Teacher of the Week: Lea Reitzel, Mitchell Intermediate

THE WOODLANDS, Texas - For 15 years, Lea Reitzel has been a 5th and 6th grade Social Studies teacher at George P. Mitchell Intermediate School. A looping school, teachers at Mitchell educate the same children for both 5th and 6th grade, giving students the unique opportunity to maximize their learning experience within their Learning Community (LC).

“We are blessed at Mitchell to teach the same students for two years. We really get to know them,” said Reitzel.

A graduate of Klein Oak High School, Reitzel went on to attend Sam Houston State University where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Education with a minor in Geography. On top of that, Reitzel was also chosen as the SHSU Outstanding Reading Education Student in 2000.

For Reitzel, however, teaching wasn't her first career choice, and it wasn't until she started working with students that she realized her true calling.

“In 1996 I was working in the geology department of an oil company,” explained Reitzel. “It was a fantastic job, but inside I didn't feel I was making a difference in the world. I took a 60% pay cut and became a paraprofessional at David Elementary working with students with special needs. I enjoyed it and decided to go back to school to get a degree in education.”

After teaching 2nd grade for a year at Austin Elementary in Conroe, Reitzel moved to Mitchell Intermediate and has been there ever since, totaling to 16 years of educating local students.

As a social studies teacher, Reitzel works to make a fun and exciting learning experience for her students as they are taught social sciences and humanities. One lesson that stands out in Reitzel’s mind is when her students learn about exploration.

“We just finished a lesson over exploration where students pretend to dive down to a sunken ship to excavate artifacts and then research them,” said Reitzel. “We then categorize the artifacts to look for the motivations that led to European exploration of the New World.”

At the end of each school year, Reitzel hopes her students walk away knowing that they matter and that they can make a difference. At the end of the 2014-2015 school year, one particular moment stood out in Reitzel’s mind as she was saying goodbye to her sixth graders.

“On the last day of school in June of this year, the students wrote all over my board with goodbye messages. My favorite one said, ‘I will make a difference.’”

Once she sees off her sixth graders, knowing that they are on their way to continue their education at the junior high level, Reitzel hopes her students leave her classroom understanding four important things.

“When my students leave at the end of two years I want them to walk away knowing that knowledge is power, that they can make a positive difference in this world, that history repeats itself because we don't learn from it the first time, and that they can be the change they want to see in the world,” said Reitzel. “That’s why the message ‘I will make a difference,’ brought tears to my eyes when I read it after the students had left.”

Reitzel, like countless of other educators, cares for her students tremendously and wants to see them succeed. The Social Studies teacher was sure to credit the school and her coworkers for helping to educate the next generation.

“Mitchell Intermediate is a fantastic place to teach. The principal, Mrs. Paula Klapesky, and the rest of our administration team are amazing leaders and encouragers. I am thankful to work with such dedicated teachers and staff that pour their lives into raising up the next generation of leaders and world changers,” said Reitzel.

When she isn't in the classroom or leading an exploration down to a sunken ship, Reitzel loves to spend time with her family, especially her 16-month-old granddaughter.

Nicola Lou, who nominated Reitzel, said, “She goes above and beyond for her students. She taught my eldest son for two years and now has my middle son in her class, and she is an amazing teacher!”

Woodlands Online thanks each and every educator in our great community for truly being a hero.