Student teachers are a common sight among the halls of Tunstall. However, a familiar face who has served on Tunstall’s staff in the past and plans to do so again can now be found in room A208, assisting Mrs. Watson and Mrs. Buchanan in their classes. This rising teacher is Mrs. Olivia Ingram.

Ingram was formerly the Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) teacher. Although she loved the class, it was only a temporary position.

“I was only a long term substitute that year, so when the year ended, my time was up,” she said.  During her absence from Tunstall, she served as a substitute at Stony Mill Elementary School.

However, Ingram still wanted to get her teaching degree, so she returned to Tunstall to finish her student teaching.

When asked why she chose to come back, she said, “It’s the best school in the county. Why wouldn’t I want to return?”

She now serves as the student teacher in Mrs. Watson and Mrs. Buchanan’s United States History classes and has even taught the class by herself when Mrs. Watson was not there.

“I feel like [Mrs. Watson’s] sudden medical leave from the class has really helped me because it put me out in the field sooner than I anticipated, and I was able to experience teaching a class first-hand,” said Ingram.

Watson agrees that Ingram is doing well as a student teacher.

“I love her. She’s helped me out a lot since she got here, both in teaching and in planning. She gets the students engaged in the lesson and they all love her. She makes an already fun class that much better,” said Watson.

Buchanan agreed, as well, saying that her “patience and overall friendliness toward the students is a blessing in the classroom.”

Looking ahead, Ingram said she would be happy to be a full-time teacher at Tunstall. She would like to teach either United States History or government.

“I’ve always had an interest in Government, and my time co-teaching this class has influenced my new decision to want to teach U.S. History,” Ingram said.

Ingram will continue her student teaching until the end of the semester.