New Hampshire’s Teacher of the Year, Keith Noyes ’00, ’08G, mixes humor and high expectations to motivate his fifth graders, and keeps focused on the relationship. “I have them for lunch and go to their recitals and sports events,” he says. “I tell lots of stories about my own kids, who are ages five through 13. That encourages students to share more of themselves.”
He also offers students plenty of extra challenges, such as optional “brain busters,” so boredom is never an issue. “They know I want them to go ‘beyond awesome,’” he says with enthusiasm.
Noyes has come full circle as an educator in his hometown of Laconia, New Hampshire. As early as his sophomore year at Plymouth State, he was able to return as a volunteer in the Pleasant Street School, where he once was a student himself. “I commuted to PSU all four years and worked at night back home. It wasn’t necessarily the easy route, but I was inspired by plenty of great professors.” He recalls the late Dr. Denise Bartello and other professors who opened up his eyes to children’s literature, history, and related disciplines that have served him well in the classroom.
He taught a self-contained fourth grade class for 14 years before transitioning to science, math, and writing, and currently teaches just math. Along the way he realized that certain strategies are effective no matter the subject. “Anytime you give students a choice it’s exciting, and it gives them a chance to open up and be creative.”
Teachers must wear many hats in order to meet the needs of today’s pupils, and Noyes strongly believes in greater collaboration with other professionals. “A lot of kids are dealing with traumatic pasts and presents, such as family divorce and incarceration, and some have even witnessed parents overdosing. There are students who get their only meals here at school and come in hungry in the morning. We need more therapists and social workers in our schools, and this is something I want to advocate for.”
The challenges of teaching are many, as are the rewards. Noyes has words of wisdom and encouragement for current PSU students considering careers in education. “It’s admirable work, and you’ll get a chance to change people’s lives.”■ Peter Lee Miller
