Educator Spotlight: Franks and Zito

Note: Jaime Zito declined to be interviewed, however we still celebrate her as one of our honorees this month!

NELL FRANKS

Every Monday morning, Harding Middle School ELA teacher Nell Franks begins her class with the Weekend Update, where students are free to share what they did over the weekend with the class. It’s an important part of setting the tone for the week, Nell says, and reinforces how important the Vision of a Lakewood Ranger competency of communication is for her. It also helps her learn about her students beyond school.

“It gives me insight into who they are and what they’re into,” says Nell.

That excellent communication sets the stage for great collaboration in her classrooms. Students are comfortable approaching Nell for help or to collaborate on problem-solving because the open flow of communication has been established. Her collaborative nature also helps the Harding Morning News, which she co-advises with Mindy Kilgore, run smoothly.

Empathy and kindness are also extremely important to Nell. If you know Nell, you know her motto is “Be kind to each other. It matters.” Nell’s nominator, Harding teacher Sonja Kreps, says Nell walks the walk when it comes to her motto. “Nell is the most honest and fair teacher there is, setting high expectations for her students but also showing equal respect to them in turn,” Sonja says.

Nell also is conscientious to expand her students' global perspective. “Nell is always making connections to the outside world, and bringing the outside world into her classroom to make her students aware of it,” Sonja says. 

Each year, Nell’s students read Refugee, by Alan Gratz, and discuss the plight of refugees throughout the world and through different eras in history. Students then follow up with a fundraiser to benefit the refugee organization, ASIA Inc.

Nell’s core classroom values of respect, kindness and humor have helped her sustain 30 years of successful teaching. We are grateful that 25 of those years have been here at Lakewood Schools.