Mrs.Couling, a member of the Concord staff, is receiving the recognition she greatly deserves in this week’s teacher spotlight. She teaches many classes such as English 11, English Superheroes, AP Lang, (CSP) AP Computer Science Principles, (CSA) AP Computer Science A, and Drama. Mrs. Couling has taught at Concord for nineteen years and previously taught at another school for five years.
She attended Spring Arbor College where she earned a Bachelor’s in Philosophy and Religion and a Master’s in Construction and Design. She realized her love for teaching when helping Mr. Couling with his student teaching; she decided to return to college to get her teaching degree in History, English, and Secondary Education.
Art teacher Mr. Couling, who also happens to be married to Mrs. Couling, says, “I am a better person because of her; she inspires me with our business and school. She’s also an amazing support person for me, our kids, and a number of students.” Mrs and Mr. Couling also work together owning a business where they sell CHS merch. They also collaborate being the junior class advisors, putting in a lot of time and effort to help make sure the junior class has whatever they need to strive.
Mr. Couling is not the only person to think so highly of Mrs. Couling. Former teacher Mr. Reiniche says, “Mrs. Couling has been a colleague, neighbor, and friend for 25 years. We have collaborated in the classroom, served as NHS co-advisors, and traveled across Europe on multiple occasions. She will always have my respect for the way she lives her life: a person who strives to make others’ lives better!”
In her time at Concord, Mrs. Couling has made a big impact on the students she has taught. Ashton Easterwood has had Mrs. Couling for a few classes including Intro to Computer Science, AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science Principles, English 11, and English 12 Superheroes. Easterwood expresses his admiration for Mrs. Couling saying, “She is very good at learning how you learn and then she applies her amazing teaching skills to help you learn the way you learn. She does a lot of one-on-one and you can tell that she really cares, and if you are interested in something, she is very supportive and good at leading you in the right direction. She’s just a great person all around.”
Jayden Carpenter-Sattler is another student whom Mrs. Couling has taught. When asked to describe Mrs. Couling he says, “She is really nice and funny; she knows when to be strict, when she has to be just a really good teacher.” Carpenter-Sattler says that she motivates him, “With my art especially because I procrastinate a lot, and she is always making sure I get stuff done.”
Given everything Mrs. Couling does for the community and the school, Concord is incredibly fortunate to have her. She’s the perfect representation of what a teacher ought to be.
