Secondary Teacher of the Year
Holly Varley, Crowley High School
What is your favorite part about being a teacher?
Varley: “My job changes every single day. No day is
like another day. Even if you are teaching the same
material, there will be different students. Every class
has its own personality. I get to interact with hundreds
of students every single day. Some of them have good
days, some of them have bad days. But I get to have
those meaningful interactions with my students, such as
saying hello, going to baseball games or dance recitals
and other things, which shows them we are supporters
of the things that they do.”
What do you like about teaching at Crowley High?
Varley: “There are amazing, magical, life-changing
things that happen at Crowley High School every single
day. CHS has won the Secondary Teacher of the Year
three years in a row, and I think that’s just an indicator
of how much the teachers on our campus care about the
students that come through our doors.”
How do you make your classes engaging?
Varley: “I enjoy being able to do hands-on activities in
my class. I have always been passionate about the fact
that students learn more when they do, more than when
they just sit. Sitting and listening is great, but when you
can get them engaged with one another, talking about
the content you’re trying to get them to understand, is
when the real interactions and connections are made.”
Why do you enjoy teaching high school students?
Varley: “Teenagers are so moldable at this point and
I feel like this is the age where I can have the biggest
influence. There are so many decisions that have to be
made in these high school years and I really feel like
they need a driving force to help with those decisions
and be a positive influence in their lives.”
What do you teach at Crowley High?
Varley: “I teach advanced placement and regular
government, as well as a student leadership class. I’m
also the student council sponsor on our campus. I love
teaching government, it’s a passion of mine. I feel that
in order to be responsible citizens, you need to play an
active role in your government, and I really believe it’s
important to teach my students to have a sense of civic
duty and that it’s their responsibility.”
“I was involved in student council when I was in high
school and it’s great to build a sense of community and
school spirit within your campus through arranging
events like the homecoming parade and spirit weeks.
Those things have a big impact, because those are
the things that you always remember. You may not
remember solving a problem in math class, but you’re
going to remember what you and your friends did at
the homecoming dance. I want to be able to give our
students that high school experience that they can look
back on with fond memories.”
CROWLEY ISD CONNECTIONS | Summer 2017
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