Teacher Tristen Spooner works hard to communicate with students and teach them as much as she can. As a high school teacher and coach, she continues to stay driven and committed every day.
Currently, Spooner teaches five classes of Forensics with juniors and seniors and one class of Earth Science with freshman. This can be a challenging load for Spooner, because this is her first-year teaching Forensics, but she loves it all the same.
“This year, I took over the Forensics program which has been both exciting and challenging. Adapting the program to fit my teaching style, managing the labs and staying current on evolving forensic laws and advancements requires constant learning,” Spooner said. “Despite the challenges, I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead this program.”
Forensics is a class that teaches the sciences of criminal justice. Spooner teaches about toxicology, the searching of a crime scene and different classifications of evidence.
Agreeing to teach a brand-new subject can be intimidating, but Spooner has quickly become comfortable with Forensics and is grateful to be able to teach it. Spooner got her passion for science when she was unsure what path to take in college. She chose to pursue STEM and earned a degree in biology.
Originally, teaching wasn’t her first plan, but after working as a soccer coach at Idaho State University, she was offered a great opportunity.
“The Education Department offered me the opportunity to teach PE courses for the university in exchange for pursuing a master’s degree in teaching. I had a blast teaching those courses, and that experience, along with my master’s program, introduced me to a career I now love,” she said.
Although teaching wasn’t Spooner’s initial plan, she now has a teaching job she loves at Eagle High. Spooner continues to be a role model for both students and athletes.
Along with teaching, Spooner’s biggest passion is soccer. She has been playing since she was four-years-old and has been coaching for seven years. At Eagle High, she coaches the girls’ varsity soccer team. She strives for her players to, “…walk away better players but knowing I care about them not just as athletes, but as people.”
Spooner is a great soccer coach because she not only cares about technique and winning streaks, but she also cares for her players and focuses on their success. Her experience makes her a successful coach because she knows how to teach the needed skills and strategies.
“My passion and love for the game, combined with an understanding of how soccer can shape a person’s life, have guided me as a coach. To me, soccer is more than a sport,” Spooner said. “It’s a vessel for making a positive impact on students.”
Her work as a coach and a teacher gives students a place to learn and feel comfortable making mistakes and asking questions. At Eagle High, Spooner brings interesting subjects and fun activities into her classroom and on the field, and she creates safety and skill. To have her as a coach or a teacher is to have someone with a goal to teach and provide knowledge.
