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Can you tell us about yourself? 

"Hello. My name is Casey Harrington and I teach at Quitman upper elementary. I'm a third grade teacher and I teach both ELA and math. We are located in Quitman, Mississippi. I've been teaching here for six years. I have always loved teaching children. I've always loved children." 

Why did you start a career in education?

"The reason why I became a teacher, um, I feel like our job is like we're shaping the future. Hmm. I would, I can't imagine doing anything else. I started school in nurse or I started going to school to be a nurse, found out real quick. That wasn't for me." 

If you could have any other job what would it be and why?

"I couldn't imagine doing anything else. I loved school when I was growing up and I love coming to school every day." 

How are kids different now than 30 years ago?

"Students today are different from students 30 years ago because of technology. I feel, um, they, it's at their fingertips all day, every day. Um, not so much just going outside and playing like it used to be." 

How is teaching different now than 30 years ago?

"So in the classroom we to to adapt to this change in children, um, our lessons have to be more engaging. Um, we have to get them up moving, learn hands on. Um, we just have to change with the times. We can't just have them sit down with paper and pencil anymore. They're, they, they don't learn that way." 

What would you tell someone who wants to become a teacher?

"For people coming into education, a first year teacher, I would let them know real quick that teaching is not a job. You don't come here to get a paycheck and leave and go home and, and have and leave it here. Um, you have to, I mean, you do it from the heart. Um, you do it. It's a calling. Um, you truly have to love children and you have to want, their success is, is your payment. Um, it is very, it's a hard career choice." 

What is one thing you would change to help kids learn better?

"If I could do, if I could change something for my students to help them learn, I would definitely allow children to have technology resources to take home every day, um, to give them the same resources at home that they have in class. Um, and our school district, a lot of our students don't have access to internet and things like that once they get home. But that's what we have them use in class all day to help pull them up. And get them where they need to be. So I would definitely, um, find out how or get each child some type of technology to take home every day. Thank you."