Teacher works with the whole child

Jamie Cosenza had no idea that she'd won Onslow County Schools' Beginning Teacher of the Year Award.

In fact, she didn't even know the award existed.

"I didn't know I'd been nominated until I was a semifinalist in the county, so I was very surprised," said Cosenza, an exceptional children teacher at Summersill Elementary School.

Cosenza began teaching in the 2007-08 school year but had been in a classroom before that. She was a teaching assistant in a Department of Defense kindergarten class for about five years and was an assistant at Summersill Elementary during the 2006-07 school year.

When a vacancy came up in the special education department, Cosenza applied and now teaches a class of kindergarten, first- and second-grade students with autism.

"I wanted to work here with my guys," Cosenza said with a smile. "I love my job. I do, I absolutely love my job."

Her job is different than a regular education teacher, she said, explaining that walking on the sidewalks is a lesson about walking, and eating in the cafeteria is a lesson about eating in a room full of other students.

"Everything they do is a teachable learning experience so that's different, but I wouldn't trade it," Cosenza said.

The results, she said, are rewarding.

"It's challenging but extremely gratifying. Their success is our success," she said. "It's different not only because it's special education ... but with autism you're trying to address the whole child."

Cosenza said she is teaching her students the skills they will need through life.

"What I give them at this point is laying the foundation," she said, explaining that the students will continue to build on the skills they learn in her classroom.

While Cosenza was the one given the award, she said she isn't the only one who deserves it.

"Part of me feels like this isn't my award, it's our award," she said.

Her assistant, John Holmes, is the other half of the classroom. She had a great mentor and has had support from her administration and the Exceptional Children team, Cosenza said.

"Every one has given 100 percent support and that's allowed me to do what I needed to do," she said.

There are a few things that Cosenza would advise beginning teachers to do.

"There's a lot of experience in all the schools. Tap into it and use your resources. It's not just surviving the moment, its long term," Cosenza said.

The other piece is something almost students regularly hear - ask.

"The worse they can say is no," she said, "but they can't say yes if you don't ask."

Contact Jacksonville/Onslow County reporter Amanda Hickey at 910-219-8463. Visit www.jdnews.com to comment on this report.