Teacher Appreciation Week: Grace Lane Encourages Kids During School Year and Beyond

EDWARDSVILLE - For Grace Lane, helping kids is at the center of education.

Lane teaches fourth grade at Columbus Elementary School in the Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7. This Teacher Appreciation Week, she is reflecting on how much she enjoys working with the kids and supporting them through the school year.

“My favorite part of my job is making connections and building relationships with students. As their teacher, you really become part of their life for a year,” she said. “I love to get to know the kids, their personalities, and senses of humor."

Lane wanted to be an author growing up, but she always enjoyed playing school and teaching her younger brother everything she had learned that day in the classroom.

When she was in high school, she started volunteering with the Boys and Girls Club. This made her realize she wanted to help kids in some way, which inspired her to study education.

Today, it’s obvious this was the right path for Lane, who loves every day she spends at Columbus. She finds it especially rewarding to connect with quieter students or a student who has struggled in school before, but she makes it a point to build relationships with every kid she works with.

She also enjoys reconnecting with former students or teaching younger siblings. Her students are always eager to see her again, which is a testament to the encouragement she gave them as their teacher.

It can be difficult to balance it all, as there are always tasks and challenges to face in and out of the classroom. But Lane reminds herself every day “who [she is] here for” and why she chose to teach. This dedication to the students guides her.

Outside of school, Lane enjoys reading and spending time outdoors. She also loves to craft, which is a skill that comes in handy as an elementary teacher.

The fourth grade is especially interesting to her, as this age is a fun chance to watch the kids grow. She hopes her students enjoy their time in her classroom as much as she does.

“Fourth graders are curious about the world around them. They are actively asking questions and looking for answers,” she added. “It is cool to see them make connections with their own lives to the material we are learning.”

Thank you to Grace Lane for your work as a teacher!

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