JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Terra Misener’s father was a teacher, and she remembers being in that classroom before and after school, seeing firsthand the impact teachers have on students.

Misener was a student at Greeneville High School and that’s when she knew she wanted to be a teacher. After graduating from ETSU, Misener began teaching Kindergarten at North Side Elementary School in 2006 and she’s been shaping her young students’ educational journey ever since.

“I love to open up their eyes and their world to see what they can learn and what they can do on their own,” said Misener.

It’s not an easy task when many of her students are coming to class for the first time but Misener handles it all with relative ease.

“[The students] come to us with so many backgrounds and experiences and to be able to take all those experiences and put them together and create a plan that works for them that helps them learn. That’s what makes kindergarten unique.”

Misener’s consistency is the key. 16 years at the same school, teaching the same grade level gives her a firm foundation to lead her young students.

“It really helps you understand how to help the students the best that you can and how you serve the families in turn when they are trying to help their students.”

Understanding that will stay with her students long after they leave her classroom.

“There are so many students skills that are taught and leadership skills that are taught that allow for students to be successful later on,” said North Side Principal, Dr. Allecia Frezzell.

Even later after the students are long gone, they return to say thank you for their time spent in her classroom.

“That’s always a wonderful thing for me when they come back and they are bigger than me. To hear their stories in what they are doing now and what they are doing with their lives, that’s why I do what I do,” said Misener.

“I love to teach especially the little ones because they come to us from such different backgrounds and with such different skill sets and I love to open up their eyes and their world to see what they can learn and what they can do on their own,” said Misener. “That’s such a rewarding part of this job is to help them discover themselves and what they can do and that they can be successful.

Congratulations to this week’s Educator of the Week, Terra Misener.

To nominate an educator, click here.