Story by Kaden Bessent
Kim Harvey will begin her 20th year as a teacher in August. After coaching at Brownwood Middle School for nine years, Harvey has since been at East Elementary. This coming school year she will be teaching at East in the morning and Coggin Elementary in the afternoons to teach Physical Education.
Harvey said becoming a teacher wasn’t part of her plan. “Honestly, I never thought about becoming a teacher, but God had another plan for me and I’m so grateful He did. Growing up I wanted to be a physical therapist. Even in college God was directing me into another path. I received my BA in psychology with an exercise sports science minor. At Tarleton, I was informed by a professor of a new area of study, physiotherapy. I began studying in the program which helped individuals with mobility impairments with their fitness levels. It was eye opening for me to see them persevere even when they had been through so much. Unfortunately, after college there weren’t many openings in this field. My psychology background led me to a caseworker and then recreation director positions for Ron Jackson State Juvenile Corrections Complex. It was there when the state changed my job description to now include physical education. That was the start of my education path.”
As a kid, Harvey started at Midland Greenwood before moving to Austin where she attended Sunset Valley Elementary. In second grade, her family moved to Brownwood and that’s where she stayed. She received her Bachelors at Texas Tech University and a Masters Degree at Tarleton State University. When Ron Jackson required Harvey to gain her teaching certification, she received it from Howard Payne University.
Regarding teachers that had an influence on her life, Harvey said, “In 5th grade, Mrs. Jospehine McCan displayed a love for all of her students. She had a way to challenge each one of us to do our very best. Mrs. McHan knew my family since she had taught my mom and aunt. We always had a good laugh when she would call me their names before she said mine. I remember she had the best hugs. I had Mrs. Doris Pairish at Central Sixth. She made students feel loved and welcomed in her classroom. I remember struggling on things and she was so patient, compassionate, and would encourage me to keep trying. She always believed in me which helped me believe in myself. My senior year, I had Mr. Bennett Ragsdale for physics and Mrs. Frances Stovall for English IV. Both classes challenged me and to be honest taught me to keep persevering until I understood. I remember going during lunch and Mr. Ragsdale would help me with physics problems. One day the light bulb turned on in my head. I finally understood. To have the feeling of accomplishment and then see the smile on his face was priceless. Mrs. Stovall was very soft spoken, but inspired each student to strive to be their best. She had a way to relate to each student with grace and love. Those are the character traits I try to use with my students. Three coaches stand out who impacted my coaching career: Richard Davis, Judy Kennedy, and Don Hood. Coach Davis and Coach Kennedy were my high school coaches. Both of them loved coaching and emphasized excellence on and off the court. Players were encouraged to be like a family since we spent so much time together. I can remember very tough workouts, but I can also remember they made playing so much fun and especially the road trips. I had the honor to later work with Coach Kennedy and then Coach Hood. Not only did they teach me how to be a better coach, they taught me to be a better person. They both had a strong faith in the Lord and loved their families. Both were role models for me and everyone they encountered.”
As for the most rewarding part about teaching, Harvey said, “First, it’s building relationships with my students. When I was coaching at BMS, I spent so much time with the athletes they were ‘my girls.’ Through the years I keep up with many and have been invited to graduations, weddings, and baby showers. I love to see where life has taken them. Since I now have students from Pre-k through fifth grade, I learn about their interests and what motivates them. At the elementary level, I hear about what new animal they now have, what new sport they signed up for, and also tough times they may be going through. Now I get invitations to birthday parties, games, and dance recitals. Second is hearing, ‘Coach Harvey I did it!’ Students’ physical development, coordination, and skills vary with each student. Many students get frustrated when a skill is harder for them than others. I encourage them to keep trying, break down the skills into steps, and help them make adjustments to be successful. When a student perseveres and masters the skill, it’s so rewarding to see their beaming face. Third is when students display leadership and compassion. When a student struggles with a skill, it warms my heart to see other students step up by encouraging and helping them to learn the skill. I emphasize we are all a team and it’s our job to make our team members better. When students take it to heart what I’ve been teaching then these moments are priceless.”
Looking into the future, Harvey said, “Teaching in the future is exciting because there are so many energetic, passionate young teachers. They are bringing innovative and creative ideas to inspire our students to be successful. I work with the best teachers and staff. We say we are family and it is so true. Teaching is incredible when you work with amazing and passionate co-workers that believe in each other and their students. Teaching is a calling and a way for me and others to impact the future leaders.”
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BrownwoodNews.com will highlight one Brown County educator per day in the month of July, based on nominations received on our Facebook page, for our Teacher Feature series.