Rossiar Rudd has been teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) for the past five years, bringing energy and compassion to every classroom she enters. Her journey into teaching began at a unique moment in history – during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Like many educators at the time, she adapted quickly, teaching virtually. Despite the challenges of remote learning, Rudd found her passion for helping multilingual learners thrive in an English-speaking environment.

In 2022, Ms. Rudd began teaching at Ross Elementary School. She currently is the ESL teacher for kindergarten through 2nd grade. Located in the heart of Hickory Hill, Ross is a tight-knit community serving approximately 700 students and known for its diverse student population. For Ms. Rudd, Ross has become a place where she builds lasting relationships and sees her students grow.

Ms. Rudd’s classroom is filled with resources for English-language learners. One of her recent lessons focused on letter recognition and phonetic awareness – essential building blocks of early reading skills.

“We’re so used to singing the ABCs,” she told the kindergartners, “but we need to know how to identify the letters.” While memorizing the alphabet through song comes easily to many young learners, reading comprehension requires deeper understanding. 

During the lesson, Ms. Rudd guided her students with each sound, offering gentle corrections and encouragement along the way. When a child made a minor error, she responded with reassurance: “You can’t steal that sound.” She reinforced the idea that each letter has its unique sound.

One of her favorite teaching tools is reaffirmation. After a correct response, she says, “Kiss your brain!” The child proceeded to make this gesture by kissing their hand and then patting their head to symbolize their brain, and their classmates followed suit. These small yet meaningful moments help build confidence where students feel encouraged to take risks and celebrate their successes. 

From virtual classrooms to Hickory Hill, Ms. Rudd’s journey is a testament of the dedication of educators everywhere. Her work is a daily reminder that language is more than just vocabulary and grammar, but a bridge to connection and belonging.

If you have a story about a MSCS student, teacher, or school to highlight, please email us at communications@scsk12.org. Include the school name, story details, and an SCSK12.ORG email for follow-up.