Ashley McGhaw’s favorite activity is eagle watching. But you won’t find her along the Mississippi River in the dead of winter seeking out the majestic birds.
McGhaw’s idea of eagle watching is her young students grow and reach new heights in her classroom.
“As educators, it is time to motivate students to become eagles, to spread their wings and soar to superior heights,” said McGhaw, one of the recipients of the St. Louis American Foundation Excellence in Education Award.
“Children are too involved in mirroring their peers. Today, they are raised with information at their fingertips. No effort is required to obtain vast quantities of information. Therefore, children lack the abilities to research and process information learned. Once children grasp these concepts, they are able to spread wings and soar like eagles.”
McGhaw is in her first year teaching fourth grade at North Glendale Elementary School in the Kirkwood School District. She began her teaching career at Imagine Academy of Environmental Science and Math in St. Louis.
For the past six years, McGhaw has taught in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. She spent her first two years working at the Mark Twain Student Support Center and then taught both fifth and sixth grade at Johnson Wabash Elementary School. This past summer, she served as program manager for the Inroads Summer Agriculture Institute sponsored by Monsanto.
“Ashley is the type of teacher who also teaches outside the classroom. She is concerned about the holistic development of her students. She goes above and beyond the call of duty,” said Vanessa Howard, McGhaw’s instructional specialist for three years at Johnson Wabash Elementary.
“Ashley attends her students’ sports events and she will visit students if they are in the hospital. Ashley is a great encourager and champion for her students. If a student is absent, she will check on their families to make sure they were OK. Ashley is a very creative teacher and she thinks outside of the box to make sure that she reaches all of her students”
Born and raised in St. Louis, the Hazelwood Central High School graduate earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education with an emphasis in mathematics from Harris-Stowe State University. She also holds a master’s degree in technology of education from Lindenwood University.
The youngest of three children, McGhaw knew from an early age that she would become a teacher. One of McGhaw’s favorite quotes is from Clair Aumonier, who wrote, “Education comes from living life, following passions, accessing information, observing, reflecting and being inspired by wise and courageous elders in the community.”
“I have known for a long time that my calling and passion was to be a teacher,” McGhaw said. “I have spent many years working with children. I completed co-op in high school, and spent half the day reading and working with students at Cold Water Elementary School. I decided to stay in the St. Louis region and give back. My parents (Beacher and Alicia Buchanan) and family, and especially my husband David, completely support me and are very proud of my accomplishments thus far.”
According to McGhaw, teachers are challenged to recreate education for a better future by producing more creative, productive citizens for society. As educators continue to reinforce education and its benefits, she says, children will then be better prepared for the future.
Many youngsters today do not always have that strong family support system. Family traditions such as eating home-cooked meals together, spending time together, and public transportation today are being lost.
“Families are not eating dinner at the same time due to the fact that everyone is busy and the parents don’t have time to spend with their children,” McGhaw noted.
“Parents are not aware of who their children are, or the activities that may interest them. Most of the kids today are eating fast food on the go or microwavable dinners that are high in sodium and empty calories. Students are not required to walk far to a bus stop. Most have to wait outside their home or their parents drive them to school. Teachers need to reinforce the importance of education, to instill societal values or to support values received from the family. Well-qualified teachers are necessary because education is more than the confines of the classroom. It is experiential and multidirectional.”
Education, McGhaw notes, helps students learn the positives and negatives of life, how to apply for colleges, jobs, scholarships, and much more.
And learning never stops. A true lifelong learner, McGhaw also continues to pursue professional development opportunities.
“Education is something that develops over years and continues throughout our lives,” she said. “In today’s society, students need to obtain a degree higher than a bachelor’s degree to remain successful and competitive. Education provides a foundation that can be or may be expanded throughout life.”
