Henrico's Top Teachers – LeighAnne Dix

LeighAnne Dix still remembers the feelings of comfort and love she experienced in her kindergarten classroom in upstate New York, where Mrs. Avery nurtured every student with care.

It not only helped Dix begin her education on a positive note, it inspired her to become a teacher, too.

“She spent extra time on kids,” Dix recalled. “You were never nervous to walk into her classroom, never scared to tell her anything, bad or good. I felt very loved in her class.”

Today, Dix employs a similar approach in her own first-grade classroom at Longan Elementary, where she teaches a cluster of students for whom English is a second language. The warmth and fun of Dix’s approach is evident.

“A lot of times, the principal just walks in and says, ‘This is my happy place,’” said Dix, whose 17-year teaching career has included the past 14 at Longan.

Dix didn’t have any formal training in working with non-native speakers but fell into the role several years ago and has developed a passion for it. She took courses to become certified as a lead ESL cluster teacher and plans to earn her ESL endorsement so that she can become solely an ESL teacher, overseeing an entire school of ESL students.

A colleague who has observed Dix’s approach and the students she works with is awed by her.

“The first thing she does is make that student – new to a country, not speaking the language or knowing anyone – feel safe, comfortable, and loved,” the colleague wrote. “She builds their confidence on a daily basis. It is amazing to compare that student from the first day entering Mrs. Dix’s classroom to the day they leave for the summer! Most of the time, they are communicating in complete sentences and have made many friends.”

To communicate with students early in the year, Dix relies upon the use of visuals, body language and a lot of smiles. After a few weeks, she joked, “I can say hello in a lot of different languages.”

Dix knows that establishing a strong foundation for future education is critical in first grade – and more so for children who are just learning to read and speak English.

Her goal for them by the end of the school year is simple.

“To love school,” she said. “I want them to read, write and make complete sentences. But my hope is that they love school and want to keep coming.”

Middle school ESL teachers have told Dix that a common problem some ESL students face there is that if school becomes too difficult or challenging, they simply stop coming. She’s determined not to let that happen to her students – and it shows.

“Students, parents, and staff love Mrs. Dix,” her colleague wrote. “She is that teacher that puts her heart and soul into what she does every day.

“One question I always ask myself is, “Would I want my child in this teacher’s classroom?” The answer to that question about LeighAnne Dix is YES. Any child that has the opportunity to have Mrs. Dix as their teacher is a lucky child.”