Allison Reyes has been honored as Teacher of the Year for the second time at Mustang Trails Elementary School in Yukon, Oklahoma. The Title I math teacher has worked in the Mustang Public School system for the past 15 years and stresses the importance of understanding mathematical concepts.
Reyes graduated from nearby Yukon High School and admits that math did not always come easy to her. She says it was a struggle for her when she was in school but she overcame the obstacles and now helps those who have similar problems with math. She says it is rewarding to help kids who have the same struggles that she once had.
Reyes received her education degree with a minor in math and was a student teacher at the University of Mississippi for second graders. She used her math minor to obtain a job at Mustang Middle School and taught pre-algebra and algebra. She then transferred to Lakehoma Elementary where she taught for seven years before coming to Mustang Trails Elementary.
Her dedication to her students shows in her early 7 a.m. arrival time to school in which she makes herself available before classes start to any student who needs extra instruction. As a Title I teacher, Reyes helps reinforce the skills taught in math classes to make sure students understand and can move on to the next lesson.
Her 30-minute class includes a multitude of tools to help students understand math, and the lessons often begin on the walk to the classroom and continue as they are walking out the door.
Fridays are dedicated to charting the progress of the student and speaking with teachers so that she can tailor the next week’s lessons to work on areas of weakness.
She believes that if students focus on one small goal at a time, they can succeed. “I think for some kids, that’s all they need,” she said.