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As a kickoff to the new school year- in Titan Times, we have decided to create a dedicated section for all of our hard-working teachers. In honor of our club founder and advisor- Mrs.Merrill will be the first-ever teacher to be interviewed for this project. Mrs.Merrill teaches English, Freshman Writing, and Journalism. She teaches her classes in a fun and approachable way that still allows her students to learn efficiently and effectively. Read below to learn about Mrs.Merrill and what Journalism class is all about and how she unexpectedly has become a teacher.
What classes do you teach?
English 1 all levels, Freshman Writing, and Journalism
An explanation of a class that you taught and what is it about?
Journalism helps expose students to media literacy and what it means to be a student journalist. I wish that this class was widely accessible to more students because becoming an aware and active citizen is a crucial part of our democracy and this class is a great way to expose teens to that importance. We talk about the ethics of the media and learn about different styles of journalistic writing. Pre-covid, I took the class to the Patriots Hall of Fame where we got to pretend to be sports journalists, and even went up into the press box at Gillette. Last year my class decided that for their final, they wanted to put together a presentation on restorative justice for (the) admin and the school board. They presented (it) to the BOE and it was one of the most memorable moments of my career.
When did you decide to become a teacher? And why did you choose this profession?
I originally went to school for journalism, but halfway through college, I switched my major to English without being super confident with what that would mean for a future career. I've been an avid reader and writer since I was a kid. I can't pinpoint an exact moment when I decided to explore education, but it was something I thought more about as I approached my college graduation. I think teaching was always in the back of my mind (we had a chalkboard in my basement growing up and I was always the "teacher" of the neighborhood kids), but it didn't seem as glamorous as a career as a journalist or struggling writer. Ultimately, I took a year off between undergrad and grad school to explore my options. I went to grad school to get my master's in education. Once I started my student teaching I had never felt so right about something. I always wish that my family and friends could see me at work because I feel like I truly come alive in the classroom
How do you participate in classroom participation?
I try to start with engaging materials. Sometimes classic literature isn't the most riveting to read, but I approach it by connecting what we read to relevant events and supplemental materials to both my life and my student's lives. For example, when I teach Lord of the Flies, we spend some time discussing what it means to be a bystander and what it feels like to be part of a hive mind by using clips from Woodstock 99. I also love hearing my students' perspectives on what we're reading, which is why discussions are some of my favorite assessments. And yes, I know that some kids totally hate discussions, but discourse is such a hugely important human skill.
A fun memory during your teaching time?
I sometimes have my kids perform scenes from Romeo and Juliet with costumes and props. One year, while Mr. Burns was observing me, I had a student bring in his flute and play "My Heart Will Go On" during the balcony scene. We all absolutely lost it. I'm so sad that I wasn't able to capture that golden moment on video.
Quick Five Things about Mrs.Merrill:
Favorite color: Blushy pink or pastel purple
Favorite food: I love food, so it's really hard to choose. I will say that one of the best meals I've ever had was at a Thai place in Portland, ME called Boda.
Favorite show/movie: I will always love The Office and Superbad.
About her pet: I have a beagle/dachshund mix named Dobby and a black cat named Wallaby.
Extra fun information: I was on the Dumbo ride at the same time as Topanga from Boy Meets World (showing my age), my son was born on Christmas, and I love the smell of library book
Student Honest Review
“She was nice”
- Anonymous
“She’s nice and she’s sweet! And she definitely has a lot of school spirit and dresses up for school spirit week ”
- Anonymous
“I love Mrs.Merrill, she’s so nice and kind. Her class was really fun. All the things we did were really interesting and I loved doing Romeo and Juliet. I’d say it was an experience (haha). Her class wasn’t hard if you understood it properly and she was really easy going too”
- Zia Saiyed
“It was boring I had her online and we never learned anything. She just made us write essays and read one book. Very unprepared for my next English class:( If I had her in person it might’ve been better because people would actually participate. I’ve heard good things about her overall though from people who did have her in person.”
- Anonymous
“So I had her for freshman writing and she was super nice and she didn’t grade hard either“
- Anonymous
“Her classroom was a really accepting place, you were free to share your ideas and opinions in a safe environment.”
- Anonymous
"Mrs. Merrill’s class wasn’t an easy one but no class that is at your level should be. When a class is right for you it should challenge you and make you work hard to get a good grade. In the semester I had her, English was by far the class I looked forward to during the day. Not just because many of my friends were in that class but because it was different from the English classes I took prior to last year. We did many assignments where we interacted such as the fish bowl talk or the Romeo and Juliet play we did. The books that we read may not have been everyone’s favorite, but it was different than doing a worksheet on grammar or how to make an adequate sentence. Mrs. Merrill was always there helping when you had a question or giving you advice on how to make your essay better. The class was one I enjoyed very much last year because of the work we did but also the teacher I had!"
- Ashley Franco
