5 Questions with Ms. Bento

Kelley Bento, third grade teacher
Bento received the 2011 Teacher of the Year award for Canyon Vista.

School:

Years at current school/district: Bento has been a teacher at Canyon Vista since the campus opened in 2004 and a teacher within the for 19 years.

Favorite memory from teaching career:
Bento said she has fond memories of a particular student who just needed someone to listen to him. He had troubles with past teachers and classes, so Bento spent extra time with him talking, encouraging and playing a few games of basketball.

“I didn’t give up on him and he didn’t give up on me either,” Bento said.

Bento said she sees the student’s mom from time to time. Each time she runs to Bento thanking her for being the best teacher her son has ever had.

Teaching hardships:
The hardest thing to see as a teacher, Bento said is a student who doesn’t have enough food. Bento said she usually has at least one student every year who isn’t getting the food or help with homework they need. Bento said she makes modifications to homework assignments when she knows a student doesn’t have a parent available to help them. For example, if a parent works at night and can’t do spelling quizzes with their children, Bento asks the student to write out a word multiple times to learn it.

“A broken home just breaks my heart,” she said.

Bento said there are other hardships like a lack of supplies in the classroom, but that is something she can fix.

“But how do you change someone’s environment?” she said.

What makes Ms. Bento’s class unique?
Bento likes her students to have a sense of ownership in the classroom. They have a democracy system in place and often vote on important decisions—like how to use the classroom points they earn. Ice cream party? Longer recess? Homework pass? The students will decide.

What was Ms. Bento's favorite subject when she was in school?
Language arts and reading were Bento’s favorite subjects in school.

“Stories can take you anywhere,” she said.

What are Ms. Bento's hobbies?
Bento said she enjoys working out, reading, scrapbooking and camping with her family. Although no official plans have been made, Bento hopes the family will travel to Yosemite this summer.

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