By Lindsay Lyle
What made you want to become a teacher? My mom was a teacher. From the time I was a little girl, I played teacher. I even had my own gradebook and chalkboard. As I grew up, everyone wanted me to go into the medical field...and I tried to pursue that, among other careers, but I could not shake the call of being a teacher and working with young people.
Who or what influences you to keep teaching? My students. They just keep me coming back. Everytime I have a bad day, one of them will say something to make it all become clear again. I love my students.
Why do you think you won the Teacher of the Year? I am so blessed. I don’t know how to answer this question.
Has winning Teacher of the Year changed your feelings about teaching? Only in that I feel encouraged to keep up the hard work. It is hard work, and sometimes we feel defeated when we cannot reach every kid.
How has your role as a teacher changed through the years you've been teaching? The longer you are in the field, the more classes you have the opportunity to teach. I have taught every math class except the new ones, Decision Making and College Readiness, but everything else. I was a part of opening the 9th grade building a few years ago and taught all 9th graders. Then I moved to upperclassmen. I have also taken on part of the responsibility of helping with the senior class and graduation.
Do you have a specific moment that you believe being a teacher influenced a student? I have one student that is currently studying to be a teacher. She is not going to teach high school, I don’t think, but she is one that I hope I encouraged. I always like to throw in a plug for at least a math minor….adds depth to the resume.
