Faces of 501: James Bell

Paraprofessional James Bell is in his fifth year of working
at Robinson Middle School. Prior to working for Topeka Public Schools, he was a
full-time teacher in Texas and in the Riverview Gardens School District near
St. Louis. He also had his own business teaching driver’s education to high
school students, even teaching Dallas Cowboys’ running back Ezekiel Elliott how
to drive.“In my career in education I have taught every grade level of students from kindergarten
to high school. Without a doubt in my mind, middle school students can be the
most challenging and yet the most rewarding at the same time. Their emotions
are sometimes changing by the minute, but once a connection has been made, you
are imprinted in their lives forever. Many former students see me in the
hallway and say how much they miss our class. They often thank us for making
them accountable when we had them as students. Can't beat the feeling that we
made a difference in someone's life.”
“One of the main dif…
“One of the main dif…