First grade teacher Debra Crisp got a nice surprise last week when she was named Teacher of the Year by the Dallas County School System.

Before receiving her award, Crisp was also picked by her colleagues as Teacher of the Year for J.E. Terry Elementary School.

While Crisp may seem modest about her accomplishments, everyone else at J.E. Terry Elementary doesn’t seem to mind bragging about the way she handles her classroom.

Crisp has been teaching for 22 years. Throughout her career, she has taught first, second, and third grade.

Her years of classroom experience have given Crisp valuable insight into how to keep a child’s attention.

This semester, Crisp’s large classroom was reduced to only 10 students. The teacher said she likes working in a smaller classroom because it ensures the students get the attention they need.

Crisp admitted that she works hard but enjoys her job as a teacher.

Her eagerness seems to show through every morning when she arrives at the school.

Unfortunately, this is Crisp’s last year of teaching at J.E. Terry Elementary School. Over the summer, she will be moving to a new county.