Ms. Tompkins is a model English teacher here at Dee-Mack High School. While she’s only been part of our staff for two years, she has made an impact on kids not only in grades 9-12, but on various groups of people as she coaches both 8th grade and varsity girl’s basketball. In the classroom and community, Ms. Tompkins expands her skills, making her a versatile woman who will continue to positively impact the lives of everyone around her. Some of her favorites include the color blue, Harry Styles & Potter. She also loves the Hunger Games, the Green Bay Packers, reading, Clementine Cuties, and feels Expo Markers are the best classroom essential. Below is a short interview conducted by Dalia Dejesus, that gives insight as to who Ms. Tompkins is both within and outside of the walls of Dee-Mack.
How long have you been teaching?
Ms. Tompkins: Two years.
When and why did you decide to become a teacher?
Ms. Tompkins: I decided to become a teacher part way through my freshman year of college. I was originally going to be a nurse, but I decided I didn’t want to do that. My dad’s a teacher, so it made me think about it, and then I just decided it was something I wanted to do.
Who inspires you and what makes this person so influential?
Ms. Tompkins: I’ll say my dad because he’s also a teacher and he coaches. He’s also been teaching forever and he still likes it, so it’s inspirational.
What’s your favorite lesson to teach?
Ms. Tompkins: I really like teaching Romeo and Juliet, I teach that to the freshman.
What do you usually do that makes it enjoyable?
Ms. Tompkins: It’s fun because they have to act it out, so they get up in front of everyone and we use props and they get to fight and, you know, kill each other and stuff and it’s fun. And also, the kids have the most fun with it, which is what makes it fun and easy for me to teach also, because I don’t need to do a ton.
What’s your favorite memory teaching so far?
Ms. Tompkins: I’ll say, this last year, Christmas finals, I did a discussion with all my classes as a final, and the kids really liked it, and thought it was fun. So, it was funny and interesting, discussions.
Dalia: What was the discussion about?
Ms. Tompkins: We had just done a unit on civil rights speeches, and so it was about how you can make change, how words can make change, how what you say matters. I thought they just did like very good job having a mature discussion with having different opinions on things, on topics.
Did one student or one specific class stand out to you during that discussion?
Ms. Tompkins: Yeah, I would say my 8th hour (freshman) because they’re usually really squirrely and loud, and then they had the best discussion ever out of all of them. So it’s kind of surprising.
What is something that you wish your students knew?
Ms. Tompkins: I would maybe say something like… they’re very lucky to be educated. That there’s a lot of people in the world, in history who would kill to go to school, which is a good reminder sometimes when you wake up and don’t want to go to school, but it is a privilege to learn.
Why do you believe that teaching is so important, especially in this generation?
Ms. Tompkins: I would say that this generation of kids face so much. They have so much access to the world that it can be pretty hard, I think, to see all the negativity all the time, and I think school can be a good space for them to get away from that, to slow down, take some time to like learn things, read long books instead of short things all the time and kind of, I don’t know, escape all the craziness of the world.
How would you describe your classroom setting and why your specific aesthetic in your classroom is so important?
Ms. Tompkins: I like to keep my classroom very cozy. I would say is the word. I like to have the lights off and have my lamp and the twinkle lights and stuff, which is always really good for reading. I think it helps calm the kids down so that we can have silent reading time and more chill and that kind of helps with stress and makes things a little less overstimulating for everyone.
What were you like as a student?
Ms. Tompkins: I was very type A as a student, very organized, I cared about school a lot. I was always trying to get straight A’s, but I was also very busy all the time. I played 3 sports and I did all the clubs, so actually I tell my students all the time that I didn’t read in high school. I skipped over every book assigned to me in English class. I would use spark notes or I would skip ahead because I didn’t have the time to do it, which is not good, but that’s definitely influenced my teaching practice. It like makes me more realistic. I try not to give a lot of homework because I know kids are busy and they’re not gonna do it no matter how motivated they are. I was so motivated and I loved to read as a kid, but in high school it kind of killed my love for reading because I was just so busy and I didn’t have the time to do it.
Because of that, how has your personality changed from becoming a teacher?
Ms. Tompkins: I would say that if high school me was a teacher, I’d be a lot stricter and meaner because I demanded perfection for myself all the time and I couldn’t understand why people would like not turn in things and I definitely have more empathy for students now that I’ve been around so many kids and know that there’s just always something else going on or kids struggle with different things. Also kids have different skills and all that, so I feel like high school me would be a very mean teacher.
Finish the statement. If I wasn’t a teacher, I would be… In the medical field.
What job specifically?
Ms. Tompkins: I think probably nursing. I think my goal was to be a nurse practitioner, but I wanted to do ER (emergency medicine).
Would you work at a hospital near here or in a bigger city or different area?
Ms. Tompkins: I probably would have worked at OSF here. My mom works there.
What do you like to do out to school?
Ms. Tompkins: I like working out. I started running recently, which is kind of an old hobby, but I’m trying to get back into it. I like cooking, baking and hanging out with my friends.
How is planning the school trip? How’s that been different from another event you’ve planned or had a part in planning? Ms. Tompkins: It’s definitely something that’s super exciting and I’m super excited for the kids, but it is a little stressful just because it’s a big deal and safety is huge. Also making sure everybody meets the deadlines, has all the requirements, doesn’t forget to pack anything. It’s been a little stressful, but it’s overall exciting.
What are you most excited for in Greece?
Ms. Tompkins: There’s so many, I’m so excited. I am really excited to go to the temples. I think they’ll be really cool to see.
If you weren’t coaching basketball, what other sport would you like to coach?
Ms. Tompkins: Hmm. I’d say volleyball. That probably was my 2nd favorite sport growing up. I loved playing volleyball, so I’d like to coach volleyball.
Dalia: You helped with VB last year?
Ms. Tompkins: Yeah.
How good it fit do you feel like Dee-Mack is for you why or why not?
Ms. Tompkins: I think Dee-Mack’s a good fit for me just because it’s very similar to where I grew up in Gibson City. The school’s the same size, the school reminds me a lot of the school where I grew up, which is helpful just because I feel like I can relate to my students. I kind of understand a lot of things that they go through just because I had a similar experience growing up, which is nice. I think it’s good fit. I think there was like a time in my life where I imagined myself teaching in a more urban area, teaching in Bloomington where I live, but I just like the tight knit. I like knowing all the kids in school. I think it’s fun especially for extracurriculars and stuff.
How has being a part of coaching a team that won state motivate you to continue coaching even though you did this year as a volunteer (unpaid)?
Ms. Tompkins: It’s super motivational. I think the fact that I get to coach junior high is really fun, but it’s good. I think the state championship is really good for building a program. Like it gets the young kids interested and it was like really sweet to look up and see all the little junior high kids at the game. Getting numbers is always the biggest deal in a program in a small school, especially with junior high. You get a lot of kids and then they stop playing when they get to high school. So it’s like, how do you bridge that gap? How do you keep them interested? So I think that’s my biggest motivator and that’s what’ll impact probably a lot of what I’ll do next year, using that as like a model for things. Say they don’t want to do a drill, but “…this is what we were doing at the high school and they won a state championship, so you should do it too.”
Choosing Ms. Tompkins for this teacher appreciation article was a no brainer. She is a remarkable individual and teacher with versatile abilities. Many former and current students/teachers have sung her praises the last two years she has been here.
Current Student (Senior) Rylee Lockart: “Ms. Tompkins is such an amazing teacher for so many reasons. Although this is my first year having her she’s taught me so much about language and has also showed me that learning doesn’t mean hardcore work everyday but more about opening up and asking questions.”
Former Student (Sophomore) Anna Schmidgall: “Ms. Tompkins is one of my favorite teachers and always gives her time and effort to help the school and its students. She makes learning very hands on and fun, which is refreshing for some students who have very hard classes. She also has made so many contributions to make our girls basketball team organized and having fun. We are so grateful for you Ms. Tompkins!!”
Current High School Teacher Mr. Finney: “I was lucky enough to know Ms. Tompkins before she came to Dee-Mack and I knew whatever school got her would have won the teacher lottery. She is an exceptional teacher and leader already in just her second year. Ms. Tompkins is one of those teachers that will always be there for her co-workers and the students.”
Current 4th Grade Teacher & Head Varsity Girls’ Basketball Coach Nightingale: “Coach Tompkins is one of those people that make the world better simply by being in it. She genuinely cares about people and will go out of her way to make the lives of others easier. She volunteers her time to the high school girls basketball program and let me tell you that is a huge time commitment! I am grateful for her beyond measure.”
