Why did you choose the nature name, Doe?
I've always been a quieter person...especially when someone I may not know asks me a question! I used to get embarrassed and not want to talk...I would feel like "a deer caught in headlights!" But, as I've gotten older, I've become more comfortable with who I am. When I see a doe (a female deer) in nature, I think how strong and graceful she is, and I think to myself "hey! that's like me!" I am proud of my quiet, strong self and wanted to use the nature name Doe!
How long have you been working in education and where?
I started teaching almost 20 years ago, but paused for a while to stay at home with my children. Altogether I have 10 years of public school teaching experience in Louisiana. Most of it has been in Buras/Boothville, Louisiana.
What grades and subjects have you taught? Do you have a favorite?
My degree is in secondary education with a specialization in English, so I've taught reading and writing (now ELA) in grades 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, and 11th. I would have to say that my favorite as of now is 6th grade, which I am currently teaching for the first time this school year!
Last year, for the first time, you and your class spent 5 days and 4 nights at T.R.E.E.'s Sunship Earth program. How did that experience carry over into this unusual year we are having?
During this school year, I began teaching the Louisiana Guidebooks Hatchet unit— it’s novel based. Before I started the unit lessons, I had my 6th grade students each build a mock shelter that would be needed in a survival situation. I couldn’t bring them outside to collect their own materials due to COVID restrictions, so I brought the outside to them!! I brought in sticks, twigs, leaves, and even some bugs! (Haha) I also had popsicle sticks for them to use along with some twine and string and glue...and many of the students said that the glue represented moss that they would have searched for! Along with building the mock shelter, I had them write about it.
This was totally inspired by our time at T.R.E.E.'s Sunship Earth program where so much of our time was spent outside creating, illustrating, and writing about our learning experiences! It makes the learning stick more. And...what is even cooler to me is that I looped up with these students from 5th grade, so we are able to talk about all of our Sunship Earth experiences together!
If you could give new educators one piece of advice, what would it be?
Be yourself. Be genuine. Your students will love you for who you are when you are the real you. They don't want the second best version of the teacher that you may think is the greatest at your school or on Pinterest or social media. They want to learn from you! They want to know that you care about them. Respect them for who they are, and in return they will show you the respect you deserve as their educator!
