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

DATE: MONDAY, October 31, 1994                   TAG: 9411010002
SECTION: NEWSFUN                    PAGE: 3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

TEACHER OF THE WEEK

Third grade

Cave Spring Elementary School

Things have changed a lot since Tommie Ann Perdue began teaching elementary school 23 years ago. Not surprisingly, technology has made the biggest impact in her classroom, Perdue says, and the results have been positive for both teacher and pupil.

"Word processing is important because it makes it easier for a child to correct a mistake. They don't see making corrections as such a chore - it's not a typical paper and pencil assignment," Perdue said. "They love doing it."

Perdue, the computer coordinator at Cave Spring Elementary, said children do not have the fear of computers that many adults do. "They're not at all scared of them," she said.

"Mrs. Perdue is a great teacher," said the pupil who nominated her. Perdue said she tries to show the children she teaches that she cares about them. "I worry about them. I always want them to do their best."

Married and the mother of two teen-age daughters, Perdue enjoys walking and reading.