For Natalder Butler, teaching is about much more than what happens inside the classroom. As a third-grade teacher at J.R. Ingram Elementary School, Butler is in her fourth year teaching in Lee County Schools through Participate Learning’s international teacher exchange program. Each day, she brings her Jamaican roots into the classroom while learning from the students, families and community around her.
“I think the best thing about working here in Lee County Schools is loving my students and sharing my culture, my Jamaican roots, and being able to learn more about the diversity that is here in the United States,” said Butler.
Butler’s experience teaching in both Jamaica and the U.S. has given her a unique perspective on education and the ways culture influences the classroom. While there are many similarities between students in both countries, she has noticed important differences in classroom expectations, school regulations and the way that teachers interact with students and parents.
One of the biggest adjustments has been learning the importance of greeting students and helping them start each day off on the right foot.
“Here you have to wait for them at the door. You are greeting them. You are making sure that their day is off to a good start,” Butler explained. “A student may come in and a student may be having a bad day, and you have to be the one to ensure that you make that day a good one for them.”
For Butler, those daily interactions are some of the most meaningful parts of teaching. She has learned that students, regardless of where they grow up, share many of the same needs.
“Children are children,” she smiled. “They will test you to see what you’re made of. They will also test you to see how much you love them and how much you are willing to care.”
Her classroom is a place where Butler intentionally teaches her students to appreciate the differences that make each person unique.
“I’m big on diversity, appreciating diversity,” she said. “We’re from different cultures, different backgrounds. But at the end of the day, we are so similar.” That philosophy has become a classroom mantra: “Diversity is our strength.”
She hopes her students leave her classroom with a greater understanding of how to respect and embrace people from different cultures and backgrounds. “We learn to embrace each other for who we are and embrace our differences, because those are what really makes us unique,” she said.
Working at Ingram has challenged Butler to grow as an educator as well. She describes the American school environment as fast-paced, which has helped her develop a greater appreciation for time management, meeting deadlines and staying organized.
At the same time, her experience in the United States has strengthened her appreciation for her Jamaican heritage.
“Sometimes when you just see the world from one viewpoint, you really don’t get the whole picture,” she explained. “Working in the Jamaican environment and being here in the American learning environment, I’m more appreciative of my culture because I see the impact that Jamaica really has on the world.”
That exchange of cultures is at the heart of Butler’s experiences here in Lee County. She has brought a piece of Jamaica to her students, while gaining a deep appreciation for the culture and community that she currently calls home.
If another international teacher were considering Lee County Schools, Butler would encourage them to make the move. “Great people to work with,” she said. “I love Sanford. It is quiet. I love the quiet and the calm of the community itself.”
She also points to the support she has found throughout the district and Sanford itself. “There’s encouragement. There’s always a smile. There’s just always somebody to help you,” Butler said. “It’s a community that cares. It is a community that loves, It is a community within which you can thrive.”