Bridgeway Academy Teacher Spotlight: Kimberly Bennett

At Bridgeway Academy, we consider teachers to be heroes, whether it’s you as a parent homeschooling your child or one of our amazing instructors. Every day, teachers passionately take on the responsibility of educating, supporting, shaping, inspiring, comforting, rooting on, and pushing students to be their best selves.

Teachers deserve all the recognition we can bestow upon them, and every so often we’ll be spotlighting one of the wonderful instructors in this blog. First up is Kimberly Bennett, our Live Online Lead Teacher. I spent some time chatting with Kimberly so you can get to know her a little bit better.

Bridgeway Academy: Can you share a little bit about your experience as a teacher?

Kimberly Bennett: This year, I’ll have been teaching for 25 years! I started my teaching career in Memphis City Schools and taught in Jackson, Tennessee, as well. From there, I gained my Master’s degree in Educational Technology in 2007.

BA: What brought you to Bridgeway?

KB: I pursued my graduate degree in Educational Technology because I was interested in teaching online. When my family moved back to the mid-South in 2012, instead of going back to a brick-and-mortar classroom, I decided to make use of my degree and search for online teaching jobs. I came across Bridgeway in 2016 and started then.

BA: What makes Bridgeway special for both teachers and students?

KB: The love. Advisors, students, teachers, and administration all show love for one another. We focus on the individual and how we can help them become successful in the now and in the future. That makes it special for everyone involved.

BA: As a teacher of Live Online Classes, what do you enjoy about teaching them? And what makes our LOCs such a great experience for students?

KB: As a Lead Teacher, I get to teach other teachers and parents as well as the students. The greatest gift any teacher can get is to watch learners bloom. I love seeing people grow and become more completely them.

BA: What favorite “moment” or memory stands out during your time with Bridgeway?

KB: Last year, I had a student who just wouldn’t participate in class. She would only communicate by messaging me, and she never wanted to turn her camera on. This year, in the first class, this same student turned and kept her camera on and spoke up to help another student. Instead of staying hidden in the shadows, she shone her light for us all to see. She became a leader.

BA: At the end of the day, what do you hope your students take from your class?

KB: I hope that students leave my class secure in the knowledge that there is someone who will always care about them, root for them, and expect the best from them. I also hope that they take some curiosity about whatever subject I am teaching and learn to apply it in their lives.

BA: Many people–teachers, advisors, students, and parents–express how it feels like they’re all part of a larger Bridgeway “family.” What do you think contributes to that sense of community?

KB: Bridgeway absolutely is a community. We talk to one another across the miles and continents and oceans. We celebrate happy events and empathize with sad ones together. We support one another in internal and external endeavors. And we do the same things with the families we serve.

BA: What advice would you give to families who are considering choosing Bridgeway as their homeschool partner?

KB: Our Live Online Classes are a difference-maker. Within the Live Online Classes, teachers, parents, and students are all partners in ensuring the student achieves his or her personal best in learning. Our Live Online Classes are staffed with teachers who love students and learning. We specialize in exciting and engaging learning experiences to help students attain and retain key information and practice critical-thinking skills. A Live Online Class is the closest thing to a brick-and-mortar classroom you can have from your very own house.

Thanks to Kimberly for taking the time to chat–and a big shout-out to all of Bridgeway Academy’s incredible teachers for leading and inspiring our students. Bridgeway offers a high-quality education in a variety of forms–online, textbook, self-paced, and (as Kimberly mentioned…and teaches!) live classes, as well as the flexibility you’re looking for. Call us today at (800) 863-1474 to learn more and see why so many families trust Bridgeway Academy with their child’s education.