What is your name? Where do you teach? My name is Phyllis Beatty, and I teach at Folsom Junior High School.

What subject(s) do you teach? I teach eighth-grade science and Louisiana history.

What is your favorite thing about the subject(s) you teach? I love to do hands-on lessons that allow the students to relate what they learn in the classroom to real life, and science and history are perfect subjects for this. How long have you been a teacher? I have been teaching for 10 years.

How has the profession of teaching changed since you started? The curriculum has changed. We have more resources, and the students have access to more technology-based learning.

Why did you become a teacher? I’ve always wanted to teach since I was a young girl.  When we played school as children, I always had to be the teacher.

What is your favorite thing about teaching? Watching the students grow is wonderful. Some of my students have come back to tell me how much my classes meant to them. That means so much to me. Also, I get a chance to be creative and bring out creativity in the students.

Do you do anything special in the classroom to get through to your students? I use art projects, technology and hands-on activities to engage the students so that they want to come to school and to my class.

What is the hardest part of your job? Finding enough time, in general, for everything you need to do both in the classroom and after school with extra curricular activities.

Are you involved in any extra curricular activities at the school? Yes, I am the yearbook and science club sponsor, student-of-the month coordinator, Career Tech lab instructor, cheerleading coach and boys softball coach.

Do you utilize any special technology in the classroom? I use the computers, Promethean board, student-response systems, science probes, digital thermometers, digital microscopes and United Streaming video lessons.

Have you received any grants to aid you in the classroom? I have received numerous grants such as Kelly Cooke, WST, a QSM Math and Science Grant, Target field trip grant, and this year I co-wrote an 8-G grant for $85,000.

What do you do during your summer vacations? What vacation? I work with the cheerleaders during the summer and try to spend as much time with my family as possible.

Do you aspire to become a principal one day? No way! I love being in the classroom and working with the students. They are what makes education such a great field to be in.

What’s the craziest thing that has ever happened while you were teaching? I have lots of crazy stories, but one that was particularly funny was when our class boa, Mr. Wiggles, went missing. He was later discovered down the breezeway heading for freedom.