Words from the Wise



Katie Cooper

Salmon High School
My name is Katie Cooper and I teach at Salmon Jr-Sr High School in Salmon Idaho. This is my 10th year teaching here. I went into the field of education because I love working with other people. I started my career working with college-age students, and then had the opportunity to come back and teach in a high school setting. That has since expanded into students ranging from 7th to 12th grade entering my room at any given point during the day, as well as still working with adults on various professional development opportunities and in community education venues.

 I still find it very fulfilling to interact with others and allow them to learn things that are interesting and relevant to them. My students are involved in various CDE’s, and each year is a bit different depending on the makeup of the student population. My favorites are Horse Judging, Job Interview, Parli Pro, and Ag Mechanics. The variety of classes that I have the opportunity to teach in a rural single-teacher program is outstanding, and I can flex those in and out again as student’s needs and interests change. I can’t imagine teaching the same thing over and over every day, or even to the same age group of kids. 

 My other passion is travel, and the opportunities I have to take students to various activities across the state and nation is definitely one of the highlights of my job! That’s why this job matches up with my own personality and style so well! Lots of action, a variety of subject matter, and an opportunity to share with a huge array of different types of learners. 

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