By Mike Hutchens
Communications Director
A lengthy teaching tenure in the Union City School System has been anything but year-after-year of the same old thing for Robyn Doyle.
Quite the contrary, in fact.
Doyle has thrived and earned a reputation as one of the system’s best instructors by filling whatever need administration has had during her 26 years of classroom instruction.
She’s taught a multitude of subjects and special education at Central Elementary, Eastside Elementary, UC Elementary and Union City Middle School – working under a number of different principals at those schools.
“I like different. I like challenges. I like ‘new,’ smiled Doyle, during a break of readying her room for the 2018-19 school year. “I get bored and I don’t like ruts, so it’s actually been really good that I’ve been asked to do different things over the years.
“The first time you make a change, it’s hard. It gets a little easier every time after that. I was really excited when they came to me with this. Mr. Kennedy saw a need for help with the transition. Every change I’ve made has been positive and I’ve enjoyed every next step.”
Most recently Doyle’s taken on the challenge of Transition 6, a new class instituted by Director of Schools Wes Kennedy, designed to help with adjustment and improvement in social, organizational and communicational skills needed for middle school students who are moving over from the elementary school.
In her first year of her latest task, she claimed there were many “teachable moments” with her students in the guiding of the maturation process. From study to social skills, speech to body language and general interacting and communication guidance, both Doyle and her students have been rewarded in the new program.
“Getting them organized and working on accountability,” she said, when asked to generalize her instruction plan. “We had a lot of small group activities. And I had a motivational book I used at times. I’ve referred to some of the things I’ve done as guidance/grandmother sayings.
“The parental feedback has been really positive. The sixth grade teachers have been supportive, too. As teachers, there’s just so much material to cover in every subject area and its tough to do it all, plus address what Transition 6 does because of the curriculum set and requirements. I really feel like it has been a great benefit to both students and our faculty.”
Doyle said she’ll make some changes in her presentations for 2018-19, and is excited about another year as she approaches nearly three decades in the business.
Another two or three and she might be looking for another challenge.
“The only thing I haven’t done is teach high school,” she grinned, perhaps sending a hint Kennedy’s way.
“You really have to be gifted and a great teacher to teach the same subject five and six times a day, year after year after year. You really have to be creative to be effective. I’m thankful Mr. Kennedy saw a need for Transition 6, and I’m really looking forward to doing some different things in my second year with the class.”
And if another need in the system arises?
“I’ll probably be up for it… just because I like challenges. Change is good for me,” Doyle concluded.
It’s obviously been good for Union City School System students, too.
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