The Gratitude Tour: Sheila Ray Cooper

Sheila Ray Cooper and I met within the first grade at Giffin Elementary Faculty in South Knoxville, TN.  She was Sheila Ray in these days and was one in all a handful of associates with whom I attended college from 1962 to 1975.  I admired her friendliness most of all.  Despite the fact that she toppled me each single time in spelling bees and took dwelling a number of tutorial awards in junior excessive and particularly throughout our senior 12 months of highschool, she remained all the time humble.  

After my emotional go to with Shirley Underwood, I knew I used to be in for a deal with as I met Sheila and one other classmate Bob O’Connor on the identical Panera Bread later within the afternoon of Sunday, July 25, 2025.  As soon as once more, my notion to symbolically present my appreciation for Sheila’s and Bob’s educating careers didn’t go as deliberate.  They each requested candy tea, which I gladly was prepared to pay for, however, alas, the sort woman on the counter instructed me I might simply have the candy tea so it was actually the Panera Bread worker who deserves the credit score for displaying appreciation. 

Sheila needed to be a instructor since she started beating me in these spelling bees within the first grade.  She refers to her early curiosity as a “God-thing.”  In highschool, she drew additional inspiration from English instructor Ms. Debbie Coram and journalism instructor Ms. Molly Thomas.  I keep in mind each of them, too, as caring, enthusiastic academics.  

Sheila earned her Bachelor of Science in English with a minor in journalism from the College of Tennessee, Knoxville. She then taught English and journalism at Gibbs Excessive Faculty in Knox County, TN, for 30 years.  One afternoon a few Kenny Chesney followers dropped by the varsity workplace, desirous to see the place Kenny had gone to highschool. The varsity secretary launched them to Sheila, who occurred to be within the workplace, as a result of Sheila had been Kenny’s freshman English instructor. The enthusiastic followers requested questions in regards to the nation music star, and, with a straight face, she instructed the wide-eyed followers that younger Kenny had drafted the phrases to “She Thinks My Tractor’s Attractive” throughout one in all her artistic writing classes.  They thought she was severe and commenced grilling her for extra particulars.  She in the end instructed them that she had loved educating Kenny, however she was solely joking in regards to the track.

I’ve had alternatives to fulfill Sheila’s husband James a couple of occasions over time at class reunions.  He’s each bit as humble and gracious as is Sheila.  It’s no marvel their marriage of thirty-eight years remains to be going robust.  Sheila, James and their son Greg take pleasure in operating collectively.  In reality, Sheila and her household had simply the day earlier than run the Loopy 8s Race in Kingsport, TN, an occasion they’ve loved for a few years.

 After Sheila retired from the Knox County Faculties in 2012, she taught English for two extra years at River’s Edge Christian Academy in Knoxville. She then tutored at River’s Edge for 5 extra years earlier than totally retiring from educating when the COVID pandemic hit.  She gave thirty-seven years to educating.  

I keep in mind Sheila’s love of storytelling from our highschool days, and one in all her joys was fostering a love for literature amongst her college students.  Her true spark, although, the explanation she stayed within the occupation for thirty-seven years, was the reward of creating shut relationships with younger folks thirsting for understanding as a lot as for data.  “The suggestions they’d give me, the encouraging notes alongside the way in which, there’s not a greater feeling than understanding I used to be part of so many college students’ academic journeys.  On these days after I felt a bit discouraged, the scholars picked me up and jogged my memory I used to be doing one thing that actually mattered to the world.”   

As she contemplated whom she would go to on her personal gratitude tour, she as soon as once more talked about academics Debbie Coram and Molly Thomas.  That they had been glorious function fashions.  Throughout her profession, although, one particular person stood out above all of the others.  Jim Pryor, principal at Gibbs Excessive Faculty from 1999 to 2004, was the very best administrator for whom she ever labored as he impressed her each day to carry her “A sport” and her personal methods of doing issues to the classroom.  

It’s an affidavit to how a lot Sheila cared about her college students that her regrets should do with not being as encouraging as she may need been to a few of her more difficult college students all through the years.  Although she is aware of she had a constructive affect on them, in hindsight she needs she’d been extra affected person and understanding of their struggles.  This can be a remorse to which I can relate very properly.  You see, Sheila had all the time been a excessive achiever.  She had discovered success within the classroom, in athletics, in her married life and as a mom.  I think that she, like me, has perfectionist tendencies.  Academics with such tendencies want to provide themselves a break.  Sheila had a exceptional influence on numerous college students all through her profession however tends to recall solely these few occasions she got here up quick.  Any educator who has ever taught for any size of time can level to interactions with college students that they want had gone higher.  However, my goodness, we’re human.  And Sheila is among the most caring human beings I’ve ever identified.

Sheila grew to become a frontrunner amongst her friends whereas at Gibbs.  Within the first 12 months that Tennessee instituted the Trainer Analysis Acceleration Program, she was chosen one in all three lead academics in her college.  This function gave her an opportunity to assist others enhance their educating and the holistic methods they need to be evaluating their college students.  

As she appears on the challenges going through schooling as we speak, she sees younger, proficient academics leaving the occupation for numerous causes.  “A kind of causes is that younger academics really feel under-appreciated. Efficient principals comparable to Jim Pryor, who didn’t micro-manage however slightly impressed his academics to be artistic of their approaches to reaching younger folks, have gotten tougher to seek out.  State-mandated exams add to the dearth of independence that younger academics face as we speak.”    

As Sheila shared her profession with Bob and me, she teared up a couple of occasions.  Being an efficient instructor actually mattered to her.  Having the liberty to do it her means actually mattered to her.  Through the years, I’ve seen remark after remark in social media from her adoring college students.  They have written about her kindness most of all.  As I believe all the way in which again to 1962 and contemplate her dedication to educating, candy tea is the proper illustration of Sheila as a buddy and educator.