Bellwood Elementary’s 2019 Teacher of the Year said he didn’t want to be a teacher when he was growing up.
Robert Nichols said his dreams changed as he went along and that being a teacher is where he needed to be.
Nichols grew up in Buffalo. Prior to teaching, he was in the New York National Guard and the Army. His military service paid for his first college degree and still influences his current profession as he has high expectations and provides motivational talks for his students.
After working as a school occupational therapist for nearly a decade, Nichols said being a teacher seemed like a natural transition. He has been teaching since 2003. He taught in Hampton for a year and Norfolk for eight before coming to Bellwood in 2012.
As a teacher, Nichols has always taught elementary and currently teaches fifth grade. He said he prefers the younger kids because they appreciate having him around.
“Fourth- and fifth-graders are more independent so you’re not tying shoes and wiping noses all day,” Nichols said. “They like to play, and they don’t have middle school issues.”
Nichols said his favorite things about teaching are the “a-ha moments” and building relationships with students.
“I don’t have kids of my own so this is where I get my kid fix,” he said.
Nichols said his students are how he gets through the rough days. He describes his teaching style as structured and disciplined, with “a whole lot of fun once you get past that. As long as you do what you’re supposed to, this class is a blast and it’s easy,” Nichols said. “It’s when you try to deviate from what needs to be done that we run into issues.”
A year ago, Nichols received an endorsement in K-12 Administration and is currently looking for a job in administration. Nichols said he likes helping other teachers work with children, and he also likes teaching adults.
Nichols still keeps in touch with students he taught in Norfolk. In November, he attended the wedding of a former student. He attended every one of her graduations since fifth grade, he said.
“If you drop me an email, you invite me to
