TEACHER'S CORNER: CHAFFEE TEACHER'S STUDENTS TAKE PART IN ACTING

Students should know how to act in school, but Joy Cutler-Garner takes it a step further at Chaffee Junior-Senior High School: Her students sometimes engage in role-playing or acting.

"This type of interaction gives them the opportunity to release their pent-up emotions in a positive manner," she said.

"Whether it is taking on a role reversal such as teacher-parent, or playing a legendary character like Robin Hood, they seem to enjoy the experience."

Cutler-Garner teaches grades 8, 11 and 12 in speech, drama and language arts. She has taught at Chaffee for 15 years.

A graduate of Chaffee High School, she has bachelor's and master's degrees from Southeast Missouri State University.

"Returning as a teacher to my alma mater has been extremely gratifying for me," she said.

"It is rewarding to teach my high school classmates' children and compare our accomplishments to theirs, but more than that, I get the opportunity to teach with those who once taught me."

Cutler-Garner's classroom does not echo the usual sounds.

One time she was conducting vocal warm-ups. "Students were asked to repeat a series of sounds in various pitches," she said. "After concluding a few scales, we paused only to hear the science class that was across the hall return the exact exercise. That is what I would call `learning across the curriculum.'"

She is married to Gary Garner, a self-employed antique dealer. She has three stepdaughters: Stephanie, 18, Charisse, 14, Dusti, 10, and a granddaughter, Linsy, 6 months.

She enjoys swimming and water skiing and extra-curricular events at school. She writes poetry and short stories, and works with the local VFW auxiliary as a liaison for the Voice of Democracy speech contest.