Two first-year teachers at Langford Elementary School in Austin ISD, Shelby Rooker and Bianca Jimenez, are embracing what they call "Austin ISD Joy" in their work. This initiative focuses on the positive connections made with students and the supportive campus community.
Shelby Rooker, a Kindergarten teacher, shared a memorable moment: “I have a deck of flashcards for one of my little guys [to help us communicate]. He spoke to me for the first time yesterday. I couldn’t believe it. It feels like he heard me for the first time. It was just kind of a breakthrough moment for me.” She added, “It’s so satisfying at the end of the day to know you’ve made a connection. That’s why I started doing this.”
Bianca Jimenez, an art teacher at Langford, echoed similar sentiments: “Seeing my students feel proud of something they’ve created and start to believe in themselves, learn that it’s okay to make mistakes…they remind me that I’m doing something right. I’m on the right path. I’m helping them create art and I’m creating art with them.”
Both teachers emphasized the importance of community support during Langford's modernization under the 2022 Bond project. Rooker said, “I’ve had such a team of support around me. They validate feelings first, but we’re not just going to sit in that bad feeling together. We’re going to work through it.” She also mentioned celebrating small achievements within the school community.
Jimenez highlighted how teachers support each other and new staff: “I’ve seen the teachers here give so much support—not just teacher-to-teacher, but teacher-to-student. The strength of our teachers and how they offer so much guidance and support to someone who is new to our campus has been wonderful to see.”
Discussing their motivations for teaching, Jimenez expressed her passion for witnessing children's artistic growth: “Joy in teaching art is witnessing children become artists themselves. I feel like I have a reason to be here, exactly here.”