At Chaffin, not only are the students a big part of school, but the teachers are, too. Knowing the teachers and building relationships can help you enjoy school more and can be beneficial for your success. Because of this, The Cougar Print decided to interview some teachers. Not only does this help us get to know them, but we can also learn more about the school.

First, we decided to interview Mrs. Tierra who teaches Spanish to all grade levels. Like many other teachers at Chaffin, she’s very thrilled for this school year. In the last 14 years she taught mostly 8th and 9th graders. Last year, she only had 9th graders in all of her classes. Now she teaches 6th and 7th grade, and she notices that there is a huge difference between the grades. Despite this, she’s looking forward to being able to build relationships with many of the students for up to three years. “I am excited to create relationships with some of these students for 3 years. It makes class more fun and personal. I am glad that there are classes for all grade levels so that the kids can see if they enjoy learning the language and want to pursue it.” As you may know, the Spanish classes at our school are full of students. This can go to show that the students at Chaffin really are excited about learning Spanish.

As for life outside of school, Mrs. Tierra loves to do many different things. One of her favorite pastimes is going to antique malls with her husband. “You never know what you’ll find when you go to one of these stores. You can go to the store, spend $10, and end up with 15 things. That’s what I love about it.” Mrs. Tierra also enjoys drawing and painting as you can see by looking at her room. In fact, she painted many of the decorations and pieces in her room. Stop by sometime and see!

The next teacher we had the pleasure of interviewing was Miss Thompson. She is now teaching Language Arts and Journalism to 8th grade students. Like many other teachers, she is teaching new subjects in a new room. However, she says she is very excited for this school year because of these changes. “I love working every day at a place that feels like home,” she says. She attended Chaffin as a student and now she is back as a teacher. She loves her job and her school! The only thing she would change about Chaffin is having a coffee bar, since she is a coffee-lover. Not only is she a busy teacher at school, but she also has a busy life outside of her job. She is involved in many activities outside of school, like teaching dance at West Arkansas Ballet. Because of her teaching, she knows a lot of students and parents in our city. She also enjoys working out at OrangeTheory Fitness and spending time with her beloved fiance Chris. To end the interview, she gave us even more advice to give to new students at Chaffin. “Make sure to drink lots of water, think before you act, and just be yourself!” she advises.

There is much more to these teachers than you think! We only interviewed two teachers, but we learned so much from asking simple questions. We encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and make conversations with teachers and other students. By doing this, you will find that your life at school is much more enjoyable. Making connections and being someone that is friendly and open is just another step to success at Chaffin.