Bonnie Manning was chosen as the KAIT Teacher of the Month. Manning is shown here with her RES third grade class. Class members include, from left: Front--Jack Tindall, Eternitei Lindsey, Colby Stokes and Kirk Beshears. Second row--Jessie Cobb, Chyna Benefield and Brandon Shelton. Third row--Priscilla Brodlin, Jarek Young, Mckenzie Baker, Braden Nichols and Sam Simmons. (Democrat photo/Ryan Rogers) [Click to enlarge]

Bonnie Manning has been an integral part of the lives of Rector students for generations. For 45 years, Manning has been introducing her classes to the wonders of learning through the use of her own enthusiasm and passion for reaching young minds.

Her efforts, which have long been known in Rector, recently were brought to the attention of others in the area, as she was chosen as KAIT-TV's Teacher of the Month for September.

"It makes me feel really proud," Manning said. "It makes me feel like maybe I have made a contribution to the community by helping children with their education."

While she is honored by the recognition, Manning says there are others who deserve credit.

"I think maybe I'm being overrated. The students do the work. I've been fortunate to have so many wonderful students in my class over the years."

Manning also complimented her fellow teachers in making Rector Elementary a positive learning environment.

Manning said she knew she wanted to be a teacher at a young age.

"I always wanted to help children to learn," Manning said. "Even when I was in high school, I knew it was something I wanted to do. I was in the Future Teachers. Sometimes, when the teachers would go to a workshop for an hour or so, they would let us girls, with supervision, go help out in their rooms. I loved doing that."

Originally from Marmaduke, Manning received her teaching degree from Arkansas State University in 1962. By that December, she had joined the staff at Gosnell as a third grade teacher for the second half of the school year. In 1963, she joined the Rector staff.

The move to Rector also saw Manning make a move in the classroom. When she took the Rector job, she became a first grade teacher, a position she held for 34 years before returning to third grade.

Though fond of her first grade classes, Manning says she was happy to go back to teaching students at a higher grade level.

"Third grade students are more mature and can be taught in different ways," Manning said. "You can take different approaches to education. I certainly enjoyed all my classes here, but I'm happy to be back teaching third graders."

Manning has indeed added different elements to her curriculum to both educate and excite her students. With her third grade class in 2001, a group which is now sophomores, Manning allowed the students to decide on a name for her room. The students chose Circus Town as the name. Using one of the class's chalkboards as a canvas, the students of that class also drew colorful animals and other circus-oriented designs to go along with the room's designation and add to its atmosphere.

As part of the newly formed town, each year, Manning's students elect a mayor of Circus Town. The lesson helps students learn new vocabulary words while familiarizing them with the voting process. The activities also include speeches by each of the candidates, while also encouraging creativity and working together as a group.

"I want to motivate them so they'll want to learn. They really enjoy the different activities we do, whether it's our mayor election or book club, the students are excited about it and want to participate. I don't want to make them learn. I want my students to have a love of learning."

That level of excitement has stayed with many of her students through the years.

"I've had several former students come up to me later in their lives and give me a hug and say how much they enjoyed being in our Christmas play. It really makes me feel good to hear that something we did years ago meant so much to them."

When away from the classroom, Manning enjoys spending time with her family. Her oldest daughter, Michele Haley, and husband, Brent, have two children, Clinton, 17, and Lenae, 12. Her youngest daughter, Jennifer Roberts and husband, Neil, also have two children, eight-year-old Luke and Anna Claire, who is three.

Manning says the biggest supporters of her efforts are her children, both those at home and in the classroom.

"My children are so proud. They're so excited about everything that's been happening. I don't know what my life would've been like without them. I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of so many lives."