Michelle Sikes has been speaking Spanish for the last 25 years and teaching Spanish in the public school system for four years. She currently teaches Spanish at Spanish Fort Middle School and loves every minute of it!
“I became a teacher because I wanted to make a positive impact in the lives of children and teenagers”.
shared Ms. Sikes
“Having teenagers of my own, I see the struggles they face and the pressures of life even at their young age, and I want to contribute to their future by being a voice of wisdom, encouragement, and hope. I feel that teaching allows me to serve families within my community every day by loving our children well and offering them guidance and support.”
Ms. Sikes describes her teaching style as creative, unorthodox, and maybe a bit chaotic, but she believes this strategy keeps her students motivated and engaged in their daily activities.
“I don’t use a textbook or specific curriculum. My ultimate goal is to teach the language and meet standards with as much fun as possible in the classroom,” she said. I’ve found that when students have fun in the classroom, they are more highly engaged and participate. The more they participate, the more they learn. If you make learning fun, it’s not a chore. They want to be in your class each day. Therefore, my lesson plans are filled with games, songs, music videos, skits, competitions, and many activities that get my students out of their seats and moving around the classroom.”
After graduating from Lee University with a B.A. in Church Music, Ms. Sikes relocated to Ecuador for a year to serve as a music missionary. She fell in love with Spanish and decided to return to South Alabama to pursue her M.Ed. in Spanish.
“I fell in love with the people, the Spanish language, and the Hispanic culture. Once back in the States, I continued working full-time and serving in the Hispanic community,” she explained. “I teach now with a desire to share the beauty of the language and culture with young people. I believe being bilingual opens many more doors and opportunities than ever before.
Even though she has only been teaching for a short time, Ms. Sikes hopes that each of her students knows they were created for a significant purpose. She also hopes that they will dream big and go after that purpose with courage and determination once that purpose is discovered.
Ms. Sikes has two beautiful daughters, Emily and Ellie. Emily is 19 and a student at the University of South Alabama. Ellie is 16 and a junior at Spanish Fort High School. Ms. Sikes loves beach days, cooking, watching Alabama football, and spending time with her daughters, family, and friends. She recently started golfing and playing pickleball and is having a blast.
