Valerie McGary-Ray
Liberty Eylau Early Childhood Center
Valerie McGary-Ray is about to start her seventh year of teaching kindergarten at Liberty Eylau Early Childhood Center. Before that, she spent 11 years as an administrative assistant to the principal at Texas High School. She ultimately decided to become a teacher for two reasons. First, she believes in the influence and inspiration that teachers can have in their students’ lives, and second, there are not enough African American teachers present in the classroom. “I believe students need to see teachers that look like them, teaching and loving them,” Valerie says. “However, I also owe my love for teaching, learning, and wanting to be an educator to Mrs. Evelyn Reed, my fifth and sixth-grade teacher. She was a small-framed Caucasian lady, and I was a skinny little African American girl with crooked teeth and a big smile. Mrs. Reed did not care that I looked different from her. She was hard on me during my fifth-grade year, but when I had her in sixth grade, I thought she hung the moon. She taught me songs that dealt with writing, and I still remember them today. She was amazing, and I adored her. My parents always taught me to respect my teachers, and Mrs. Reed made it easy. She ignited a fire and a passion in me that had never been lit before.”
So far, in the years she has spent in education, Valerie is most proud of being named the 2024 Campus Teacher of the Year. She was also named the 2024 District Teacher of the Year, but she said the campus title was the most significant achievement. “Campus Teacher of the Year means more to me because these are the people I work with daily. They see me on my good days and my worst days. They have seen me struggle with losing my parents in 2021 and 2022, amongst other things. Yet, I continued to push through, and they thought enough to vote me as their Teacher of the Year,” Valerie says. “I try to be friendly, reliable, and available in every way, and they noticed.”
When Valerie steps into the classroom, she is guided by her core educational belief that all students, without exception, deserve the best education possible. “My philosophy is rooted in the core values of inclusivity, equity, and fairness,” Valerie says. “It is a necessity that we learn to shape more than just the classroom environment and reach the whole child. This is what guides my teaching and love for education.”
As every educator knows, this career has both rewarding and challenging aspects. Valerie says that the very best part is seeing a child succeed and witnessing their journey along the way. “I have realized that learning certain skills is hard for some students, but hard does not mean they cannot try,” Valerie says. “The student’s best effort is important in my classroom.”
One of the biggest obstacles Valerie faces is when one of her students is going through something at home, and there is nothing she can do to fix it. “This is when you become the ‘school mama,’ and you let the student know how much you care,” Valerie says. “Our students have such huge burdens, and they carry them daily. I try to lighten the load for them as much as possible.”
Valerie’s other challenge in her job has nothing to do with students; instead, it is the lack of funding for teachers. “I was always told that you do not go into teaching for the money, and that is a true statement. Teachers work hard, just like everyone else, and we are the least compensated, and yet, most people’s foundation came from a teacher, if not their parents,” Valerie says. “This is a prime example of teaching being a work of HEART.”
On the most difficult days, Valerie is motivated by her students. She likes that her students are chosen randomly for her classroom because she genuinely believes that every student needs access to the best education. “I think every student that enters my room is placed there because we need each other somehow. Yes, some are more grateful to be in my classroom than others, but by the end of the year, all my students tell me they love me and cry because they will miss me. And, of course, I cry along with them and tell them I love them, too,” Valerie says. “The thing is, they know my words are genuine, not just words being said.”
One thing that Valerie wishes more people understood about teachers is that so many are dedicated to the art and profession of teaching. It’s more than just a job; it is a passion. “We wear many hats being teachers; we are mothers, fathers, doctors, nurses, counselors, prayer warriors and so much more. We must be creative and innovative to provide lessons that all students understand on every level. We have a thirst for knowledge, patience, mediation skills, and curiosity,” Valerie says. “We want our students to grow up and be productive citizens.”
In the ever-changing world and our community, Valerie has learned that for students to be successful, their diversity has to be prized, and they have to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance. “Providing equal opportunities for all students goes a long way in helping any student feel respected, and every child that enters a classroom should feel celebrated for being different,” Valerie says. “No student should feel punished because of their socioeconomic background, where they attend school, or how they acted in previous grades. Every day is a new and fresh start for every student. We should all give some grace.”
Serving at the forefront of students’ lives, Valerie is consistently inspired by their stories and their resilience. “I have realized that some students do not go home to a safe environment and are not cared for properly. My classroom is their safe space for those seven and a half hours each day. I can protect them, and they can be themselves,” Valerie says. “We learn and laugh, and they are comfortable. The classroom is where the right teacher can make magic happen.”
When she is not at school, Valerie draws love and support from her family. She has been married for 15 years to her high school sweetheart, Charles, and she has three “smart and very athletic” children: Jordan is 24; Ja’Kai is 18; and her bonus son, Jamal, is 28. Valerie also has four grandchildren: Jerzy, Cho’zen, Kylo, and Kartier. “My children, Jordan and Ja’Kai, are my biggest supporters on my toughest days. They have definitely seen me at my worst, and honestly, they have had to take care of me a time or two. Sometimes this mama needs to be straightened out, and they definitely let me know,” Valerie says. “I would not know what to do without them, and I am so thankful for the love they have given me, even when I felt like I did not deserve it. I love ya’ll!”
As Valerie faces another year in education, she will lean on the biggest lesson she has learned as an educator: without patience and love, there is no way learning can take place. “While I learn to have patience with each of my students, I also teach them to have patience with me. Almost every one of my students has learned the skill of having patience and how important it is,” Valerie says. “Also, I do not always know the background of where my kids are coming from, but it is my responsibility to show them love every day. Sometimes, it is necessary to show them tough love, but they are still old enough to understand that I still love them just as much as the next child. In my classroom, love is everything, and it starts with them loving themselves first.”
Fun Facts:
- If I could go back to high school, I would definitely run those laps my coaches wanted me to run in track because I surely need to run somewhere now! But it is not happening.
- The best advice I ever received as a teacher was to never jump to conclusions and always get both sides of every story.
- My favorite subject in school was English because my mother always ensured I spoke correctly.
- My dream vacation would be to visit Hawaii because of a poster I had as a little girl. It had my name written in Hawaiian and a little girl with a grass skirt.
- One thing my students probably do not know about me is I am really terrified of scary movies and driving in storms.