Former student returns to Decatur school to teach next generation
At an international school in Decatur, one student-teacher is preparing for a full-circle moment years in the making.
Not long ago, Tayara Wallin-Damon walked the halls of the International Community School as a student. Now, she's back — working toward her future in the very place that helped shape it.
"To have gone to school here as a child, I feel like you just naturally learn so much just by being around such different people," said Wallin-Damon, now a student-teacher.
Currently enrolled at Georgia State University and pursuing her state certification, Wallin-Damon is completing her student teaching at the school she once attended. After graduating from college in May, she plans to return in the fall — this time as a full-time teacher with a classroom of her own.
"I just had so many wonderful teachers who inspired me," she said.
The school's unique environment played a major role in that inspiration. Located just minutes from Clarkston — often described as one of the most diverse square miles in the nation — the International Community School serves students from dozens of countries, with more than 100 languages spoken.
As a child, Wallin-Damon recalls sitting in classrooms alongside students from around the world.
"I remember helping tutor them and like, getting them acclimated to the school. And that's kind of at the moment where it really clicked for me, like, oh, I think this might be what I want to do when I'm older," she said.
Now, her colleagues say that same compassion and understanding help her connect deeply with her students.
"It really helps the kids to understand that, this is a welcoming place. It's a place where they're safe. They know Tayara has been here, graduated from the school, and they know that that's their future, too," said Laurie Rohm, a third-grade teacher.
Students say they already see her as a teacher.
"The would help us by, like, first letting us try to do it on our own," said Beau Cole, a third-grade student.
Another student, Arielle England, said Wallin-Damon's support goes beyond academics.
"I'll have a bad day, and she listens and asked what she can do to help fix the problem. And they help me fix my problems," Arielle said.
When asked how that made her feel, Arielle had a simple answer: "Happy."
For Wallin-Damon, those moments are what matter most.
As she prepares to take on her own classroom, she hopes to offer her students more than lessons — she wants to build a sense of belonging.
"I want them to feel like we have a community, that I'm a part of their community, that they know they're supported. I want them to know that I'm excited to learn from them, too," she said.
For her, it's about creating a home away from home — in the same place where her own journey began.