Walk into any school system and ask the employees about any unsung heroes that may be there, and one of the inevitable answers is simple: assistant teachers. With a myriad of lessons and a classroom full of rambunctious and excited children, teachers are grateful for the support of a good assistant teacher. They develop a bond with the children they work with each day and have a major impact on the lives of the children just like the teacher. Their hard work and dedication is what led us to decide to do a series over the next few weeks spotlighting different assistant teachers in the community.
“When you have a passion for something, pursue it and give it your best,” advised Chris Nester. “Do your best and give it your all.”
Chris Nester is truly passionate about the children she works with each day. She does her best to be a positive influence for the little minds she works with.
“I’m finishing up my eleventh year as a teacher’s assistant, and before that I was a sub,” informed Chris. “I was a sub for three years, and I just love the kids and liked being in the educational system. The main thing was I wanted to be able to be home and be there for my kids. When they would be out of school, then I would be out so school, so I could kind of keep the same schedule as my kids.”
She has made multiple memories over the years, but one of the ones that stands out the most for her is the year that Covid hit.
“Every year is different. The memory I have the most is the Covid year when everything shut down,” declared Chris. “We said goodbye to that little group of students thinking that we were going to Spring Break, and we never had that group of students again. That year will always feel unfinished to me. We had a precious group of students that year, and I can still remember them walking out that door and never coming back to kindergarten.”
It’s watching the children leave that is the hardest for her. After working closely with the students for so long, she develops a relationship with them and has to adjust to them moving on to a different grade at the end of the schoolyear.
“I get attached to the children. In my opinion, the hardest part of my job is getting too attached to the kids,” expressed Chris. “I fall in love with them every year, and the hardest part is to watch them walk out that door at the end of May knowing they’re going on to first grade. They’re moving on and you know how much you’re going to miss them, but you’re excited for them because they’re going into first grade. They’re going to love first grade, but it’s still very difficult to watch them walk out that door. They’re like your little family for 10 months, and then they move on. That’s probably the hardest part.”
Despite the difficulty of watching them grow and move on, she truly loves her job and everyone she works with.
“The teacher that I work with makes our class fun,” proclaimed Chris. “She works really hard to make learning fun for the students, and I just look forward to going in every day and watching them love learning. I love seeing the smile on their face when they walk through the door in the morning, and them hugging me and telling me they love me. Hopefully, in my own small way I’m making a difference in a child’s life. It’s fulfilling. I love my job.”
When she is not at work, she is usually devoted to her family: her husband and three children. She is very talented and dedicated to those she loves, both inside and outside the classroom. Her obvious love and devotion is noticed by those around her, and she is highly admired.
“Chris Nester can sew or embroider just about anything and has sewn Christmas crafts for her entire classroom from scratch,” stated Renee Maxey, a friend of Chris. “She is a wonderful baker, makes goodies for her secret pals throughout the year, makes homemade marshmallows for kids at Christmas, and she loves all things Mississippi State! Her son is a drummer in the famous Maroon Band. She goes to all football games and enjoys basketball and baseball games too. Kids form past classes never outgrow her; they will drop by in the morning before first period for a quick hug or a sports chat. The pre-kers who have not even had her yet will meet her in the cafeteria. She always greets them with an encouraging word or big hug! She makes all the kids feel special, noticed, and loved! She’s so humble. She takes her job very seriously and always gives an A+ effort and has fantastic work ethic. She’s just so very humble!”
With each passing day, Chris Nester will continue to show countless kids that they are loved and cared about as she assists in the classroom. She is making an impact on their lives and will be a friendly face they will always remember.
