Bobbi Pinkard loves teaching at Pinetta Elementary

Bobbi Pinkard is from Pinetta, Fl. and is a second grade teacher at Pinetta Elementary. She is the daughter of Patsy and Harry Crafton. Pinkard attended NFCC after high school, where she earned her Associates' degree and then received her Bachelor's degree in elementary education at the University of West Florida. “I love being back in Madison County and teaching at the same school I went to from kindergarten through fifth grade,” said Pinkard. Despite where she is now, Pinkard recalls that she didn't plan on being a teacher at first. “I spent my whole life believing I wanted to be in the medical field. I studied on medical practices, participated in the SSTRIDE program, etc.,” said Pinkard. “However, near the end of high school I realized it wasn't the profession of medicine I was interested in, it was the constant need to learn something new. In essence, I thought and still think of myself as a lifelong learner. What I really loved was going to school, doing projects and reading,” said Pinkard. “When I thought more on the issue it made sense to simply continue to do that and facilitate a love of learning in more children.” She loves every minute of teaching and likes to see her students have fun while still learning. “We read novels, have open classroom discussions and debates, create art projects, that always link to the standards of course, and in general have fun while still learning,” said Pinkard. “For example, we just finished a unit on rocks and soil. To wrap up the unit, my students were given a block of clay and taught the principles of ceramics and how the wet clay turns in a useful stoneware pot. It was hands-on, related to our science lesson, gave them the experience of clay, and also introduced them to a new form of art.” Pinkard's main goal for her class is to build a love for learning for her students. She believes the process of learning shouldn't be tedious, but more like a hands-on experience where students can absorb new knowledge while using prior learned skills. She especially puts a huge emphasis on the importance of reading, and in her classroom, she spends a lot of time finding the perfect reading material that will fit a particular child's reading level. She wants to open the world of reading to each and every one of her students. Pinkard is very excited to be back home in Madison County and feels good about teaching at Pinetta Elementary. “Knowing that Pinetta and the teachers there inspired me to become a lifelong learner, now I am ready to give back to the school and community and teach out next generation not only to learn but to love learning,” said Pinkard. Outside of work, Pinkard loves to read, play the flute, saxophone and take open studio ceramics classes at Valdosta Anette Howell Turner Center of the Arts. She has been married to her husband, Andrew, since 2011 and together they have a two-year-old son named Gavin, who is the light of their lives.