Speech-language pathologist Morin named Eugene Field Teach of the Year

“Realizing how important communication is for people to successfully navigate throughout their day is what drives me every day,” said Eugene Field Speech-Language Pathologist Jennifer Morin. “Whether it be through gestures, words, body language or augmentative communication everyone has something to express.”

This mindset is what stood out among Morin’s peers, students and their parents when selecting her to represent Eugene Field Elementary as the 2019-20 Teacher of the Year.

“I was truly honored and never expected to be chosen as Eugene Field’s Teacher of the Year because any room in my building you walk into that teacher would be deserving of the honor,” she said. “It means the world to me that my peers believe in me and what I do to honor me in this way.”

Morin, who is said to always be smiling, approaches her students, their parents and the staff with openness, approachability and compassion.

“Jennifer always puts the success of her students at the forefront by pushing into classrooms to assist individual students or small groups,” Eugene Field Reading teacher Juliana Schalk said. “Her rapport with children is natural and instinctive. Students blossom as learners and leaders with her support.”

Morin is known among her peers for going above and beyond daily to motivate and engage her students.

“She positively engages with students, even the ones she doesn’t serve, assists other students if needed when she pushes in to the reading room to help non-verbal students and she seeks out the positive in students as she sees them in the hallway, at lunch or in the classroom,” Eugene Field first grade teacher Kristen Spain said in her nomination of Morin. “Students and teachers know Mrs. Morin is a safe landing space in a sometimes harsh world.”

Morin has been a speech-language pathologist with the Poplar Bluff R-1 School District since 2007 and most recently at Eugene Field since 2012.

She earned a Bachelors of Science in education and Masters in communicative disorders from Arkansas State University.

As a speech-language pathologist, Morin said she was in a unique position to be able to choose between working with adults or children when entering the workforce.

“It was truly a simple choice for me to make,” she said. “I love working with children and always have for 19 years.”

Morin had numerous family members who chose the education field, including her mother who taught second grade for 19 years, also influencing her decision to teach children.

Seeing her students communicate and make progress inspires Morin every day.

“Along with The Leader in Me, that began my second year at Eugene Field, and growth mindset have had the most impact on not only my professional career, but my personal outlook on life as well,” she said.

Eugene Field intervention teacher Rondi Vaughn praised Morin’s teaching methods by making students feel empowered to take risks in the lesson.

A Eugene Field parent saw a new-found confidence in her son after working with Morin for three years.

“He told me how she helped him become more confident and now he is not afraid to talk in public and in front of his peers,” she said. “As a mother, this makes my heart so happy. Mrs. Morin truly does teach the whole child and smiles while she does it.”

A former Eugene Field student also found new confidence after working with Morin all while having fun.

“I don’t know how to thank her, but I want you to know she really is the very best, best, best speech teacher in the world,” he said. “I was learning and having fun and that’s hard for a teacher to do, but with her, she’s amazing. I will always remember her and how she helped me, but in fun ways.”

Eugene Field believes everyone has genius and talents and it may not look the same for one student as it does for another, Morin said. She also believes this carries over to staff at Eugene Field.

“I may not be a classroom teacher,” she said, “but I feel so valued and part of the Eugene Field family every minute of every day.”