POST FALLS — A kindergarten classroom can get a bit crazy — it’s even expected.

But when Treaty Rock Elementary School Principal Katrina Kramer pokes her head into Becky Thompson’s classroom, it’s almost always calm, orderly and collaborative.

“Even her kinders know a strong routine and help each other,” Kramer said. “The communication, the way they talk to each other is at a very high level.”

After a lesson, the five- and six-year-olds circle up and reflect on the content.

“How did you become a better reader?” Thompson might ask.

“She just waits and lets them think,” Kramer said.

The students use hand signals to show they’re ready for a discussion. Thompson calls on the first student.

“She never calls on another kid,” Kramer said. “They just call on each other.”

Kramer said establishing those expectations early helps set students up for success.

Thompson, 42, always wanted to be a teacher.

She grew up in the Post Falls area and attended North Idaho College before transferring to Texas State University. She taught and lived in Texas for years before moving back to Post Falls in 2020.

While she has taught a few other grades, kindergarten is “where my heart is,” Thompson said. “I love just getting to be a part of such a big year for families, especially if it’s their first child.”

Kindergarten is a year of figuring out what works for each student with the goal to “instill a love for learning,” she said.

It takes a special person to teach the grade, Thompson admitted.

“You have to appreciate where they are developmentally,” she said. “It’s so much more than learning their letters and sounds and numbers and learning how to count.”

Many kindergarteners don’t know how to listen to instructions or to persevere when things get hard. They need to be taught how to interact and cooperate with other students, Thompson said. She teaches lessons on basics like when it’s a good time to ask to go to the bathroom or how to wait their turn to speak.

Thompson said her students are learning important social skills alongside academics.

Thompson said Idaho kindergartners come to school with a wider range of skills than students in Texas, where more children have access to public preschool.

There are some students who don’t know what a letter is and have never interacted with peers. Others can spell their names and have two years of preschool experience.

Thompson recalls a recent student who didn’t know her ABCs.

“She had two ls in the middle of her name, and she said, ‘I have two sticks in my name,'” Thompson said. “It was all just so new to her.”

By the end of the year, with some targeted interventions, “She was one of my highest readers,” Thompson said.

Thompson spends most of her time off work outside, running, hiking and skiing.

Her favorite indoor hobby is reading. She reads a couple of classics every year, but there’s “a little bit of everything” on her shelf. She still reads chapter books with her own fifth grader, and the pair are historical fiction fans.

Thompson’s favorite book to read to her students right now is “Our Class is a Family” by Shannon Olsen and Sandie Sonke. The book is about respect and kindness. It helps students transition from home to school and starts conversations about social skills, she said.

Another favorite part of the early school year for Thompson is ABC Bootcamp, where students learn letters and sounds. They then decorate vests with their chosen letter and sound and parade around the school. That’s often when Thompson sees scared students transform into confident learners.

That growth keeps Thompson coming back year after year.

Teacher Feature highlights the diversity, expertise and ingenuity of educators across the state. Submit your suggestions for a teacher to feature to Emma Epperly at emma@idahoednews.org.