Educator of the Week: Mary Beth Dunagan

It’s time now to recognize this week’s Educator of the Week, brought to you by the Tennessee Education Lottery.

Mary Beth Dunagan is a high school English teacher at West Carroll Jr./Sr. High School.

Dunagan shares that her favorite part of being an educator is treating her work as a ministry every day.

“Not only am I preparing students, from freshman to seniors, for life outside of school and after they graduate, but also making sure that they are mentally, physically, emotionally prepared and just created those relationships with them,” Dunagan said.

Dunagan says she loved her English teachers growing up and that English has always been a favorite subject of hers.

However, these aren’t the only reasons behind her career choice.

“My husband’s an educator,” she said. “My dad and my sister’s an educator, so we all come from a line of education and teachers and so, that’s why I wanted to get into this.”

Dunagan shares what she wants students to learn from her class.

“That they’re loved and cared for, first and foremost. That we treat each other with respect and that, most importantly, that they learn some English and they are able to take something that they learn in English class to use throughout the rest of their life.”

For future educators, Dunagan offers encouragement.

“I would say do it,” she said. “I had half people that were encouraging. I had half of the people that were telling me not to go into it, that it had become a career that had become discouraging to a lot of people.”

This is Dunagan’s first year teaching after spending 10 years in healthcare.

“I’m glad that I took the challenge and came right into it, because I have honestly thoroughly enjoyed becoming a teacher.”

Dunagan is now eligible for the Tennessee Education Lottery Educator of the Month award.

To vote for her or any other nominees, go to the Tennessee Education Lottery website.

To nominate an educator for our Educator of the Week award, email us at [email protected].