. I love to hear their stories they want to share,” said Larsen.