For sixth grade math and science teacher Shannon Roberts, the purpose of a fun classroom is to help students develop their natural curiosity. “I think if we can get them to love learning at this age, it will carry on throughout their life,” she said. Student Nathan Schwab, who nominated Roberts to be featured in myWaukee, said that Roberts “always has a positive attitude” and “makes her classes fun by having us learn through games.”

Roberts has been teaching for five years and has spent the last two of them at Waukee Middle School. She enjoys being a math and science teacher because it offers a balance between the straightforward, logical nature of math and the testing and exploration of science.

Seeing the learning process in each student inspires Roberts as a teacher. The most inspiring thing, she said, is when students score well on a test and she “can actually see the joy on their face that they got it.”

The best part of teaching, according to Roberts, is being able to work with many different teachers as well as students. Regarding her collaboration with other teachers of various backgrounds, Roberts said, “We’re not just a group, we’re a team that’s working together, and we all have the same goal.”  She also appreciates the support system of the school staff members. “If there’s ever any need for help, you can always reach out to somebody,” she said.

Roberts loves teaching because her daily work makes an impact that goes beyond the walls of the classroom and into her community as a whole. She cares about the growth of her students even after they move on from her class. “I hope that students can always reach out to me as a teacher,” she said, “and I would enjoy hearing about their journeys in other grades.”