Her colleagues at Heritage Elementary School selected sixth-grade teacher Beth Clemmons as 2014 Teacher of the Year. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Beth Clemmons, who instructs sixth-grade science and social studies, is the 2014 Teacher of the Year at Heritage Elementary School.

“My teammates and I work together to make each year successful for our students,” Clemmons said. “Teaching is truly a team effort. I’m privileged to work with a group of talented and dedicated teachers at Heritage.”

Clemmons focuses her energy on creating meaningful lessons for her students. During the 2013-2014 school year, her students experienced virtual field trips, listened to field experts, created technology presentations and debated ideas.

Her students made models to demonstrate their learning. “We regularly engage in cooperative learning and reciprocal teaching activities that allow the students to become teachers in the classroom,” Clemmons said.

In addition, Clemmons coordinated the science fair, tutored students in the Title I program and served on the district’s leadership team.

“The most rewarding part of teaching is simply being in the classroom every day, interacting and working with students,” Clemmons said. “I love building relationships with my students and watching them grow — not only academically, but also as individuals.”

Clemmons values the times when former students tell her that they are continuing to apply concepts that they learned in her classroom.

Her family showed by example the rewards of the teaching profession. “I’ll always remember watching my mom patiently and lovingly teach struggling children to read. She taught children with learning disabilities in Limestone County,” Clemmons said.

In addition, her grandfather taught agriculture in Limestone County for many years. She saw “how much love and respect students had, and still have, for my grandfather,” Clemmons said.

Clemmons earned a bachelor’s degree at Athens State University. She has taught solely at Heritage. “I’ve been teaching since I was 13 — swimming lessons, Sunday school,” for example, Clemmons said.

Her husband Ross Clemmons is pastor of The Grove Baptist Church. They have three children: Jacob, a freshman at Samford University; Chase, a senior at James Clemens High School; and Bryley, a James Clemens freshman.