Decoding BHS: Sullivan takes on eighth grade

Editor's note: This piece was written by a student at Bigfork High School as part of the Decoding BHS project, in which the Bigfork Eagle teams up with the Norse Code staff to allow students to produce a page in the newspaper.

Ever since the 1960s, Mary Sullivan has been teaching at Bigfork High School. Last year she solely taught the junior class American literature.

However, as of this year, she now not only teaches juniors but teaches the eighth-grade English as well in Bigfork Middle School.

Her time at Bigfork schools has included teaching freshman, sophomores and juniors, but this is her first foray into the middle school. For the first half of the day, she spends her time at the middle school as the English teacher. During that time, Joanne Strong, who teaches accounting and personal finance, uses her classroom in the high school. After lunch hour, she comes back to the high school and uses her room again.

This is a new experience that Sullivan says she enjoys thoroughly. When it comes to favorites, Sullivan could not decide.

Sullivan loves teaching American literature because of the books that are read and the writing that is done. During their junior year, the students do much more writing in order to get ready for papers like the Montana University System Writing Assessment.

"They [juniors] have to get ready... and I enjoy watching them succeed," Sullivan said.

Not only watching, but also taking in active part in the students writing development has always been her favorite part of teaching, she said.

However, now with the eighth-grade class being added, she is given an entirely new experience.

"The transition was not the easiest thing," Sullivan said. "It gets really busy... However, I have felt very welcomed."

She related experiences she has had talking with students and how they are "absolutely fun" to be around.