Kristien “Krissy” Long employs a hands-on approach in her classroom that makes learning an immersive, engaging experience for her fifth grade math and science students at Neshoba Central Elementary. By exploring the ‘why’ behind each problem, her students not only understand the concepts, but also grasp their practical applications, improving their overall retention of new material. Long goes beyond conventional teaching methods by integrating her lessons into real-life scenarios like using the menu at a local Mexican restaurant to compute the bill, and creating videos on her YouTube channel for students and their parents to better understand the steps to solve a math or science problem.
Students strive to meet the high standards Long maintains for them and can track their progress through her daily use of Classroom Dojo, a program that provides a motivational framework and allows students to accumulate points through classroom cooperation and successfully meeting their goals. This dynamic approach to measuring achievement instills a sense of accomplishment and enthusiasm, and Long includes an end-of-the-semester auction with a trained auctioneer allowing students to bid on and “buy” items with their accrued points. Long wholly embraces technology and innovative instructional practices, and as an early adopter of Google Classroom, she played a pivotal role in facilitating the seamless integration of the program at the school.
A leader who is committed to educational excellence outside of Neshoba Central, Long’s impact can be seen in the professional development workshops she leads for both new and veteran educators, sharing her expertise and best practices at state conferences and district teacher advisory committees, as well as in videos she produces that address standards and provide resources to support academic success. Additionally, she serves as the math chairperson, orchestrating weekly Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings and vertical alignment sessions. This ensures a seamless educational experience for students as they progress through their academic journey.
Long earned her Bachelor of Science in elementary education in 2016 from Mississippi State University and a Master of Education in educational leadership from Mississippi College in 2023.
