Social studies research teacher Laura Parsons has been here for 14 years, starting in 2011. In this time, she has gotten the opportunity to teach a variety of classes, including Honors World, AP World, Honors NSL, AP NSL, Honors U.S., AP Human Geography, AP Psychology, African American History, L-G-B-T-Q studies, according to Parsons. “I really enjoy teaching because I am a learner by nature,” Parsons said.
Her love for teaching is shown in the way she runs her class. Students think that her style of teaching is engaging and helps them understand the material. “I was able to obtain the information really easily because when she taught she gave a lot of definitions and examples,” junior and former student of Parsons, Caitlin Dexter said.
However, Parsons didn’t always see herself becoming a teacher. While she knew she wanted to be a teacher ever since she was in college, her mom, a former teacher herself, discouraged her. This was because of the bad experiences that she had when she was still teaching. She dealt with a multitude of problems, and just had an overall bad experience that she did not want her daughter to go through too. At first listening to her mother’s advice at first, Parsons later went back to school to become a teacher. “I did other things and then I went back to teaching and got my degree in education in my late 20’s,” Parsons said.
Despite her late start, she does not regret the path that she ended up on. She feels that she gained a lot of valuable life lessons from her experiences. For example, her extensive travels allowed her to gain understanding of different cultures and be open to new experiences. She also learned to not get aggravated over things that she couldn’t control. Without her time before teaching, her career would have had a “very different trajectory,” Parsons said.
When she applied for the resource teacher position opening, Parsons was disappointed to hear that the interview would take place at a time where her daughter wasn’t at daycare. Out of options, she was forced to bring her young daughter to the interview (with the then Principal’s approval). It was an unexpected moment, but her perseverance to become a teacher and her commitment to her family reflected positive qualities. A normal interview is hard enough, but she did it while caring for a demanding child at the same time. “It was the most bizarre interview I think I’ve ever had. But obviously I did something to get the job,” Parsons said.
Her role as a resource teacher may differ from that of a traditional teacher, but her impact is no less significant. In fact, the success of teachers and students alike in the social studies department depends on her ability to evaluate teachers and complete important paperwork. Due to the workload, she only teaches three periods. “The expectations in terms of the responsibilities are a little bit more,” Parsons said.
Parsons is happy with her time here, and is grateful for the amazing school community and environment. “There’s not much to dislike about teaching here at Wootton, the kids are great,” Parsons said.
