Kelly Duncan is one of the new teachers at Guilford this year. She is an emotional and social learning teacher for middle and high school students, also known as ESL. Before coming to Guilford she worked at another nearby school district.

   “I taught in the Harlem School District for seventeen years before coming to Guilford,” said Ms. Duncan. “I was an elementary school teacher for my first fourteen years before making the jump to middle and high school ESL teaching.”

   Like most teachers this year, COVID-19 has made teaching difficult to be engaging to students.

   “COVID has made it more difficult to collaborate as easily as we did before,” said Ms. Duncan. “Luckily technology still offers us many ways to connect virtually.”

   Also, COVID has brought the challenge of not being able to work with other staff and students.

   “I miss group work,” said Ms. Duncan. “I have always tried to incorporate a lot of group and partner projects into my teaching, and social distancing has made this much more difficult.”

   Every teacher has to start somewhere and have a dream to teach. For Kelly Duncan, she comes from a family of teachers, inspiring her to pursue the career herself.

   “I always knew that I wanted to have a positive impact on the lives of children,” said Ms. Duncan. “I have made it my mission to offer students a safe space dedicated to the social, emotional, and academic growth of every student who crosses my path.”