Teacher Feature - Dana Sanders

Dana Sanders
Fifth Grade Teacher
Greathouse Shryock Elementary School

Dana, who has been teaching for 16 years, is a fifth-grade teacher at Greathouse Shryock Elementary School in Jefferson County. The teacher, whose homey classroom is themed with turtles, says her goal is to treat her classroom and students like one big family. “We may not always get along, but we always protect each other,” she tells her students. “We never say that we ‘can’t’ do something. We figure out how we can.”



The former social worker says she uses humor in her classroom. “I’m probably the most untraditional traditional school teacher,” she says. Dana also likes to read books that are at her students‘ levels. “I try to absorb children’s literature so I can be a good advocate for what the students would like. Right now I’m in the middle of about six books.”

Outside of teaching, Dana enjoys singing and spending time with her family. She is also very involved in her church and would love to learn to play the piano. “I was originally going to be a songwriter,” she says. “My hope is that next year, we could get a Glee club [at Greathouse].”

Dana has won several awards for her efforts in teaching, including the Superintendent’s Medallion and the 2012 Excel award for Jefferson County.

To nominate a teacher for a Today's Family Teacher Feature Award sponsored by Metro United Way, click here.