Mrs. Danver teaches the 9^th grade students in English and Literary Seminar. She coaches the girls volleyball team and is very educated in her field. She had two kids and still continues to be a teacher who values education and wants to see her students strive. Here is some information you probably didn’t know about Mrs. Danver.

Q: What classes do you teach?

Mrs. Danver: “I teach Literary Seminar I and English I – both are 9th grade classes.”

Q: What’s your favorite part about teaching in general?

Mrs. Danver: “I like that teaching allows me to be creative and share important information with students. Also, I work with a lot of great kids and people who bring light to my life—I really value that.”

Q: Why do you like teaching English specifically?

Mrs. Danver: “I like teaching English because I always liked English. Like many can relate, it wasn’t something that always ‘came easily’ to me, but it was a class I always enjoyed.”

Q: What are your goals for your students?

Mrs. Danver: “My main goal for my students is to learn and grow.”

Q: Where did you go to college?

Mrs. Danver: “I went to Clarion University, and now I am working on my Master’s Degree through California University.”

Q: Was English your best subject in school?

Mrs. Danver: “English was one of my better subjects. I’m not sure if it was my ‘best’ though—I’d say gym class was.”

Q: What do you look forward to most each school year?

Mrs. Danver: “I look forward to the fresh start each new school year brings. I look forward to old faces and new faces, too.”

Q: What advice do you want students to know?

Mrs. Danver: “High school is about effort. Show effort; effort includes showing up, being engaged, doing the work, getting involved. If you show effort, you will do OK.”

Q: What impact on students lives do you want?

Mrs. Danver: “In high school, I had a lot of great female teachers—a few I idolized and wanted to be like. Coincidentally, many of those were my English teachers. I thought they were smart, motivated, cool, outspoken, risk-takers, and strong. They pushed me personally to do and be better, and they showed me what strong women looked like. I would like to leave the same impact on my students.”

Q: What was the most important thing you took away from high school and applied to college and to life?

Mrs. Danver:  “I learned a valuable lesson in high school—one that I’ve carried with me my entire life. One time in 9th grade, my best friend and I slacked off in Mr. Kovalcin’s algebra class; we didn’t do much homework, we rarely payed attention, and we failed a few tests. The result: I got a 68 in algebra on my 1st quarter report card. My first ever failing grade—really grade lower than an A—on my report card. Shocked, disappointed, and nervous were some of the emotions I felt when I got my report card. I was TERRIFIED to take my report card to my mom, as I knew a major grounding and fit would take place when I went home. So, what did I learn? I learned that you get what you give—I gave little effort, and I earned little from it. I didn’t try in my class, so I earned an F (my first ever F). I cheated myself out of high honor roll, I lost out on the content Mr. Kovalcin was teaching, and—more importantly—I let myself down. I never wanted to feel that way again. Throughout the rest of high school and through college and now in adulthood, I truly believe that the more you give, the more you get.”

Q: What one thing would you like students to know about you as a teacher?

Mrs. Danver: “I’m not ‘mean’—I think that’s what some say about me? Haha! I expect a lot out of my students because that’s what I expect from myself. I believe you have to work outside of your comfort zone and be pushed in order to get better and grow. Like I said, that’s my goal as a teacher.”