You might recognize this month’s teacher spotlight! Mrs. Missy Sanders has been a cherished teacher at SCA for 12 years. In fact, she’s gearing up to teach the children of former students, whom she lovingly refers to as “her grandstudents” in the next couple of years! As a seasoned educator, Mrs. Sanders has taught many subjects, and her current roles include high school history teacher (World History, US History, and Government/Economics) and Junior Class sponsor. Her classroom is a dynamic environment where history comes alive through a blend of traditional instruction, interactive discussions, historical scavenger hunts, and engaging activities.
But it’s not just her teaching style that makes Mrs. Sanders exceptional; it’s her remarkable rapport with her students. Walk into her classroom on any given day, and you’ll find lively discussions and animated debates. In Mrs. Sanders’ classroom, history isn’t just a subject—it’s an experience.
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Education from Clearwater Christian College
YEARS LEADING IN EDUCATION: I am on year 15 of teaching and 12 years at SCA. I have taught grades 6th-12th grades.
WHAT IS YOU FAVORITE THING ABOUT TEACHING SECONDARY STUDENTS? I love teaching secondary students because they “get” the crazy jokes, you can expect more out of them…like expecting them to be able to do a lot on their own. You can teach on their level, but sometimes they even like to cut, paste, and color.
FAVORITE PLACE YOU’VE VISITED ON VACATION: That’s a hard one. China was amazing (even though it wasn’t exactly for vacation), but so far, I think New England has been my favorite place. It’s such a beautiful place, and there’s so much history in that area. I’ve been there twice and still don’t feel like I’ve scratched the surface.
FAVORITE BOOK: Lady of Arlington (about the wife of Robert E. Lee)
FAVORITE MOVIE: Nacho Libre!
AS A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? When I was a little kid, I wanted to be on Broadway, but as I grew to a bigger kid, I wanted to be a teacher.
WHY DO YOU THINK CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT AND SPECIAL? Due to the fact that Christ can be the center, the relationships I can build with students in a Christian school is by far what makes it so special. I can’t imagine trying to build relationships without being able to use scripture and talk about Jesus. Also, being able to show kids God’s hand and His workings throughout history is amazing. I love having the freedom to say… “Can you see what God did there?” when we’re talking about non-biblical historical events.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY AT SCA? One is spiritual, the other is comical:
1. Being a part of two huge revivals that swept through SCA one in either 2003 or 2004 and the other in 2019.
2. The first day of my return to SCA (after taking a break to have kids) I was teaching and saw a spider (which I HATE). I thought I would be real calm and cool and just walk over a step on it before anyone noticed, but as soon as I stepped on it a million babies came out and I lost my cool, screamed, and crazy chaos ensued!
