Maggie Middleton is the 2024-2025 Teacher of the Year (TOY) for Jefferson Elementary.
Middleton has taught second grade at her school for four years.
She felt “extremely honored and grateful” after finding out her peers had chosen her to represent JES as their TOY.
“JES is special to me,” Middleton remarked. “It means a lot to be recognized and appreciated by my peers.”
She said the close relationships she has with her students and the support she receives from their families and her administration are what makes her a good teacher.
Middleton uses different strategies in her classroom to connect with her students. She hosts morning meetings where she allows her students to share something that’s special to them.
“I’m intentional when spending time with my kids in a small group setting or one on one,” she said. “I try to be an active listener and let them know that I care about what they’re saying and how they’re feeling.”
Middleton said the biggest challenge she has faced in the classroom is meeting the needs of each individual student and feeling like she has done enough for them.
She is thankful that she has a close relationship with her co-workers.
“I love the community we have within the walls of JES,” she remarked. “I especially love my second grade team and the close relationship we have.
“We plan well together, work well together, and we always look out for each other,” she offered.
Middleton graduated from Francis Marion University with a bachelor of science degree in early childhood in May of 2020.
She and her husband, Zach Middleton, live in McBee. They have two sons, Manning and Cameron.
Outside of the classroom, she loves playing outside with her boys, watching and attending sports events, attending her church, and shopping.
