Teachers of the Year: Marsha Dunford
Stacy Barnes
Like everyone, ninth grade Pre-AP English teacher Marsha Dunford has had her share of ups and downs. Last year was arguably one of her hardest. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent an unusual treatment called “brachytherapy”, which consists of one week of intensive radiation instead of the usual seven weeks at lower doses.
Now Dunford is cancer free and happy to have been chosen Mustang Mid High’s Teacher of the Year. Teaching is Dunford’s second career. She spent 12 years working as a court reporter.
“I made three times as much money, but it just wasn’t satisfying for me,” she said. “I always wanted to be a teacher—always. When I got out of high school we just didn’t have any money and I wasn’t really encouraged so I didn’t go to college.”
Dunford started working her way through college after the youngest of her four children entered school full time. After graduating she began her teaching career in the Mustang School District eight years ago and says she still loves it.
“I like dealing with the kids,” she said. “When they walk in here in August and I see those innocent little faces I just think, ‘Wow, I could introduce them to so many good novels and good authors.’”
In fact, the English teacher says one of the best things about her job is introducing her students to new pieces of literature; especially stories and authors they may have heard are difficult, like Shakespeare and the novel Great Expectations.
Dunford says she understands ninth graders are often frustrated because they are too young for some things they want to do (like driving) and yet too old for many other things. She allows her students to celebrate their birthdays in her classroom, complete with singing and cookies or cupcakes.
Reading and playing cards on the internet are some of Dunford’s hobbies.
“I love to play spades, that’s my thing. I’ll just get on there and play for hours,” she said. “They’ve got the site blocked here (at school) and that’s probably a good thing.”
Both Dunford and her husband Steve served in the US military, she in the Army National Guard and Steve was a Marine who served in Vietnam. One of their children just graduated from Navy Boot Camp and another is leaving for the same camp this month. Their oldest son is married and has one child, and their youngest child is a senior at Yukon High School this year.
Dunford said she did not expect to be voted Teacher of the Year.
“I was so shocked I think my mouth just hung open,” she said. “But I was honored. It’s really an honor to be voted on by your peers.”
Stacy Barnes
Like everyone, ninth grade Pre-AP English teacher Marsha Dunford has had her share of ups and downs. Last year was arguably one of her hardest. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent an unusual treatment called “brachytherapy”, which consists of one week of intensive radiation instead of the usual seven weeks at lower doses.
Now Dunford is cancer free and happy to have been chosen Mustang Mid High’s Teacher of the Year. Teaching is Dunford’s second career. She spent 12 years working as a court reporter.
“I made three times as much money, but it just wasn’t satisfying for me,” she said. “I always wanted to be a teacher—always. When I got out of high school we just didn’t have any money and I wasn’t really encouraged so I didn’t go to college.”
Dunford started working her way through college after the youngest of her four children entered school full time. After graduating she began her teaching career in the Mustang School District eight years ago and says she still loves it.
“I like dealing with the kids,” she said. “When they walk in here in August and I see those innocent little faces I just think, ‘Wow, I could introduce them to so many good novels and good authors.’”
In fact, the English teacher says one of the best things about her job is introducing her students to new pieces of literature; especially stories and authors they may have heard are difficult, like Shakespeare and the novel Great Expectations.
Dunford says she understands ninth graders are often frustrated because they are too young for some things they want to do (like driving) and yet too old for many other things. She allows her students to celebrate their birthdays in her classroom, complete with singing and cookies or cupcakes.
Reading and playing cards on the internet are some of Dunford’s hobbies.
“I love to play spades, that’s my thing. I’ll just get on there and play for hours,” she said. “They’ve got the site blocked here (at school) and that’s probably a good thing.”
Both Dunford and her husband Steve served in the US military, she in the Army National Guard and Steve was a Marine who served in Vietnam. One of their children just graduated from Navy Boot Camp and another is leaving for the same camp this month. Their oldest son is married and has one child, and their youngest child is a senior at Yukon High School this year.
Dunford said she did not expect to be voted Teacher of the Year.
“I was so shocked I think my mouth just hung open,” she said. “But I was honored. It’s really an honor to be voted on by your peers.”
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