TEACHER'S CORNER: INSTRUCTOR FOUND TEACHING LOGICAL CHOICE

Whenever Lynne Taylor "played school" with her friends when she was a child, she always chose to be the teacher.

"I have always enjoyed showing other people how to do something," Taylor said, "so it seemed a logical choice to become a teacher.

"I had some very inspiring art teachers who instilled in me the joy of being able to create something of value out of a few raw materials."

Taylor teaches art at Scott City Elementary School and Art I at the high school. She has taught there for 15 years.

She received her bachelor's and master's degrees from Southeast Missouri State University.

"It is very gratifying to see the students accomplish something that they thought would be too hard or complicated for them to do," Taylor said.

"I love to see the pride and satisfaction they feel for having finished such a project."

She said she also finds it satisfying to see students excel in art when they have trouble with other subjects.

"Art is a way for them to express themselves without written words," she said, "and sometimes they will be some of my most creative students.

"I also like to hear students comment that they have saved certain special projects of which they felt especially proud. For example, many students have told me that they still have the angel we made in kindergarten."

Taylor has her students work with a lot of different art materials to expose them to something that they have never tried.

"By varying the materials we use, everyone can find success through experimentation and manipulation of these various art mediums," she said.

"I also have each grade level doing a different project, which is displayed on bulletin boards throughout the building.

"The students look forward to seeing their work displayed and enjoy looking at projects they may be doing in the future."

Taylor's husband, Gerald, teaches sixth grade at Scott City Elementary School.

Her interests include sewing, flower gardening, reading, quilt-making and water skiing.