WHERE DO YOU TEACH? I currently teach at Kanapaha Middle School. Go Coyotes!
WHAT GRADE/AGE DO YOU TEACH? I teach 8th grade.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A TEACHER? This is my eighth year teaching.
WHAT SUBJECT DO YOU TEACH? I teach language arts.
Why were you inspired to teach?
I am inspired to teach because I grew up in a household of educators. My grandmother, Marilyn Wetherington, taught English and was a huge influence in my goal of pursuing a career in teaching.
What is your favorite part of the school day?
My favorite part of the school day is lunch because I am always hungry by 1:05 pm. I get cranky if I skip breakfast!
Do you have a favorite assignment/ project that you typically assign your students?
I typically assign my students a “Six Word Memoir” assignment. They must describe a significant life event in just six words. I love learning about my students. I am always impressed by their experiences and creativity executing the assignment.
How do you wind down from a long day of teaching?
I love to wind down on the couch in front of the tv cuddling my dog.
What do you like to do outside of teaching?
I love to escape into other worlds through books! I also love watching anime and eating fried foods.
Share a funny teaching moment/day.
Everyday has funny moments, but one that stands out involves me rushing out of my classroom to a disturbance only to have my shoes fly off, causing me to trip and fall headfirst into the concrete wall, giving me a concussion and six weeks of physical therapy!
What is your favorite book?
My favorite piece of classical literature would be To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Contemporary novels would be The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas or The House in The Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.
If you were a superhero, who would you be?
Not a superhero, but I would be a Jedi! I am a big Star Wars fan. I would be Ahsoka Tano. “May the Force be with you.”
What inspires you to keep going on tough days?
My students inspire me to keep teaching on the tough days. Many of my students have endured tough obstacles and have continued to persevere. They also inspire me with their desire to change the future and their love of knowledge. My students, both past and present, make this the most fulfilling career I could ask for.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
“As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is, that each of us has something that no one else has – or ever will have – something inside that is unique to all time. It’s our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression.” –Mister Rogers
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