Christine Samson’s sixth-grade class at Sherwood Heights Elementary School in Auburn starts every day with a class meeting. It’s a chance to talk and discuss what is happening around them.

Samson doesn’t shy away from tough topics.

“We discuss what’s going on in their lives,” Samson said. “When they have fears, we address them. We talk very openly about things that are going on. “

“I think a lot of times, people will just kind of brush it off and say ‘We don’t have time for that. We have to get to math.’ I find if I can talk with the kids about all of that and get it all out in the open, when we get to math, they are much more ready to perform.”

That approach to teaching was recognized by the Maine Psychological Association, which honored Samson and two others in the state for advancing positive mental health outcomes in their school districts. The association presented them with the Educator Recognition Award.

The organization said Samson was dedicated “to helping children feel seen by expressing an abiding curiosity about their lives and adapting the school environment to meet each student’s unique emotional needs.”

“She is one of our veteran teachers who always goes above and beyond for students and is always thinking outside the box on how to meet their social and emotional need,” Sherwood Heights Principal Michael Davis said.

Samson was born in Alaska and moved to Auburn at age 10. She attended Sherwood Heights and is teaching in the same classroom she attended. Raised by a family of educators, her father was a teacher at Edward Little High School in Auburn, while her mother taught kindergarten.

She has taught for 33 years, with the past 18 years at Sherwood Heights.

And she loves working with sixth graders.

“Actually it’s my favorite age to work with,” Samson said. “I love that they are still interested in me reading to them and they love to hear what I have to say, what their classmates have to say. They embrace the class meeting. They get silly and they love to celebrate things.”

She was nominated for the award by a colleague, but she is not sure she does anything different than other teachers.

“I think I was nominated for this because I strive to create a classroom where the kids come first before academics,” Samson said. “I think kids will perform better if they’re in a safe environment where they feel love and they feel safe and where they trust the teacher and the teacher works hard to establish trust among all the kids.”

“I maintain relationships with kids long after they leave my classroom,” she added. “Just recently, something horrible happened to this student and his immediate thought was that he needed to talk to me and he needed me to help him get through this.”

“I care about these kids,” she said.

The meeting at the start of class is an important part of her day and why students have come to trust her, she said. Difficult topics are encouraged.

“Of course they are aware of school shootings,” she said. “We’re starting to practice how we would evacuate if there was a school intruder. Those are very horrifying thoughts for adults. Just imagine what it is like for the kids.”

Living five minutes from school, she credits that closeness with her connection to students and the school.

“Obviously I love what I do,” she said.”