By Mandy Gambrell
Monique Cotis says she greatly believes in her students and the power of education.
“I hope they leave my classroom each day knowing that I am just trying to be a part of their village and get them to the next step,” she said.
Cotis teaches language arts to eighth-graders at Garfield Middle School in the Hamilton City Schools District. She says she loves to see her students be successful community members once they leave her classroom.
“The best moments are when my former students come back to visit or when I see them out and about being members of our community. I am always so proud to see them thriving and adjusting,” Cotis said. “Oftentimes in middle school, the things that worry them seem so consuming. … I work to help them see the possibility in tomorrow or next week and even the next school year.”
Cotis is about to finish earning a Master’s Degree in Reading Education. She’s doing that in addition caring for her two young daughters alongside her husband.
She’s been at Garfield for several years but first started teaching in 2007 when she was living in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Cotis said choosing to work with middle school children was inspired by her time first working with adults.
“Fresh out of college, I moved to South Florida to work in a fast-paced, corporate environment where I was working as a recruiter and I loved the interaction with people, but something was still missing,” she said. “I stumbled into substituting for extra money and I was immediately in my comfort zone. The kids were so interesting and curious and each day was so full of choice.
“I saw the differences that I made each day and it turned out to be the most challenging and rewarding thing that I’d ever done. I was hooked,” Cotis said.
She says she is looking forward to many more years of teaching — and learning from — her students.
“They have no idea how much they teach me as well. The memories and friendships that I’ve made while working at Garfield are forever,” she said.