Staff Stories: Tiffany Mosley Brings a Bright Light to Grove Lower Elementary
For Tiffany Mosley, becoming a teacher wasn't necessarily the career she envisioned when she was a student herself. In fact, she remembers not loving school at all. Today, that experience is one of the reasons she is passionate about what she does.
Mosley, a third grade teacher at Grove Lower Elementary, recently joined Grove Public Schools after moving to the area with her family from Southern California. She has been named the Grove Lower Elementary August Staff Member of the Month, an honor recognizing her dedication to students and the positive light she brings to her classroom. GLE Principal Dottie Smith said Mosley has already made a strong impression on the school community.
“Mrs. Mosley is a new addition to the GLE family. She has fit in like she has always been here. Her ability to connect with the students and bring learning alive is a sight to see!”
Mosley has taught for six years in education, and she has a clear understanding of the kind of teacher she wants to be.
“I didn't love school growing up,” Mosley said. That realization has become part of her mission as an educator. Mosley wants to be a bright light for students who may not love school, helping them discover that school can be a place where they can learn, laugh, build relationships and be themselves.
Ask Mosley what she loves most about working with students, and her answer centers on getting to know them as people. She enjoys their humor, listening to their jokes and discovering the personalities that make each child unique.
For Mosley, those everyday moments are an important part of teaching. One of her most memorable experiences in the classroom demonstrated just how meaningful those relationships can become. A parent once came to her classroom, visibly upset and in tears. Mosley's first thought was that something must be wrong. She immediately became concerned and wondered what had happened.
Instead, the parent had come to share something that would stay with Mosley. The parent's daughter, who was one of Mosley's students, wanted to grow up to be just like her teacher. She wanted to make a difference in people's lives just as Mosley had done. For Mosley, it was one of the most rewarding moments of her teaching career.
Knowing that a student could look at her and see someone they wanted to become reinforced what she believes is at the heart of teaching: making a lasting difference in the lives of children.
Mosley's journey to Grove is also a story about family. She and her family recently moved to the area to be closer to her parents. While the move brought them closer to family, Mosley says they have found something else they weren't necessarily looking for, a place that feels like home.
The family plans to stay in Grove and raise their children here. Mosley describes the Grove community as helpful, kind and welcoming, and she is grateful for the opportunity to become part of it.
When Mosley isn't in the classroom, she enjoys an adventurous lifestyle. She is an avid camper and off roader, enjoying time outdoors with ATVs and motorcycles. She also loves taking vacations and spending time with her family.
But perhaps the most important thing to know about Mosley isn't what she does outside of school, it's why she comes to school every day. She knows firsthand that not every student walks through the school doors excited to be there. Because she once felt that way herself, she wants to make sure her students know that school can be different. And perhaps someday, one of those students will walk into her classroom and discover something she once had to learn for herself: School can be a place where you belong.
Grove Public Schools is proud to welcome Tiffany Mosley to the Grove Lower Elementary family and to recognize her as the August Staff Member of the Month. We are grateful for the bright light she brings to her students, her classroom and the Grove community.
Welcome to Grove, Mrs. Mosley!
We Are Grove, The District of Champions!