Teacher Spotlight: Meet Allyson Kingly, Middle School math teacher

Teacher spotlight artwork

Allyson KinglyMeet Allyson Kingly, who teaches math at Minisink Valley Middle School!

What’s your favorite aspect of your job?

Math is a universal language, therefore, teaching something that you need to understand and apply no matter where you go, who you meet or what you become, gives me such a purpose. Watching those “click” moments firsthand when a student finally gets a concept is such an amazing thing to see. 7th grade is such a turning point for students as well because it really is a transitional period in which they go from kids to teenagers and their perspectives begin to change. Every year I say to my students that I not only want them to walk away from my class knowing the curriculum, but also walk away with stronger critical thinking skills that they can apply outside the classroom.

Why do you believe in and support the work of the Minisink Valley School District and what it does for the community?

I grew up about 30 minutes away in a neighboring town, and up until the time I started to teach here, I wasn’t very familiar with the culture of the Minisink community. What I have learned in my 6 years here is that there is a great sense of community here and that everyone’s goal is to continue to make this a better place to work, to learn and to live. Whether its a sporting event, a fundraiser, or a family in need, everyone seems to rally together to try to make the impossible possible. I see these values instilled in each of the students that walk through my classroom door and know that as they grow, they will continue to carry on and embrace these philosophies.

How has this pandemic refocused the work you do every day?

No one was prepared for the hardships we all have endured over the last year, and as a teacher, I had to completely change my approach on teaching. After teaching for 10 years, I needed to refine my craft and adjust my perspective in order to better suit the learning needs of my students while balancing the obstacles of remote teaching. It hasn’t been easy, but each and every day, we learn something new and are able to provide better instruction to our students. What I have learned is that these kids need school now more than ever and my goal everyday is to provide as much “normalcy” as possible even if it comes from a computer screen.

What do you want to say directly to the community about the importance of your work?

I would like to thank the community for the continued support and would want them to know that we all have one common goal and that is to provide the best education we can for their children.  These times are far from ideal, but every obstacle we manage to overcome makes us as teachers and our students even more resilient. When we finally are able to return to a more traditional setting of education, we will be able to use the skills we have learned in the last year to make our time in the classroom even more effective.