Donelson Elementary teacher Katherine Perry closes her eyes as she begins to remember the story she tells of her grandmother entering America through Ellis Island in 1923. This closeness is what drives her to be an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher. “In the general ed classroom, I had a lot of students who were second language learners. I felt drawn to them, mostly because my own grandmother’s experience.”

Katherine Perry, the new English as a Second Language teacher at Donelson Elementary, has a connection like no other to her students. “So I try to advocate on their behalf, awesome, especially sometimes their parents maybe because of the language barrier are not able to do as much as some of our other parents. And so I tried to, you know, encourage them, advocate for them, and hold them accountable.“ When students come in to Mrs. Perry’s class, they know it’s time to work. “I think most people don’t realize that somebody who’s learning a second language, at the same time that they’re learning the content and are actually doing twice the work.” Mrs. Perry truly wants her students to succeed in learning English, but also academically in other subjects and socially.  “I know what a difference ESL classes can make in a person’s life and what a difference immigrants make in our lives. back then there was no ESL, you just you had to survive. And she learned from friends and family members who had come ahead of her. So I think I feel kind of drawn to that immigrant experience.”

What stands out most about meeting Katherine Perry, is the amount of passion she pours into her students and her subject. “I want them to be excellent contributors to our society – to their new society. I want them to be productive and be happy.”

Katherine Perry comes from a background like many of her students. She was a military child and traveled until she was 12 when her family finally relocated to West Tennessee. Katherine Perry got her Bachelor’s degree at The University of Memphis, then furthered her education with a Master’s Degree  fromUnion University. When Mrs. Perry’s children were in school, she started to work in public relations for legacy Shelby County Schools, and she developed a love for the school atmosphere. School is where she belongs and thrives. Once she realized her passion for teaching English as a Second Language, she received an “add-on” certification from The University of Memphis.

Donelson Elementary is home to many students who speak languages other than English, as well as military families who relocate here with young children, some of whom may need these services. “Around 5% of students qualify for ESL services at Donelson Elementary.”

Using the goals outlined by Donelson Elementary “Prepare students to become well-rounded individuals, capable of making productive contributions in our society”, Perry works very hard to make sure that all students feel educated, involved, and appreciated for their individual differences.