The 2021 school year has brought new opportunities to get to know teachers that weren’t here before online schooling. One of these teachers is Ms. Lawson, a new science teacher that started teaching for Marriotts Ridge last year. This year, she is teaching Advanced Physical Science to classes mostly composed of juniors.
Ms. Lawson always wanted to be a teacher growing up. She liked explaining things, even to friends. While in college she enjoyed relating educational content to her peer’s everyday lives.
“I liked seeing the lightbulb go off in their head when those connections were made,” Ms. Lawson said.
Although she is a new addition to the Marriotts Ridge staff, Ms. Lawson has been teaching for eight years. On her first day of teaching, Ms. Lawson felt a mix of emotions.
“It was nerve racking, I felt like I didn’t know what to expect, but it went smoothly,” Ms. Lawson said.
While her first day this year was relatively normal, her first day at Marriotts Ridge was the opposite. She first started teaching at Marriotts Ridge during online school last year. Despite the different environment, Ms. Lawson still had a good experience with students.
“The students were and are great, especially this year,” Ms. Lawson said when asked about her first impression of Marriotts Ridge.
Now that everyone is back in person, Ms. Lawson said that she has enjoyed getting to know the school community.
Most teachers have preferences as to which grade they enjoy teaching. This is the same for Ms. Lawson, who prefers to teach high school age students.
“It’s easier to joke with high school students, and it is easier to make connections through activities outside of school.” Ms. Lawson said.
Students who are aspiring teachers may be curious about advice for being one. Ms. Lawson believes that a teacher should always be willing to make adjustments and that not everything will go to plan.
“You should be organized but also relaxed,” Ms. Lawson said.
Ms. Lawson emphasized that not all classes will go to plan at first, and that teachers should trust their abilities. Ms. Lawson’s final words of advice was that a teacher should get to know their students.
Ms. Lawson is a dedicated teacher who is a great person for the job. Hopefully as the school year continues, there will be more chances for the Marriotts Ridge community to get to know her.