After 35 years of teaching, Mrs. Terri Sloan’s incredibly hard work and caring spirit made her Bixby 9th Grade Center’s Teacher of the year!
Mrs. Sloan graduated with a degree in education from the University of Oklahoma. She currently teaches geometry, and has taught every grade but 2nd. She prefers coffee over tea, spring over fall, and the ocean over the lake.
In a profession that is increasingly harder to be in, Mrs. Sloan stays because so many students “need someone who can help them feel valued.” Her inspiration, she says, comes from her family. She says that her three daughters overcome many challenges in their lives, and if they can do it, so can she.
Two of her students, Oscar and Abigail, describe Mrs. Sloan as enthusiastic, passionate, inspiring, kind, and fun to be around. Abigail says that “There’s a lot” that Mrs. Sloan does to show she cares, including taking her time to explain concepts thoroughly. Oscar says, “She’s always there.”
To be a good teacher, Mrs. Sloan says, is to “put yourself in uncomfortable situations,” and push yourself. Mrs. Sloan continues to “read literature…attend conferences… [and] go and talk to colleagues,” so that she may “continue to grow and learn” as an educator. She believes her best quality is instilling in students a “sense of responsibility,” so that when they leave her class they are better prepared “for the next step of their lives.” She wants to ensure students are “performing at their best.”
Abigail says that Mrs. Sloan is deserving of the Teacher of the Year award because she is “always so welcoming” and in a positive mood. Oscar says that it’s “fun to be her student,” and that she is always “ready to teach” and “does it with a passion.”
Mrs. Sloan is a shining light in the eyes of her students, and works to inspire them to be the best they can be at every step of their journey. She is a valuable part of the BPS community, and we are lucky to have her. Congratulations Mrs. Sloan!