Ms. Diane Morris
TEACHES:
AP LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION & ELA 9
BLUE VALLEY NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
Education
BA & MLA
BAKER UNIVERSITY
Going Above & Beyond
MS. MORRIS SPONSORS KAY CLUB AND ALSO SERVES AS A CLASS SPONSOR.
Life Outside of School
OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, MS. MORRIS LIKES TO SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY AND HER CATS, READ BOOKS, TRAVEL AND LEARN ABOUT THE PLACES SHE GOES, AND RELAX ON HER DECK AND PATIO SURROUNDED BY HER PLANTS AND BIRD FEEDERS.
What is your teaching philosophy?
"By creating a positive and welcoming atmosphere, as well as a clear structure and expectations of respect and strong work ethic, my students are better able to absorb the subject I love to teach them. When they do that, they feel smart, strong, and proud of themselves. As their teacher, I hope they see me as a role model, exhibiting fairness, honesty, empathy, self-discipline, a sense of humor, and a curiosity and enthusiasm for learning."
Can you tell us about a memorable student?
"(How do I pick one??) One student who struggled with depression, self-esteem, and a difficult home life, failed my sophomore class. However, I didn't give up on her and let her know she was worthy of great things in her life. She began to improve the next year, continued to stop sometimes, and worked hard to graduate on time. For some years after that, she stopped by occasionally — a happy, smiling, young woman in cosmetology school. Her smile made me very happy."
What is your favorite part of being a teacher?
"My favorite part of teaching is getting to know my students, watching them grow and improve their abilities, seeing their smiles, and helping them feel excited and proud about their accomplishments and those of their classmates."
What is the biggest challenge you face as a teacher?
"The biggest challenge is the workload: I spend many hours each night and weekend grading and planning."