Teacher Appreciation Week: Paula Howell Devotes Her Life to Caring for Kids

BETHALTO - Paula Howell loves children, plain and simple.

Howell is a special education teacher for second and third grades at Parkside Primary School in the Bethalto Community Unit School District #8. She has taught in a variety of classrooms since 1992, and she is the mother to five boys who she and her husband adopted through the foster care program. This Teacher Appreciation Week, she’s reflecting on her decision to devote her life to caring for kids.

“I love seeing a child’s face light up when he or she makes accomplishments that they’ve worked diligently on. In my classroom, I have the privilege to work with my students for two years, which allows me to build very special relationships with both students and their families,” she shared. “It’s so rewarding seeing the accomplishments they make in a school year.”

Howell didn’t always want to become a teacher. When she went away to college, she wasn’t certain where her calling would be. But she found that her education classes “really resonated” with her, and she eventually earned her master’s degree in early childhood with a special education endorsement for preschool.

Over the past 33 years, Howell has discovered that she loves teaching special education. She cares deeply for every student she encounters, and she works hard to give them the individualized support they need to succeed.

Because she works with them for two years, she gets a front-row seat to how they grow and change over time. She finds it deeply fulfilling to watch their personalities develop into empowered, engaged young students.

While Howell loves every day she spends in the classroom, she also has a vibrant life outside of school. She enjoys going to the movies with her family and taking her grandchildren to the park. In her free time, she spends time with friends, gardens and reads.

As Howell plans to begin her 34th year of teaching next year, she looks forward to another opportunity to nurture and educate her students.

“I truly love working with unique children,” Howell added. “We become like a family in our room.”

Thank you to Mrs. Howell for the work you do as a teacher!

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