GATHER AROUND the Gordon family dinner table and ask how things are going at school, but be prepared to stay awhile. Former and present teachers fill the seats. Spanning from the use of chalkboards to interactive whiteboards, their combined experiences and shared passion for their students are a renewable resource. This lasting legacy has created a built-in support system for current and future generations of Gordon educators.
Shaped by the influence of former teachers, most knew from childhood that they wanted to follow in the footsteps of Gordons before them. These family members are pouring their best efforts into the school system, spurred by those who invested in them along the way.
David and Mary Frances Gordon are the founders of this lasting legacy. Current teachers in the family include Neal Gordon, son, Shelbyville Central High School; Karla Moncier, daughter, Rogersville City School; Marla Agee, daughter, Shelbyville Central High School; Macey Agee, son-in-law, Franklin High School; and Kanya Gordon, daughter-in-law, Eakin Elementary School.
Mary Frances said, “God has blessed us with many years as educators. My husband was an educator also, just not in the school system. He taught [members of the 4-H Club] and adult farmers in this county as an agricultural agent. If we count his years, [the two of us] have given thus far a total of 177 years of education to Bedford County and 214 years to the state of Tennessee.”
The support system Mary Frances found at Eakin Elementary School as a teacher’s aide encouraged her to pursue a degree in teaching. Now retired, she taught at Eakins Elementary School for her entire career. She taught for 16 years in the first grade classroom, with 14 years as a certified Title 1 Program teacher. According to the Tennessee Board of Education, Title I is a federally funded program meant to support and improve learning for students in high-poverty schools, helping them meet performance standards.
“Frieda Bone took me under her wing and shared so much with me, even her lesson plans. I learned more on the job than in the teacher prep courses. [I worked with] wonderful teachers and super principals all along the way,” said Mary Frances.
She even worked with Kanya at one point. They taught in the same Title I room for a few years — Kanya taught second and third grade reading on one side of the room, while Mary Frances taught first grade reading on the other.
Reading paves the path to a life of learning. Mary Frances, Kanya, and Whitney love contributing to the learning process.
Whitney said, “Finding the newest books and sharing them with my students and school is a huge passion of mine.”
It’s a passion that she clearly shares with her mom, Kanya.
“I have a huge kids’ classroom library. I may or may not have a little shopping problem with books for my classroom,” Kanya said.
A benefit of sharing an occupation with family is overcoming challenges through close collaboration and years of shared experiences.
Speaking on those challenges, Neal said, “The biggest challenge in education has always been how [to] meet the needs of an ever-changing society and prepare students for a future that doesn’t yet exist. How do we prepare students for the smartphone revolution when we watched television with rabbit ear antennae? When I look at my classroom, I see faces that have changed over the years but are worthy, eager, and want all the good things in this world. It’s our challenge to help them find a way to do just that.”
It’s a topic the family tackles in their loud, passionate conversations at the dinner table and in their classrooms, too. Neal believes Whitney is a leading example in shaping young minds.
“I think Whitney is the best of us all. She has learned from our collective experiences and brings new techniques and technology to old problems. All the solutions are out there; we just have to keep finding them.”
The family emphasizes that nurturing relationships in the classroom is an integral part of the solution.
“I love building a respectful, inclusive, loving culture in my classroom,” said Whitney. “It’s easy to build relationships and a strong classroom family when everyone is cared for, seen, and heard. I truly enjoy teaching my students, having fun with them, and, most of all, seeing them be successful.”
Kanya agreed, “I love loving my kids and doing fun things with them, and I truly enjoy being with them at school. My students know we’re a family, and families stick together.”
Their commitment to their students is rooted in the support they receive from each other.
“My parents have set the example of always being there for each other, no matter what,” said Marla.
“I’m now teaching what I call my ‘grandstudents.’ They are so much fun. Some are just like the 2.0 version of their parents, and others are totally different yet strangely familiar at the same time,” said Neal.
This family of educators continues the legacy of learning and love, supporting each other through challenges and sharing in successful moments.
“Sharing the profession of education just adds one more commonality among us,” said Marla. “I would say that our biggest support for each other is that we listen and can truly empathize with our daily struggles. We share the joy of our wonderful victories in the classroom or with public education in general. We listen, lift each other up if we are down, and celebrate all of the good.”
The Gordon family’s collective wisdom and resilience continue to create a legacy of learning and love that extends far beyond the boundaries of their classrooms. Navigating the challenges of an ever-changing educational landscape may seem daunting, but they aren’t facing it alone. GN
