As the school bell rings in the 2024-2025 academic year, Sahuaro welcomes a brand new face to the English department: Ms. Sidney Moyers. A 2018 Sahuaro graduate herself, Ms. Moyers shared that teaching at her former high school has been an odd experience, to say the least. Although it is an adjustment to return to Sahuaro as an educator instead of a student, Ms. Moyers is ecstatic to create a welcoming environment and make a difference in her students’ lives.
Ms. Moyers’ journey to becoming an English teacher was inspired by Sahuaro High School’s very own, Ms. Lange. “I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives like Ms. Lange did for me,” Moyers said. During her junior and senior years, Moyers was a reporter and eventually the Associate Editor-In-Chief for The Paper Cut which strengthened her bond with Ms. Lange and created a deep connection to the school’s community.
For some young teachers, it can be a struggle to demand respect while also building a connection with students, but not for Ms. Moyers. “They see me as someone who can understand them,” Moyers said while reflecting on the different bonds she has with her students. Despite it being early in the school year, she has shared that she feels as though it has been easier for students to open up in her freshman English class. This course provides a sense of trust and openness because it encourages them to personally interpret the content while being heavily reliant on class communication. This combined with the deep dive into personal subjects often leaves English classes feeling closer together than any other class, which was another point brought up by Moyers.
When it comes to juggling teaching multiple classes, Ms. Moyers has it covered. Despite being welcomed to the English department, Ms. Moyers has been assigned to U.S. Government and Credit Recovery. While she does have to brush up on a couple of historical events and try to decide the most important information to feed her students, the diversity of her classes has been refreshing. She has expressed that the most challenging part for her has been trying to plan activities that are both exciting and informative for her students.
As a first-year teacher, Ms. Moyers often struggles with imposter syndrome, which can stem from feelings of unpreparedness and self-doubt. Moyers said, “I come in every day, and I feel like a camp counselor.” From an outside perspective, it’s hard to see that she is feeling so much pressure, as she does an amazing job of staying calm and collected. However, these inward feelings have not stopped Ms. Moyers from remaining committed to her students, and she is doing a beautiful job of overcoming this mentality.
Moving forward in the school year, Ms. Moyers is delighted to continue to create bonds with those around her and to give each student something different yet still impactful. She has expressed her excitement by saying “I’m really excited to get to know everyone and build relationships so they’ll want to come visit me again.” Her dedication and devotion to her job is sure to leave a lasting impression on her students.
