Angela Briscoe’s reason for choosing to teach science is simple: “Science is fun!”

She said she was lucky enough to be offered the position of fourth- and fifth-grade teacher at Merryville — and smart enough to accept.

This grade level and subject are fun for Briscoe because the students’ age is perfect for a science lesson. She said they are old enough to be curious and engage with the curriculum. Science also encourages self-guided exploration and out-of-the-box thinking, and it helps the student build social skills.

“They are no longer concrete thinkers and are starting to be much more independent,” she said. “We are able to explore, discuss, research, design, experiment, build, fail, share, and improve.”

She went to school in Westlake for most of her education, but transferred to Sam Houston High School her junior year. She did attend McNeese State University after graduating high school to earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing with a minor in psychology, but did not complete the coursework.

“Life had other plans, and I did not finish that degree.”

But in 2019, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in interdisciplinary studies from Western Governors University, certifying her to teach kindergarten through eighth grade. She now has four years as a teacher under her belt, but these weren’t her first experiences in a classroom.

Before completing this degree, she worked as a paraprofessional at South Beauregard Elementary for almost a decade. When her youngest child started school, she took a job as a reading interventionist aide so she would be on the same schedule as them. But, she fell in love with teaching while helping these students.

Her first year she taught fifth-grade science at Pinewood Elementary, but transferred to Merryville the next year.

Her work as a science teacher extends beyond the classroom. She helps to lead the new Merryville Environment Club, where students volunteer to pick up trash on the playground and learn about environmental issues.

Like many teachers, Briscoe loves the “lightbulb moment” where she can see a student learn something new. But, she also cherishes the moment when a student feels comfortable to voice their ideas in her classroom or during group discussion.

“There are always so many different viewpoints, and often students surprise me with their out-of-the-box thinking. I love when a more reserved student voices a great idea and the class acknowledges it!”

Engagement in the lesson is one of the most critical components of the learning process, she said.

“Students who are invested in the learning activity will be more successful. … I want my students to be life-long learners, so I take opportunities to model my learning process by finding answers to questions I do not know while the students observe and assist.”

Her best piece of advice is to gather plenty of advice from peers, and “then follow your gut.”

“Each year, each class, each student, they will all be different. The thing I’ve noticed about teachers is that we are the most optimistic people,” she explained. “If we have a challenging week, we come in the next Monday with a new game plan and new hope. Stay true to yourself, because just like our students, every teacher has their own unique gifts.”