Student Author: Amanda A.
Mrs. Amanda Hamilton is a native of Putnam County and has been teaching at Putnam County R-1 Schools for 8 years. She is currently teaching first grade and works in the same building as her very own 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Angie O’Reilly.
She is married to Stacy Hamilton, whom she has been married to for almost 10 years and together they have three children: 9-year-old Avery, 6-year-old Easton, and 1-year-old Evett. Growing up, Amanda went back and forth between her parents and stepparents’ houses. She has two brothers (one older and one younger) and one sister. Amanda’s family lived on a farm when she was growing up and she is giving her children that same opportunity.
Surprisingly, Amanda didn’t want to go into teaching at first. While in college, she took multiple aptitude tests and they all said she should work with computers and numbers, so she chose Accounting as her career. She received her Business Management degree at Northwest University in Maryville, MO. She substitute taught at Putnam County and realized that she loved working with kids.
She then went to Graceland University and took night classes in Centerville, IA to get her Elementary Education degree. Later, Mrs. Hamilton took online classes through William Woods, where she then got her Master’s degree.
When asked why she chose elementary instead of junior high or high school, Amanda said that she didn’t want to deal with the drama and grown up decisions that teenagers deal with. Elementary students are excited and they unconditionally love you. They hug you all the time and are so excited to learn.
When asked what advice she had for students wanting to go into the Education field, she said “Consider the reasons why you chose that career. It’s a career that you can easily get burnt out with.”
Amanda said that she would not change anything even if she had the chance to go back in time. Five years from now, she sees herself still teaching in Putnam County with a growing family and farm. Avery will be 14, Easton will be 11, and Evett will be 6. Ten years from now, Amanda will hit the 18-year mark of teaching. Avery will be graduating, and with her oldest out of the house, she will be a “hot mess and emotional wreck”.
Outside of teaching, Amanda enjoys baking, cooking, gardening, and crafting whenever she can find the time. Thank you, Mrs. Hamilton, for everything you do for the students and staff here at Putnam County R-1 schools!
Info credit: Amanda Hamilton, interview, 8 November 2019
Comments