LAKELAND, Fla. — This week’s A+ Teacher makes sure her students are having a blast while they learn.

Kaimi Howard-Jones was recently featured in a video posted on the Polk County School District’s Facebook page. It’s been viewed by millions of people and it shows why she was nominated to be an A+ Teacher.

Howard-Jones is a 5th grade teacher at Rochelle School of the Arts in Lakeland. She makes sure her students are successful while making learning fun. 

“We want them to want to learn. So if you want them to learn, they have to have fun with it. They have to enjoy coming to school,” said Howard-Jones.

Howard-Jones says using a chant to help the students practice math wasn’t planned. It just happened one day and the kids immediately loved it.

“I’m a music person. I’ve had music in my family my whole life so I’ve been making beats since I was like 9. So I just bust out with it right here and it works,” said Howard-Jones.

She creates an environment for her students that fosters friendships and kindness.

“I want them to know that when they walk into this classroom, we want them to be here, we need them to be here and we want them to feel accepted and loved here,” said Howard-Jones.

As you watch Howard-Jones interact with her students, you might think she always wanted to be a teacher. But she actually started out studying accounting and fell in love with teaching during an internship.

“I actually just went into a classroom just to get my hours for accounting and the kids were just having so much fun and I was having so much fun,” said Howard-Jones.

She wants her students to know they can accomplish anything they put their mind to.

“I tell them all the time that they are my reason for being here and all I really want for them is to be successful,” said Howard-Jones.