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The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Kathy Bouchard
Teacher of the Month
By Crystal Patriache
"As always, teachers need to be patient and have understanding," she says. "But they also need to understand that school is NOT the way it used to be when all of us were students, no matter how recent that may have been. It has changed so much in the last three or four years. It's amazing! Teachers also need to have the ability to evaluate themselves and be ready to make adjustments to whatever needs to happen in the classroom. It's part of the job."
According to Bouchard, flexibility is one of the important characteristics that a teacher needs to have these days when it comes to the school environment and the students themselves.
"If you can't be flexible to what your students' needs are, then you won't be as effective," she says. "Not every student is the same, even from day to day, so being rigid about everything defeats the purpose of being in the classroom. It just turns people off to learning in general. There are exceptions to every situation, even though it is sometimes inconvenient!"
Bethel says that Bouchard possesses the patience, desire and caring attitude needed to successfully work with the many challenges of middle school students. "She is well liked and respected by the students and by their parents or guardians," he says. "We are very fortunate to have her teaching at Mark Bills Middle School."
Bouchard always wanted to be a teacher – sort of. When she was little, she'd play school for hours, but as se got older she wanted to a famous star on stage. But what drew her to teaching was the kids.
