Caroline Cathers is a teacher at Deer Valley Elementary School.
Q: How long have you been a teacher and what subjects do you teach?
A: I graduated from the University of Montevallo in 2020, and started teaching right after. I've taught both 2nd and 1st grade, and I teach all subjects to my students. So we do reading, writing, phonics, math and then science and social studies.
Q: What inspired you to become an educator?
A: My mom inspired me to become a teacher. She taught at Deer Valley Elementary and that is where I teach first grade now. Always, growing up, we would get to go work with her at school and help her in her classroom. So, I just knew from an early age that is what I wanted to do with my career.
Q: Tell us about your favorite teacher from when you were in school.
A: I attended Hoover City Schools kindergarten through 12th grade, so I had the very best of teachers. From my elementary school, Kathy Griffin is a standout teacher, and I get to work on a team with her now so that's extra special. From Hoover High School, Alicia Wilbanks was a wonderful, wonderful influence on me. She was one of my dance coaches and she just taught me so much about confidence, how to be a leader and how to be a teammate.
Q: What is the most rewarding part of being a teacher?
A: The most rewarding part for teaching for me is when students have that lightbulb moment in reading. Literacy is a huge portion of our day in first grade. And, so when students are excited about checking out new books or going to the library or getting that next book in the series, it is just the best moment for teaching for me.
