Teacher, Lupton School

Strolling past any classroom, most people would notice children at their desks doing worksheets or sitting quietly. In Misty Gossett's class, however, the kids are up at various stations working with magnets, searching to find letters, or stretching their own bodies into letters. Don't be bewildered by what you are seeing. This is not all-day recess. It is all a part of the P3 program, a pilot program launched pre-pandemic in Walker County, spearheaded by Lupton kindergarten school teachers, a group of which Misty Gossett is a part.

"It is an early childhood initiative to keep a level bar between Pre-K and third grade. So, you are taking the best parts of Pre-K and continuing that into kindergarten, first, second, and third grades," Misty said.

What is essential for the kids, especially in the early stages, is hands-on discovery. This means the students engage in intentional play and have an objective to accomplish during activities. This helps the children comprehend concepts like letter recognition, counting, and syllable breakdowns of words and become problem solvers.

Now in its third year, Lupton’s P3 program has had three grade levels of students that have been in the program since inception. As a result, the school can take a more in-depth look at the whole educational profile of the students, rather than rely solely on the results from standardized testing.

"We still are very geared towards standardized testing, but we can say, by using our goal assessment, you are seeing the child who is struggling with reading might be an excellent communicator, or the child who is struggling with math might have great people skills," Misty said. "You're not seeing the deficiency—you're seeing the strength."

Misty has her own story to tell. She grew up in Nauvoo and went through many schools before finding a home at Carbon Hill Junior High, where she transferred in the seventh grade. After graduating from Carbon Hill High School, she went to Walker College initially to become a nurse. However, Misty decided to depart the nursing program and pursue a career in education. She says she chose this route because she adores learning.

Misty graduated from The University of Alabama in 1997 with a bachelor's in early childhood and elementary education. She then graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) with a master’s in elementary education.

In her 25 years, she has taught everything from kindergarten through sixth grade, with most of her time spent as a first-grade teacher.

"They're sweet, they're moldable, they're impressionable, and they're hilarious," Gossett says.

Once the time comes for Misty to retire, she wants to transition to a mentor role to help the next generation of educators build connections with their students while still maintaining a boundary between work and home.

Until that day, Misty will continue to shape the next generation's minds and treasure every minute. 78