Raise your hand if you enjoy math. Yeah, I didn’t raise my hand either, but thankfully, I have had the privilege of having some great math teachers. One that stood out the most to me was Ms. Lori Street. Ms. Street is a high school algebra teacher who makes learning equations interesting.
Ms. Street was born, raised, and is currently living in Bassfield. Her two children are her biggest blessings. With nearly 17 years of teaching under her belt, Ms. Street continues teaching students algebra 1 at West Marion High School, making it a subject that is exciting, even for students who find algebra challenging. Fun fact: Ms. Street was my algebra 1 teacher!
Initially, Ms. Street did not know what direction she wanted to take her career in. However, she witnessed her mother and aunt take on the role of teachers. Although becoming a dental hygienist was an option at one point, being an educator prevailed, and from there, she decided to pursue the field of education.
Ms. Street has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education from the University of Southern Mississippi. Upon obtaining her degree in education, she embarked upon her career as a teacher. Her first experience with teaching was at East Marion Primary school where she taught precious little third graders. While algebra is Ms. Street’s forte, she is also multifaceted in the realm of education.
“My degree certifies me to teach kindergarten through sixth grade as well as mathematics and general sciences at the high school level,” Ms. Street said.
Some may believe that education is a field that can pigeonhole you; however, Ms. Street understands that you can have many options within the field of education. Because of her degree and background, she can merge into many different classroom environments.
“If I wasn’t a good fit in an elementary setting, I could move to upper grades and vice versa,” she stated.
While Ms. Street makes running the classroom look easy, she says that it comes with its challenges. Challenges such as lack of effort, no parental support, and the lack of student attendance makes being an educator quite difficult.
“This makes it very difficult for teachers, especially when we are held accountable for state test scores.”
Unfortunately, many people do not understand the unique struggles that teachers deal with. Because of this lack of understanding, teachers often catch the unwarranted fury of others. Additionally, oftentimes people who have not been in the classroom for long (or at all) make big decisions for teachers.
Although teaching definitely comes with its set of challenges, it also comes with a plethora of rewards. One of them is seeing her students continue to grow in confidence and to succeed in the classroom, Ms. Street says. Another great aspect of teaching, that she mentions, is the ability to build relationships with both her students and their parents.
Lastly, Ms. Street gives our future teachers some advice on teaching. She says, “Teaching takes patience and grit. You will learn something new every year, and as soon as you get comfortable, something will change. If you can find your groove, you will love your job. It’s very nice, having a student yell your name out across Wal-mart or give you the biggest hug because they miss your class.”
I can speak for myself and others who had Ms. Street as a teacher and say that although I was not a math wiz by a long shot, I miss her class so much. Ms. Street’s kindness, empathy, and compassion for her students paired with her ability to make algebra class to look forward to, is what truly sets her apart! Make sure to thank Ms. Street and other great teachers for their hard work!
