Morgan Alexander

Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because I’ve always loved reading, and I wanted to share my passion with students and hopefully encourage them to enjoy and appreciate the arts and humanities. I also have always loved working in a caregiver/mentor role, and I’ve been in that role in different ways for most of my life: first as an older sister, then as a camp counselor, and now as a teacher.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience was teaching The Odyssey to students during the Drake and Kendrick rap battles. I taught the students how to create a rap song, casting half of the class as Drake (Odysseus) and the other half as Kendrick (Poseidon). After writing their diss tracks, students rap battled each other with the verses they wrote and voted on the class winner. It was such a fun lesson and got even some of my least motivated students engaged.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would use it to completely upgrade my classroom with new flexible seating options, fun and relaxing ambient lighting, and a wider variety of engaging books from diverse authors. I would also buy a huge supply of snacks to keep my students fed. My classroom is a safe space for my students, so I want to make it as comfortable and welcoming as possible for all of my students.