Courtney Mott: Students are opened to a world of knowledge through reading and writing  

Published 5:39 am Saturday, April 19, 2025

Courtney Mott, 35, dreamed of being a teacher since she was young.

She was born and raised in Mamou, and educated by the teachers there.

Those educators emboldened her to become one herself because of the way they instilled the love of learning in her. But this wasn’t the most important impact they had.

“But, first they loved me.”

Mott learned early on in her education that teachers who reach out to their students on a personal level imbue them with feelings of respect and love, both in and outside of school.

After graduating from Mamou High School, she earned a Bachelor of Science in education from McNeese State University. She has now taught for just over a decade. Her first gig was at W.W. Stewart Elementary in Basile. There she was a second grade teacher for two years and a fourth grade English language arts teacher for two years. For the next six years, she was a third grade ELA teacher at LeBleu Settlement Elementary.

Now, she is a fifth grade ELA teacher at Bell City High, a kindergarten through 12th campus.

As extracurriculars, she also works alongside the school librarian to promote the accelerated reader program on campus and spearheads the “Epic Literacy Family Night” for Bell City families.

ELA is a good fit for Mott, whose passion has always laid with reading and writing. She loves to teach students to “read with a purpose” to make the habit fun. This builds confidence in students, and makes the act of learning more enjoyable for them.

The learning happens in an “energetic and positive” space where students are safe to be themselves and comfortable enough to be active participants in class. This environment fosters deep bonds between Mott and her students.

Once trusting relationships are developed between teachers and students, effective learning naturally falls into place. This is why a healthy classroom ecosystem is necessary, she said. Her students are able to express themselves as they organically develop that love of learning.

“We have fun while learning, and the growth my students experience each year is worth every second of my time.”

Her teaching methods are rooted in the belief that all children are capable of learning, even if they don’t learn the same way. She works to meet every student where they are at “in whatever means necessary.”

“While my job is to “teach” students, I believe that just as important is my role in fostering a love of learning and instilling confidence in my students,” she explained. “By being creative with my lessons, building relationships with students, and being open to support and teaching them in the ways they need, I am certain that every student is capable of learning and growing.”

She gets to see her students “come alive” throughout the year.

“They are opened to a world of knowledge through reading and writing,” she said. “I love getting to know my students and being able to be a positive influence on many of their young lives.”

As students build confidence in themselves, they also build up their understanding of the world. And this knowledge is the key to success, because they can understand their role in the community. In turn, community members need to invest in the education of the youth to secure future prosperity, she said.

“When communities advocate for the education of our youth, it creates a bond and a sense of trust that can be seen through the growth and prosperity of the community, the peoples of that community.

“Education is not limited to the school grounds, but rather education is all around us.”