Becky Steinbach Explains her Teaching Style, which Earned Her a State PTA Award

Walking into Becky Steinbach's classroom at Gifford Elementary is an educational experience.

A large bookshelf, smart-board, and whiteboard take up most of one wall. Wooden and hand drawn signs, pictures, and letters reinforce her core beliefs -- passion, manners, hard work, and tolerance. On a pole in the middle of the room, paper cutouts in the shape of peanuts are taped to the wall. The children completed the sentence: I'm nuts about...

This is one of the reasons why Steinbach earned the Wisconsin PTA Teacher of the Year Award.

And this is an example of what her teaching beliefs yield.

A young girl interrupts her to ask to use the restroom. The girl is timid and Steinbach listens to her as she speaks. Waiting for the girl to finish, she tells her she can but asks her to say excuse me if she needs to interrupt someone who is speaking. Steinbach's tone of voice doesn't demean. Rather, the request is rooted in kindness.

She's building a common respect between her and her students, she said. Helping children cope on an emotional level is essential to the bonding process. Laying a foundation of trust and respect allows her to teach on a deeper, more meaningful level. And the children connect with her in a positive way.

This is one of the things parents notice most about their children when they are in her class.