Liliane Vannoy
By Staff Reports
Friday, May 01, 2009
5/01/09 at 4:28 PM
Haskell Middle School, Broken Arrow
7th- and 8th-grade Spanish
20 years
1. What do you like best about teaching and why?
Creating the feeling of confidence in my students that they can learn anything. There is nothing in this world more powerful than the happiness of a child when that child “gets” the lesson.
2. What do you like least about teaching and why?
One of the least pleasant duties of teaching is calling a parent with news that the student is making poor choices academically or behaviorally. I try to be very supportive and I always make a positive comment to say right after I talk about the negative issues.
3. Do you have any particularly humorous or fond memories of a particular student you could share?
When I taught third grade to English Language Learners and we were talking about the weather, this little guy raised his hand and said “It is going to be a worm day, Mrs. Vannoy.” He said with so much enthusiasm the word “worm” instead of “warm” that to this day I always ask my husband, “How worm is going to be today?”
4. If money were no object, what would be your dream project to do with your class (es)?
I would love to take them on museum field trips in other countries or states. As a Spanish teacher, culture is a very important element in my curriculum and one of my favorite aspects of culture is art.
5. So often we hear examples of parents who are under-involved, or the so-called “helicopter parents,” who are over-involved in their children’s lives. Ideally, what should parents do to help one of your students?
Years of teaching experience and parenthood have taught me that the best thing we can do for our children is to be always supportive on the positive or negative side of life. Let them experience success and failure and as a parent be present always to show enthusiasm or to pick up the pieces when necessary.
6. What’s the worst thing a student has ever done under your watch?
I was using shaving cream as a teaching tool to help the students learn the spelling of verbs, and one of the students decided to eat the shaving cream. The activity came to a total stop, and I have since substituted white boards for shaving cream — not as much fun, but a lot safer on the stomach.
7. If you were in charge of how your school district spends its funds from the federal economic stimulus package, how would you spend the money?
I would spend the money on programs that would allow the students to receive tutoring with reading at an early age. Reading is the key to success in every class.
8. What would you say is your most effective classroom or behavior management technique?
My most effective classroom techniques are good planning and creativity. My favorite behavior management is a great sense of humor and the “look” of “I mean business and you better stop.”
9. If you had to choose another profession, what would it be?
I think I would become a child psychologist if I had to choose another profession. I have always enjoyed the joy of understanding a child’s mind.
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