Electives Lead, Desiree Matlock, Earns TTU K-12 Teacher of the Year Honor

By Leslie Cranford, Section Manager

Desiree Matlock’s infectious passion for teaching and for her students has surely helped her garner TTU K-12’s Teacher of the Year award for 2020-2021. We first introduced Mrs. Matlock in the “Wherever You Are” newsletter in summer 2020. She has been with TTU K-12 for five years, with a total of 15 in education.

Cari Moye, principal for TTU K-12, is happy to call Mrs. Matlock one of ours.

“Mrs. Matlock is a fantastic teacher who works hard to not only connect with her students but in also making sure she is holding them to high standards,” Moye said. “We love having her on our team and congratulate her on this award!”

At present, Matlock teaches English 2, Foundations of Personal Fitness, Health Education, Individual Sports PE, Team Sports PE and PE substitution.

In the last year and a half, Matlock says it has become more important than ever to keep lines of communication open.

“With more students than ever moving to virtual instruction, the role of teacher as communicator and facilitator is vital as students have been feeling ‘left on their own,’” she said. “I strive to provide them a sense of normalcy through communication by showing students that there is a real person interacting with them and the work that they submit.

She says for her, that means responding personally to every assignment submitted, holding weekly open office hours, and making sure to quickly and thoroughly respond to every student message. She adds that her students have helped her develop at least as much as she hopes she has assisted them.

“My students have helped me grow so much as an educator by teaching me how to work with them in an entirely new reality: the virtual school,” Matlock said. “We have had the privilege of learning together how to adapt to a virtual world and the unique needs and challenges that come with it. Their feedback has always been open and honest, and I very much appreciate that, as that feedback is how I have learned to adapt to their needs as students; that has made me the educator I now am.”

Congratulations, Desiree Matlock, for earning TTU K-12’s Teacher of the Year award for 2020-2021. We’re glad you’re ours!