Ms. Downing: A Look Into SDHS’s Newest Addition to the Theater Program

Callie Downing is Soddy Daisy High School’s new theater teacher. She replaced the former theater teacher, Lucy Boydston, who retired last year after having taught at SDHS for 32 years. Though her position is new, this is actually her second year teaching at the high school. 

Last year, she worked as an English teacher for the freshman class, where she gained more teaching experience. In addition, she learned the importance of keeping students in their core classes and working around state testing. Throughout the year, she also shadowed Ms. Boydston during theater competitions and school productions like Soddy Night Live, which gave her more insight on how the program functions. 

Forensics (the competitive theater program) is what got Ms. Downing interested in SDHS in the first place. While she was in college, a professor suggested to her that she should try working as a theater camp counselor/instructor since they thought she might enjoy working with children. She took a chance, and within a week she had decided that teaching was going to be her lifelong passion. In her words, “Watching students blossom and achieve their potential is very rewarding. It starts with the students.” Ms. Downing continued working at the theater camp for another five years, and she later finished college with a Bachelor’s in Theater Education. When she began searching for a teaching position, she stumbled upon SDHS’s website and found the Forensics page. Though she was originally interested in SDHS for a job as an English teacher, she saw the theater program and became even more interested. Back in her own high school days, Ms. Downing had watched her brother enjoy his time in theater, and she thought that it might be something she could also grow to love. She managed to get a one-liner in a play, and afterward, she knew she had to continue being involved with theater in some way: “I didn’t care what form of theater I was working in, I just wanted to do theater.” 

Even though theater was a contributing factor in her decision to come work at SDHS, there were other reasons as well. Ms. Downing gained an appreciation for how the school works on creating connections with the students and the community, while at the same time teaching them how to function in society. Now that she works at the school, its similarity to her old high school gives her a sense of familiarity and she feels at home. Because SDHS’s administration also works to build time for fellowship among co-workers, she feels further support from interpersonal relationships that are professional, friendly, and familiar. 

Since Ms. Downing values the school environment, she works hard to do her part in improving it. Her style of teaching is student-focused, and she makes sure to let the students know that learning is a two-way street, and that effort must go both ways. She likes to keep the classroom and its conversations fun, while also letting students share their own experiences so that they feel included. When it comes to giving advice to her students, she wants them to know that kindness goes a long way, and that the key to receiving good is by putting out good into the world. 

As far as any words of wisdom for people who are potentially thinking about becoming a teacher, she says, “If you don’t like to be stressed, do hard work, or work with children, this job is not for you. If you are only teaching for the money,  you are going to be sorely disappointed. Make sure that teaching is what gives you fulfillment.” As a new teacher, Ms. Downing understands that the job comes with challenges. For her, the most difficult part has been learning various things at once while still trying to be there for everyone else’s needs. She has realized that in order to be the best possible teacher for her students, she needs to be able to take time for herself and recharge. While Ms. Downing may continue to be met with several challenges in the future, she is ready to tackle them head-on. At the end of the day, for her, teaching isn’t just a job, it’s her passion. When asked if teaching is the only thing she could see herself doing, she responded with confidence: “Emphatically yes. I don’t think I was born to do anything else.”