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Her methods work. Over the years, former students have returned to her classroom, some even bringing their poetry folders from their time in her class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHearing from the parents that \u2018my child is teaching me stuff I didn\u2019t even know, my child absolutely loves school\u2019 \u2014 that is so rewarding for me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cummings has seen firsthand the evolution of education over the last nearly six decades. She started her career at a time when children learned through \u201clook-say\u201d methods, memorizing words from large books as a group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since then, though, she has seen a shift from phonics-heavy instruction to a blend of various approaches. One of the biggest changes Cummings noted is the trend of promoting kids who aren\u2019t ready to progress. Day in and day out, she stays energized and passionate about her work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI just wake up ready to go,\u201d she said. \u201cI think, you know, being a \u2018type A\u2019 personality and a little bit of [attention-deficit\/hyperactivity disorder], it just keeps things fresh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For her, the best moments come when she sees the lightbulbs go off in her students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe most rewarding part of teaching for me is to see their eyes light up when they are excited about learning and the progress they\u2019re making,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why stick with teaching the younger kids all these years? Cummings said it\u2019s because of their eagerness to learn and curiosity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019re just so impressionable, so eager to learn,\u201d she said. \u201cThey love their teacher, and they do what you ask them to do. They\u2019re excited about learning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cummings said that retirement may be on the horizon, but she\u2019s taking it one year at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI just take it year by year,\u201d she said. \u201cRight now, I\u2019m at the point where I\u2019m really considering it for next year. Maybe I\u2019ll work an extended contract or show teachers how to teach in schools.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cummings has inspired countless students, mentored fellow educators, and left an imprint on the world of teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSchool should model life,\u201d she said. \u201cIt shouldn\u2019t be this foreign thing you do when you go in the building, and it has nothing to do with your life when you come out.\u201d GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" FOR 57 years, Judy Cummings has done more than teach \u2014 she has shaped generations of young minds with passion, creativity, and commitment to her students. Now, she\u2019s a second grade teacher at Coles Ferry Elementary School, but Cummings really got the itch for education in the sixth grade when she was given an opportunity […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":22605,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/lebanon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/04\/Story-1-photo1-2-3-1024x683.jpg\")