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EDITOR’S NOTE: The LaGrange Daily News is doing a Q&A with all of the teachers of the year in the Troup County School System. Today we are writing about Mary Beth Scott, a first-grade teacher at Long Cane Elementary School. We asked her 20 questions, and we shortened this interview to some of our favorite responses.

Scott has worked in education for 10 years with all 10 with the Troup County School System. This is her fourth year with Long Cane. She also worked at Ethel Kight for six years and interned there.

Mary Beth has been married to Toby Scott for 8 and a half years. Both she and Toby graduated from LaGrange High School. They have three children: Smith who is first grade at Long Cane, Sam who is in Pre-K at Long Cane and Sally Jane who is three and goes to Little Lions Preschool.

Scott has coached cheerleading at LaGrange High and is a member of Rosemont Baptist Church where she currently teaches four-year-old Sunday school and we leads a bible study on Sunday Nights. She also enjoys doing local and international mission work.

Q: What inspired you to become an educator? (Or who?)

A: “I have always loved children and loved working with them. When I was a teenager, I would keep the nursery and help teach Vacation Bible School. Three of my aunts were or are teachers, (Carol Ferguson, Lynn Smith and Amy Taylor) so I guess you could say it is in my blood. They always seemed to love their jobs and working with students, which influenced me to give it a try.”

Q: What are your career aspirations?

A: “I really enjoy being a homeroom teacher. As of now, I am content where I am. In the future, I have considered getting my ESOL endorsement and working with second language learners. I have also considered going back to school to become a school counselor.”

Q:  If you weren’t a teacher, what career field would you be in?

A: “I believe I would still work with children in some aspect. I have really never considered this because I have known my entire life that being a teacher was my calling. Maybe I would work with children’s ministry within my church, or become a children’s counselor.”

Q: If your teaching style had a theme song, what would it be?

A: “If my teaching style had a theme song it would be ‘Lovely Day’ by Bill Withers. I try to keep the mood in my class happy and somewhat calm. I try my hardest to focus on the positive within my students and our job! Most days in room 29 are lovely days in my opinion.”

Q: What’s the most creative or unique project one of your classes has worked on?

A: “One year I let each of the students pick an animal to research. They checked out library books, found information on the internet and made habitats for their animals. They were able to work at school and home on their specific animal habitat. Then they shared with their class all about their animal. Kids love learning about animals and they each were the expert on their particular animal.”