For Lee County High School science teacher Patience Whitehead, teaching has never been only about helping students master the content in front of them. It starts with making sure they know they belong.
“I think the most important thing is not always the content,” Whitehead said. “I have always wanted to create a safe space for kids. That is the most important thing I can do. Provide a place where they can be themselves, where they can be comfortable as themselves. The teaching comes after that.”
That philosophy has guided Whitehead through 23 years in education, including her time at LCHS since 2019.
Her inspiration goes all the way back to Kindergarten and her teacher Ms. Ingram. Whitehead remembers being a shy child and the way her teacher made her feel safe, comfortable, and welcome. Years later, she tries to create that same feeling for students who enter her classroom.
For Whitehead, that means getting to know students beyond grades, assignments and test scores.
“Sometimes, the kids are not necessarily the best students because school is just not their thing, but they can be great people,” she smiled.
That is one reason Whitehead believes strongly in being involved in the larger school community. She works with National Honor Society, is a regular at athletic events, performances, and spent four years supporting the Lee County High School Band - which her daughter participated in - and continues to support the program even after her daughter has moved on to college.
Those experiences allow her to see students in places where their talents and personalities may shine differently than they do in the classroom.
“You can bring those things and experiences into the classroom and relate them with the student so they feel more seen and understood,” she said. “You aren’t just judging them off of what they are giving you right this minute on this test, you’re seeing the whole person.”
She believes that a sense of connection can make a tremendous difference, particularly for students who may struggle academically. “Everybody wants to feel like they’ve accomplished something,” Whitehead emphasized. “I feel like sometimes kids are so often reminded of what they are not good at and it is important to remind them of what they are good at to really get them to thrive.”
Whitehead also wants her students to know that struggle itself can be valuable.
“Sometimes you have kids who are struggling and they are the ones who are learning. Learning happens when you are in the struggle,” she explained. “We grow when we’re making mistakes and trying again. I think getting everything right isn’t the lesson.”
Whitehead has found that same sense of connection among her colleagues at Lee County High, particularly within the science department.
“We’re close,” she emphasized. “We care about each other not only as teachers, but as individuals. We make time for each other. I think that is my favorite part of working here, because when you have this kind of support you can accomplish a lot more than you thought you were capable of.”
She has also experienced that support on a deeply personal level. After Whitehead and her family experienced a house fire shortly after starting work in Lee County, colleagues and members of the community quickly rallied around them.
“I was blown away by the compassion that people showed me,” she said. “The great thing about here was I didn’t even really know people and they didn’t really know me, because we were just coming out of COVID. But they reached out to care anyway.”
That spirit of connection is one reason why Whitehead believes Lee County is a special place to teach. She appreciates the district’s mix of people and communities, the accessibility of administrators, and the support available to educators, particularly those who are just starting their careers.
She explained, “What makes Lee County special is that it is a little melting pot of different people and cultures. It isn’t too big. It isn’t too small. You don’t feel like you are invisible and you don’t feel like all eyes are on you. I feel like that is important when you’re teaching because you can be seen without being overwhelmed by that feeling you’d have in a small district.”
For Whitehead, the heart of the profession remains the same as it was when she first decided to become a teacher: creating a place where students feel comfortable, valued, and known.
Whether she is teaching science, supporting a student at an extracurricular activity, or simply reminding someone of a strength they may not see in themselves, Whitehead wants students to understand they are more than a grade on a test. And sometimes, simply helping a student feel seen can be the first step toward helping them grow.