JACKSON -- Tammy Carroll became a teacher because she learned what not to do at an early age.

Her brother was never a proficient reader and was often humiliated by teachers who thought that would make him do better in his studies. He never graduated from high school, although he attended school for 12 years, she said.

His teachers "couldn't see what I now know -- he did not possess the skills that he needed in order to succeed," said Carroll, who now teaches kindergarten at Immaculate Conception School.

"Today, one of the most gratifying things about my job is that I can take some form of action whenever I come into contact with a student that displays poor learning skills and lacks the confidence to reach higher."

Carroll often falls victim to the teacher's mantra to "teach, practice, drill and assess." This year, however, she is attempting to expose her students to the "finer and funner" things in life by introducing poetry and music into her teaching strategies.

Fine arts have many benefits to children, including showing them that language has a rhythm and allowing them to see that letters and words form patterns, she said. Students are also allowed to actively experience language and learn to use their imagination when enriching their vocabulary and remembering details, she said.

"The only thing you need to know about music is that kids love it," she said. "All it takes is the push of a button, and a lifeless classroom becomes a stage."