Spotlight on the Staff- The Teacher Behind The Magazine

Spotlight on the Staff- Ms. Walton

Q= Did you have any jobs before becoming a teacher?

A= I’ve had ZILLIONS of jobs! I worked at a printing shop in HS, I babysat, and I did lawn maintenance one summer. I worked as a lifeguard for a while, and then as the Waterfront Director at scout camp for many years. In college I always was a waitress (summers - lifeguard/Waterfront). Once I started teaching, I had to supplement my income, so I lived at a college with the students as their Resident Hall Director. I’ve worked at bookstores, at the YMCA as a swimming instructor, and as a college teacher too.

Q- How long have you been Teaching?

A- I have been teaching 28 years!

Q- What grades and subjects have you taught?

A- K-6 Reading Teacher, 2nd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade. Then as an English teacher: 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th grades. I’ve taught undergraduate couses in education, and graduate courses as well. I teach children’s literature and young adult literature at the college level too.

Q= If you hadn’t decided to be a teacher, what would you have been?

A= I think I would have been a Minister or a Psychologist.

Q- What does it take to become a good literacy teacher?

A- 1) You have to love kids. 2) You have to be passionate about your subject (like I am about books and writing!). 3) You have to be able to speak clearly and give good directions. 4) You have to understand what it will take for your students to do X (some skill) and then give them the tools to do it well. 5) You have to be able to make learning engaging for your students. It’s so much easier to teach kids something if they WANT to make it happen! 6) You always ALWAYS must be willing to re-evaluate what you are doing and make changes.

Q- What is the funniest thing that has ever happen in your class?

A- Oh boy.. so many funny things. Probably the funniest was when I backed up into a milk-crate full of notebooks and ended up flat on my back with my feet in the air in front of a class of mostly 8th grade boys!

Q= Have you ever lived anywhere interesting or exotic?

A= I grew up in Colorado. I was born in Wyoming. I lived in Utah for a time, and I went to college in Ohio. But mostly, I’ve lived in NH.

Q= What’s your favorite color?

A= Yellow…followed by green.

Q- What's your favorite sports team?

A- Hm…..I’m not a huge sports fan. I love watching ice skaing and gymnastics and the Olympics.

Q- What's your favorite ice cream flavor?

A- I don’t eat sweets, really… so….I don’t have one.

Q= What’s your favorite animal?

A= dogs

Q= What is your favorite season?

A= fall in New England. Spring in Colorado (but I hate spring in New England becuase of the BUGS!!)

Q= Do you have any pets? If so, what kind of pets?

A= I have 4 cats and 1 dog: Ben, Ophelia, Buddy and Lily are my cats; Patches is my dog.

Picture: Basaraba, Nicole. "Books on the Craft of Writing: To-read List." Nicole Basarabas UniVerseCity. N.p., 21 Sept. 2011. Web. 15 Jan. 2016.