<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1qoqgC_1FIFCXrV00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1qoqgC_1FIFCXrV00" width="1600" height="900" ><figcaption>Rita Clouse, a special education teacher at South Gibson County Elementary School, has been named this week’s Educator of the Week, an award sponsored by the Tennessee Education Lottery. (WBBJ)</figcaption></figure><p>GIBSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WBBJ) - Rita Clouse, a special education teacher at South Gibson County Elementary School, has been named this week’s Educator of the Week, an award sponsored by the Tennessee Education Lottery.</p><p>Clouse has taught for six years.</p><h2>A career that started later in life</h2><p>“I’m trying not to cry. It’s exciting. It’s validating. It’s all the things,” Clouse said.</p><p>Clouse said she came to teaching later than most.</p><p>“I actually have only been teaching for six years. I got started late in life before I realized what exactly I wanted to do. But I’ve always been with kids since the time I was 16 in some way, shape, or form,” Clouse said.</p><h2>Welcome to “the headquarters”</h2><p>Clouse said what she loves most about teaching is watching her students work toward their own unique goals.</p><p>“I think the thing I love most about teaching you is all of my students have such unique needs. And when we meet a goal, we celebrate. We call my room the headquarters because we have lots of important things that are happening in here,” Clouse said.</p><p>Clouse shared one moment that stuck with her.</p><p>“I had one little guy that, I mean, we tried every day, Rita, Rita, and he finally just all of a sudden one day I wasn’t paying attention and I heard it and I was like, oh my gosh! Like that was just breaking news to me. We told everybody,” Clouse said.</p><p>Clouse said seeing her students succeed outside her classroom is one of the most rewarding parts of her job.</p><p>“I think for my class, they know and we’re learning how to interact. I mean, sometimes we go into a different classroom activity and my students know exactly what to do because we work on it here. So I think watching them be successful in other settings is amazing to watch. I mean, you just have to kind of, you just have to see it. It’s so little, but it’s a big, huge deal for us,” Clouse said.</p><h2>Advice for future teachers</h2><p>Clouse said she often hears discouraging comments about the profession, but believes the hard days are outweighed by the good ones.</p><p>“I think everyone is quick to just say, oh, don’t do it, don’t do it and try to be funny. I think you have to go into it understanding that there’s going to be hard days, but those days are few and far between in the grand scheme of things. I think teachers are called to be where they’re supposed to be, but those kids need you as much as you need them,” Clouse said.</p><p>Clouse said she hopes her students remember how loved they were in her classroom.</p><p>“So I hope they leave here knowing how loved they were and how much joy they brought me and that I’m always here and that I just hope they do great things,” Clouse said.</p><h2>Tailoring lessons to unique needs</h2><p>Clouse said every lesson is built around the idea that each student learns differently.</p><p>“In our classroom, everyone learns at their own pace, but they know that it’s okay to make mistakes and we don’t make a big deal about it. My goal for them is I’m trying to see how independent and successful they can be. Everyone can be that. We just got to find what’s our limit. Where are we at with that? And then we just push a little bit more,” Clouse said.</p><h2>How to vote and nominate</h2><p>Clouse is now eligible for the Tennessee Education Lottery Educator of the Month award. To vote for Clouse or any other nominees, visit the Tennessee Education Lottery website.</p><p>To nominate an educator and review the official rules, visit wbbjtv.com/educator.</p></div></body>

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GIBSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WBBJ) - Rita Clouse, a special education teacher at South Gibson County Elementary School, has been named this week’s Educator of the Week, an award sponsored by the Tennessee Education Lottery. Clouse has taught for six years. A career that started later in life. “I’m trying...

Educator of the Week: Rita Clouse

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GIBSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WBBJ) - Rita Clouse, a special education teacher at South Gibson County Elementary School, has been named this week’s Educator of the

Educator of the Week: Rita Clouse

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