DawnAnn Bullough – Wasatch Elementary School

I hear people every day saying Mrs. Bullough is the best teacher they have ever met. She has been a dear friend in the past but this year became the best teacher and hero to us and our daughter.

Last year our daughter had some very unfortunate events happen to her in her 3rd grade class. The teacher was unkind, disrepectful, and frightening to my daughter to the point she refused to go to school and developed severe separation anxiety. I tried many ways to get her to go to school and one was a meeting with the school psycologist. He tried to “cure” her in one sitting and held her down in a room. This just aggravated the anxiety to the point I ended up home schooling her for 3 months.

She is a very bright, talented energetic girl and is an extrovert with many friends, so she missed school and the social aspect of it. So through the summer I researched many of the schools in our area and took her to meet with several teachers. None worked out so I thought we would have to home school again. Then I remembered a friend who I hadn’t talked to in years, who is an elementary teacher but in the city 25 miles from our home. (We’re in Sandy, she’s in SLC)but I thought I would try anything. I gave her a call and normally she would be teaching 5th or 6th grade but was assigned to to 4th grade for 2007-2008! I told her the situation and she immediately wanted to help our daughter out and was very confident she could. School had been in session for a week but when we walked into her classroom my daughter felt immediately at home and comfortable. Mrs Bullough’s warm, friendly, confident personality attracted Eden, our daughter at once. But the classroom was absolutely extraordinary and also attracted Eden. It is a feast for curiosity. Animals to learn about with names of endearment and an incentive each day to hold and care for them. A reading corner with hand made bean bag chairs and nick nacks that are endless to explore along with hundreds of books and a fake tree (you feel like you’re in a tree house). The school also offers daily extra curricular activities such as drama, music, PE, dance, art etc. When we walked in they were testing the children for ELP(Extended Learning for gifted children) which Dawn Ann helped Eden feel comfortable enough to take the test and she ended up in that program.
Eden agreed to give it a try but was still quite anxious about me leaving and trusting a teacher again. So we both went to 4th grade and Dawn Ann made both of us feel right at home.

As Eden began to be more comfortable and ok with me leaving…I didn’t want to! Mrs. Bullough was an exrtaordinary teacher. The list of exemplary teaching methods are too numerous to list but a few included; singing, dancing and acting(instead of yelling)when class needed to pay attention or just to teach certain concepts. Activities for those who needed to move (ADD tendency kids.) The whole day was planned and filled with fun and excitment. There was never a dull moment or bordom! All questions were taken seriously and discussed. Ultimate patience and a cheery attitude filled with excitement illuminated this classroom.

Our daughter has more confidence in school now that will carry her through life. She has completely overcome the anxiety and can’t wait to return to Wasatch next year where Mrs. Bullough has decided to move her talents to the Libray where, in my opinion, she can touch every child in the school with her gift for reaching deep into the child and lifting them to the heights of a DESIRE to learn and explore.

It is evident she is truly a rare and gifted teacher…every child or parent who has had contact with her come back into her classroom whenever in the school or the children at the end of the day, just to absorb her love and be a part of the exciting atmosphere and environment she had created.

When one tries to compliment her, she is very modest and turns the compliment into how grateful SHE is to know you or your child.
Mrs. “B” (she loves and teaches with BEES) is truly extraordinary!!