ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Angie Meissner has been a teacher for 23 years.

She’s spent roughly half that time teaching at Our Savior Lutheran School. She teaches fourth grade and her goal is to make learning fun and have her students become independent learners.

“They are going to leave 4th grade, leaving very independent and confident and loved,’’ Meissner said. “And know that they can come back anytime. Anytime.”

She plans fun lessons for the kids, like doing math problems outside and working together to solve them. 

“They can reflect on their own learning and figure out, ‘okay do I know this or do I need to continue practicing on it’,” Meissner.

Fourth grade was a pivotal year for her growing up.

Meissner says she was going through a tough time and she leaned on her teacher and she was inspired to become an educator because of her. 

“She was by my side,” Meissner said. “I passed fourth grade obviously and went on to do better in school, but it was because of her.”

Meissner adores her job and she brings so much joy to her classroom and the school. She says her strategy is to approach each day with patience and love. 

“We all get to start new every single morning and that’s the best part of teaching,” she said. “It’s a brand new day.”