ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — Teacher Feature is sponsored by Kogan & DiSalvo.

CBS12 News next “Teacher Feature” was one of ‘Teacher of the Year’ zone finalist for St. Lucie Public Schools.

Cassie Migliore teaches 1st grade at Palm Pointe Elementary School in Tradition. She has been a teacher for 15 years and plays a pivotal role in shaping these young students’ lives.

“First grade is the best grade, and I say that with my whole entire heart. It is that age where they make gains academically, developmentally, physically, mentally, and their range of what they can do from the beginning of the to the end of the year is leaps and bounds. And being able to witness that and be a part of that is just extraordinary,” said Mrs. Migliore.

Teaching the babies of the school also comes with a lot of patience and activities that Migliore says she incorporates in her daily teaching.

“Yeah, at this age, you definitely have to keep them engaged. So, we get up, we pair-share. We walk around the room. We do center stations, sing songs, gestures, movements, anything that captures their attention, their imagination, and then they can actually use it later on. Is definitely beneficial,” said Mrs. Migliore.

Migliore says small group work is also important for this age range.

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“At this age. I mean, they learn from me, but then when they can learn from each other, they can talk. They can express themselves. They can explain, you know, what they’re doing and why they’re doing if they can do that to somebody else, and they can show it on a test or an assessment. So, it’s super important,” said Mrs. Migliore.

Migliore says she gets emotional talking about her students.

“(It’s) the fact that we are together more so than we are apart. If we really think about those awake hours, I am with them, and they’re with me,” said Mrs. Migliore. “So, like I said, kind of before we are a family, and it’s a bond that you don’t understand unless you’re a teacher. So, when you try to explain it to different people, it, they get it, but you, I mean, you just don’t, unless you’re in our shoes, and it is. It’s the biggest lifelong journey and lesson and mission to be a teacher. It’s amazing.”

Mrs. Migliore’s talents led to her being one of the ‘Teachers of the Year’ zone finalists for the school district. She says she’s humble for the nomination and she wouldn’t be where she is today without learning from other great teachers within the district.