By Ed Simmons, Jr.
cpreporter@verizon.net
"I was one of those kids the teachers did not believe in. I didn't have hope," said social studies teacher Cindy Honeycutt, growing teary eyed.
But her fellow teachers at Caroline Middle School felt and acted much differently. They elected her the school's "Teacher of the Year."
Then a panel of last year's Teachers of the Year interviewed her and reviewed her portfolio. They named her Teacher of the Year for all Caroline County.
"I did have one teacher who believed in me," she said.
With the award came a check from Century 21 Classic Real Estate for $500. She spent $200 of that on a pizza party for her students – 30 pizzas for 115 kids.
"I'm very passionate about what I do and passionate about my students," she said.
"I teach my students to self-reflect and evaluate themselves. It gives them the power to decide if what they've done is their best. Self-impowerment is a very powerful tool in education."
She speaks highly of Chick Moorman's book "The Spirit Whisperer" which tells how the teacher can speak to and teach the student's spirit. "All teachers should read it," said Honeycutt, who intends to review the book for The Caroline Progress.
"I train the children in life lessons without bringing our morals into it."
She said that when there are problems in classroom, she doesn't write referrals to the principal. Instead she works with the students, coaching them through their problems, and they have to get three strikes before she'll call home. "When they make a mistake, I tell them that was a poor choice in behavior," she said.
Honeycutt credits Superintendent Stanley Jones, when he was middle school principal, for teaching her to love the child and discipline the behavior.
"I'm tough in the classroom, but I'm a big teddy bear inside."
She said her classroom has become a gathering place for other teachers, many bringing their classroom problems to her for ideas. "I try to be as positive as I can and try to find answers for them," she said.
Her husband, George Honeycutt, is also well-liked by Caroline teachers and students. He's the deputy working in the schools for D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education).
She attributes much of her success with the good rapport he has with the students. "They come to him with their problems. He's a great support system."
First meeting when they played volleyball together, they've been married 16 years and have four sons – Wesley, Mathew, Jonathan and Solon. They live in Lake Caroline and like to ride four-wheelers and dirt bikes. She's also an avid swimmer.
"I keep in contact with all my students," said Cindy. "They share with me what they're doing in their lives and I tell them if what they're doing makes them happy, then I'm happy for them.
"They don't have to have a college education for me to be proud of them."
Teachers of the Year
Kathleen Loveless
Alane Herbert
Ladysmith Primary
Deborah Ernst
Bowling Green Elementary
Joan Dudley
Ladysmith Elementary
Cynthia Honeycutt
Caroline Middle School
Caroline County Teacher of the Year
Kent Flippen
Caroline High School