YUKON, Okla. (KFOR) – Oklahoma is home to countless wonderful teachers, but few have as much experience as Mrs. Renae Williamson. 

She’s been teaching some of Yukon Public Schools’ youngest students for nearly 50 years!

Mrs. Williamson has helped shape countless young students in Yukon – as well as their brothers, sisters – and even their parents!

“This one particular mom, I had her other two siblings also,” Mrs. Williamson told News 4. “So I said, Oh, this one of your children acts like you, this one acts like your sister.

Mrs. Williamson started teaching in Yukon in 1975. In her 48 years, some things have changed. There wasn’t technology like smart boards.

“No, we had chalkboards,” Mrs. Williamson said.

But working primarily with pre-k and kindergarteners, some things would and could never change.

“You have to be ready for anything,” said Mrs. Williamson. “It’s exciting listening to their stories. I always tell parents at parent meeting. I’ll believe half of what I hear If you do the same. Because children have no filters, you know. They will tell whatever’s happening in their world.”

Forty-one of her forty-eight years teaching have been at Shedeck Elementary.

As you can imagine, she’s had to change her lesson plans many times over the years to keep things interesting for her – and her students.

“I don’t want to give them a page that we did in the seventies, you know, because they’re going to look at those pictures,” she said. “Some of them they won’t recognize, you know, a rotary telephone or something, they’re not going to recognize.”

Mrs. Williamson’s time with YPS started long before she was a teacher.

She attended Yukon schools from fifth grade all the way through high school graduation.

We asked – “what has kept her coming back?”

“I have fun every day,” Mrs. Williamson said.

Judging by the big smiles on her students’ faces, they do too.

We asked Mrs. Williamson if she has any plans to retire. She told us she’ll be at school next week! Taking things one day at a time.

We like her style.