The Joy of Teaching Science and Embracing Middle School: Deana Dutcher

Welcome back to an exciting new episode of the Hornet Hive Podcast. In today's episode, titled "The Joy of Teaching Science and Embracing Middle School: Deana Dutcher," we have a compelling conversation lined up for you. Our host, Christopher Lewis, sits down with Deana Dutcher, a dedicated science teacher at Williamston Middle School. They dive into her journey of how she ended up teaching in the Williamston district and what drew her to the field of science. Deana also shares her love for teaching middle schoolers and the unique challenges and joys that come with it. Stay tuned as she reflects on her years in the district and the incredible stories that have sustained her passion for education. Get ready for an inspiring of the Hornet Hive Podcast!

Transcript

Christopher Lewis:

Welcome back to the Hornet Hive. I'm your host, Dr. Christopher Lewis, one of the members of the Williamston Communities School's Board of Education. Really excited to have you back again this week. Every week, I love being able to sit down with you to talk to you about the amazing things that are happening within our schools because our schools rock. and there are so many amazing things that are happening. But for those things to happen, we have to have amazing people behind the scenes working with our kids in so many different ways. And every week, I love being able to share with you not only exciting things that are happening, happening, but also introducing you to the people that make these things happen as well. And if you've been listening for any amount of time over the last Year or so, we've been introducing you to different staff members, people that are working, whether you've met them or not. they're there. They're working day in, day out with the kids and working to make our schools safe and helping our kids to be successful. This week, you've got another great guest with us today. Dina Dutcher is with us. Dina is a science teacher at our middle school and she's working with our 7th graders. So we're gonna be talking about that, but I'm really just really excited to have her on and to have her share some of her own experiences. Dina, thanks so much for being here today.

Deana Dutcher:

Thank you for having me.

Christopher Lewis:

It is my pleasure having you here today and One of the things I love to do is turn the clock back in time. So let's crank the clock back just a few years. I would love to learn a bit more about what brought you initially to Williamson?

Deana Dutcher:

Well, my husband was transferred from the Saginaw area to the Novae area. and we were we grew up in Gaylord up north and we just couldn't go any farther south So one a family member, uncle Ed, told us that Williamson was the place to go because we had 3 small children at time. So in 1999, with a one year old, a three year old, and a five year old, we moved to Williamston for their school specifically. So that's why we're here.

Christopher Lewis:

And tell me the story because I I I think I heard someone tell me that there's a little bit of a story to how you got your teaching job.

Deana Dutcher:

I stayed home for 12 years with my kids. And then when our youngest one was 6 and going to school all day long, I kinda put my foot in the door there and started subbing for a couple of years. And then I did a couple of long term subs, and they said, Hey, why don't you come on in and do some literacy work with our enrichment kids, as well as our kids who need a little bit of a boost. And I moved from room to room to room to room and did that for 5 years. And then finally, after kinda getting into the coaching realm of coaching volleyball and track, there was an opening at the middle school, and I jumped on it. I love middle school. Middle school was great for me. I think I'm one of the few people on earth that actually enjoyed their middle school career.

Christopher Lewis:

So talk to me about that. Talk to me about what is it about middle school that you just love, but also what's it what's about science that drew you in and made you want to be a science teacher.

Deana Dutcher:

Okay. Well, when I was growing up, I moved in 5th grade to Gaylord, Michigan. And I went from an elementary school that had spelling bees every Friday. I am a horrible speller. I was always one of the first people to sit, and you had to do the walk of shame and go back and sit down when you got your word wrong. So I knew I was going to be an idiot for the rest of my life and not be successful in school. And then when we moved, Mr. Sisco was my 5th grade science teacher and he was amazing. And we had science fairs, and I won them all. 5th, 6th, 7th, and, well, e j beat me out. I got 2nd place in 8th grade, but I realized that I was not destined to be an idiot and that this science thing was kinda cool. And it wasn't until mid middle school that I really realized that my parents had really fostered this figure it out. Let's experiment. If it doesn't work, let's try this. If it doesn't that doesn't work, let's try this. So I love puzzles, and my parents were always very, very supportive. And so that's part of the reason why I love science is because there isn't just one right answer. Like, there isn't spelling thank goodness. Thank goodness their spell check. And I also met my husband when we moved to Gaylord. So we've been buddies since 5th grade. my middle school is 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th. So extra perk.

Christopher Lewis:

So that tells me about science. Now what is it about middle schoolers that draw you in because not every teacher is enamored by the idea of teaching middle schoolers.

Deana Dutcher:

Well, behavior is contagious. and you walk through this middle school, and everybody is either oblivious to their behavior or super, super confident. So there are always happy people, and they're always eager to share what they're doing. They do crazy things They come up and they talk to you. They're just very welcoming. They haven't learned to be kind of off putting yet, and they're sense of humor is developing, and you kinda get a free pass on behavior in middle school. You do crazy things. And I I love it when high schoolers come back to talk to me, and they usually start their conversation with, I am so sorry. because of some silly things that they did in middle school, but the fact that they come back to talk to me and remember middle school in a positive way and talk about the the mistakes they made. It's a very humbling experience to to have a safe enough place for them to, 1st of all, kind of spread their wings and try things and then to still feel feel like they can come back and approach me and talk to me. So I like being a safe place.

Christopher Lewis:

Now you've been with the district now for a number of years. As you said, you kinda moved up and you kinda went through a number of different positions. And then you've been teaching over a number of years now as well. what would you say has sustained you over the years in our district? And what makes Williams then a great place to work?

Deana Dutcher:

First of all, my children went through before I kinda got really situated in the school as a teacher. And the people throughout their journeys from the bus driver I don't think my five year old would have, continued her academic career. Had it not been for Mrs. Swagger, the bus driver. and people all along the way who have led them with kindness and pushed them a little bit from behind when they didn't want to. So I love being part of those of that group. There are so many people. My colleagues are like you said in the beginning, pretty much amazing. And I sincerely mean that the good, the bad, the, you know, we had tears coming home and my kids, like, I'm gonna I'm gonna throw Mitch Luteski out there. Mitch Luteski, track coach, and high school teacher, He really challenged my kids, and there were tears, but they all still call him up and talk to him. So it's just kind of humbling, like I said, to be part of a group that can lead and push. And I'm a success junkie. I I want people to be success full. So and I laugh every day.

Christopher Lewis:

I love that. And I definitely know that Mr. Lutsky did challenge kids. He challenged my own daughter many times.

Deana Dutcher:

Oh, yeah.

Christopher Lewis:

And she loved it, and she would push him as much as she would get from him, I think, as well. and that friendly ribbing that I think they both gave each other pushed them on, especially pushed my daughter on and challenged her in many different ways. Now you just shared some amazing stories right there, but there are stories that definitely sustain you. and things that you reflect on as you move in your career and continue in your career. Can you share a story with me that for you epitomizes the experience that you've had as a Williamson staff member?

Deana Dutcher:

Yes. I can. when I was due working in the elementary school, there was a mom that came in to help out with picture day, and I was, for some reason, the teacher had stepped out and I, as a literacy, para, was taking the kids down to get their pictures taken, and she came up and I know her. She just didn't know my name. And she's like, oh my gosh. I heard that Missus Dutcher was going to be here today, and I just have to meet her. And she just went on and she was talking about stories that her children had brought home about me. And I was turning red and, you know, and when she was done, I just stuck my head out or my hand out and said, hello, I'm Missus Dutcher. It's nice to meet you. So the thing that I like about that is when I go out into the community, like, they're we were going to a volleyball game and I coach volleyball. And I got on the bus. And she's like, are you Missus Dutcher? And I said, yes, I am. And Grandma started telling me things that her children had shared at the dinner table about my class. So I consider that a big win. I go to the grocery store, I can go target. I can go wherever and run into people. And they know a little bit about me because of what their children have brought home. and one very highly educated gentleman was sitting during COVID on a Zoom conference And the first thing he said was, thank you for making my child think during this mess. So that was pretty cool to me.

Christopher Lewis:

That's very cool. Now you talked about the fact that you have coach along the way, and you're coaching in your classroom, but you you are coaching outside of the classroom as well. Talk to me about what It is about coaching that draws you in and keeps you engaged.

Deana Dutcher:

I love coaching middle school because it's the beginning of a lifetime of staying active. Missus Leonard was my middle school track coach and my middle school volleyball coach. And she gave me a whistle when I graduated from high school and said influence people. So I love like I said, I'm a success junkie. There's 17 events to choose from in track. So there's something for everyone. You don't have to be a marathon runner. and it's not about winning and and some people will take that the wrong way. I'm sure not everyone has to be the best it's about improving and making yourself better. You jump long or farther or run faster or be more efficient And I think that's great. And again, a safe place, and that's a hard thing to that's a hard thing to drive home. sometimes they, you know, they come to practice. They have a good time. They learn proper running form. They learn how to pole vault. And sometimes they go home to dinner table and their parents are like, I don't understand why your coach is doing this. Well, come on and ask me because I have a reason. I am from a very active family generations of athletes. So it's just a good thing.

Christopher Lewis:

I love that. And definitely, you know, I love the analogy there because I think that What you're saying about sports also works in the classroom as well. It does. And if you are willing to put in the time and effort, even if you don't get the we'll say the proverbial a, you know, but you're learning and you understand the concept That's what it's all about. And it's going from that that learning from one piece to the next piece and as long as you're standing it and growing and learning, that's what's most important.

Deana Dutcher:

That is. And I I sometimes I don't know off the top of my head who has the a and who has the not so great, not a, but I just want everyone engaged It needs to be a positive experience. I love to teach kids to love to learn.

Christopher Lewis:

I think that's a great place to end today, but I just wanna say thank you. Thank you for helping our kids. to love to learn and to pushing them to learn in different ways. Both in class and out of class, Thank you for being that teacher that the kids want to yell and run to when they see you at the store and to thank you for all that you do within our schools to make them a great place.

Deana Dutcher:

It is my pleasure.