By Mike Hutchens UCES Director of Communications
Union City, Tenn.–Tammy Harris laughed while saying “I remember when I was the youngest teacher here and now I’m the oldest.”
Both the job and years have been good to her as much as she’s been good to her students.
Still with boundless energy and great passion for her work as physical education teacher at Union City Elementary School, Harris is preparing for her 34th year much the same way as her young students do.
“I still get excited,” she said recently, taking a break from her own personal workout routine to reflect on her time in the UC School System. “The gym has been my second home … truly. I even engraved my initials on one of the vents back there.”
Harris began her Union City teaching days as an interim at the middle school, finishing out the school year after Jerry McClain unexpectedly passed away nearly 33 years ago. After getting her “foot in the door,” she moved to Eastside Elementary and then became a faculty member when the current UCES was constructed and opened in 2002.
She’s hardly been a traditional “gym teacher,” either.
Harris has incorporated many non-traditional physical education activities in her lesson planning over the years, including the recent craze crossfit fitness program, rodeo and fishing, among others.
She said the design has been to broaden students’ horizons and teach them lifetime activities that they might use as they grow older and into adulthood.
“I’m not and have never been one of those ‘roll the balls out and play for 45 minutes’ kind of PE teachers,” Harris claimed. “I’ve wanted the kids to experience a lot of different things and we have some other new programs for the kids planned for the coming school year that I’m really looking forward to.
“They can have fun and exert themselves and not even know it.”
Married, a mother and a grandmother, Harris has practiced what she’s taught over the years by remaining active through workouts and occasionally playing tennisf.
She’s also done other things in addition to simply teaching in the Union City School System, including serving as the high school tennis coach for four years and driving a daily bus route.
“The bus route has really helped me stay connected with kids all the way until they complete high school,” Harris said. “I’ve taught thousands of kids through the years and I’ve watched a lot of them grow up and seen how they age and mature because they’ve ridden my bus.
“I get to keep up with them.”
Though she has the required amount of experience to retire from the education business, Harris – who’s worked for 10 difference principals and estimates she’s had 30 student teachers — chuckled at the notion.
“I might think about it every once in a while, but not anytime soon,” she responded when asked how much longer she intends to work. “Sometimes I look around and see that I’ve taught most of my students’ parents and even some of their grandparents … but that really doesn’t bother me.
“The Union City School System is a great place to work and I’ve been fortunate to work with and for some great administrators and really good teachers. It’s a tremendous work environment and they’ve always given me everything I’ve needed in my program for the kids to learn and be successful.
“I believe this is where God wants me to be.”
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