
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, May 16, 1994                   TAG: 9405170031
SECTION: NEWSFUN                    PAGE: NF-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

TEACHER OF WEEK

As the school year winds down and children's minds tend to focus on things outside the classroom, Barbara Montgomery steps up the effort to keep her language-arts pupils focused on their studies. Drama, Montgomery has found, is one way to do that.

Montgomery uses marionettes as teaching tools, and each year her class puts on a play, performing and making the props and costumes themselves. This year, the play is "James and the Giant Peach," and the pupils are traveling to schools around Wythe County to perform it. ``It helps the children stay enthused, and keeps school interesting,'' Montgomery said.

``Mrs. Montgomery's classes are very fun and exciting. Every morning when I wake up, I have something to look forward to,'' said the pupil who nominated her.

Montgomery, who has taught for eight years, says she's proud that her pupils are able to tackle new projects and carry them through to the end. All of her pupils can type their own assignments, she said.

Married and the mother of two boys, 12 and 15, Montgomery enjoys reading, exercising and gardening.

by CNB