Behind the doors of room 3271, Etowah’s new math teacher begins her day in her new working environment. This is not her first-year teaching, but for one teacher who made the move to Etowah, teaching has now become her passion. 

“Teaching was my back up plan. I went and became a student teacher [for elementary school], and I fell in love (…) the math teacher working at my old high school and was out sick, so she let me teach the class, and I loved it. So, I changed my mind that I wanted to teach at that time,” Donna Bennevendo, math teacher, said.

Bennevendo originally attended LaGrange College to be an actuary, but she changed courses and ended up obtaining a math degree with a minor in education, certifying her to teach. Instantly falling in love with teaching, she decided to pursue a second degree in order to educate high school students. 

“I felt like I didn’t learn how to teach high school kids [because] all of my learning classes were with elementary school students, so I went right away and got my master in math education at the University of Georgia,” Bennevendo said. 

Due to COVID-19 and being a first-year teacher at Etowah, Bennevendo is facing challenges with Canvas. However, her coworkers at Etowah have been welcoming and helpful as she learns how to manage as a first-year teacher amidst the pandemic.  

“It is a good environment for me, and it is very welcoming, especially because I am new. I need a lot of help this year. There is just a lot of new stuff and with COVID-19 things are different,” Bennevendo said. 

Her true interest lies in helping students. She believes that the feeling of success when she helps a student understand the subject is rewarding for her.  

“When a kid comes in my class, and they don’t think they can do math, and sometime during the year the student and/or the parent tell me this is the first time they have been successful in math, it is so rewarding,” Bennevendo said. 

With a passion for teaching math and an interest in real world applications, Bennevendo looks forward to assisting her students to learn the importance and fun of math.