Editor’s note: As part of our celebration of National Teacher Appreciation Week, we are highlighting a few outstanding educators from classrooms across the state. We thank all of our extraordinary teachers for their focus on evidence-based instruction and providing students with what they need to meet high expectations and realize their incredible potential.
Today’s Q&A spotlight features Doyle Massey. Massey has been a career and technical education (CTE) instructor for 32 years and currently teaches computer science and engineering courses at Davenport West High School. For Teacher Appreciation Week, Massey shared his thoughts on more than three decades of teaching, his favorite moments as a teacher and how he helps foster student success.
What is your favorite memory or teaching moment in the classroom?
I know it is cliche, but I don’t have just one. My favorite moments are when my ninth grade students go from doubting they can do the work to high school graduates ready to tackle the world. Teaching is filled with small, daily victories and long-term transformations that are equally rewarding. If I had to distill it down to a feeling, though, my favorite moments are those that encapsulate the incredible journey my students take from the beginning of high school to graduation day.
Specifically, I cherish the moments when I see a ninth grade student, who often walks into my classroom filled with self-doubt and uncertainty about their own capabilities, undergo a complete metamorphosis. That initial struggle—the belief that the work is too hard or that they aren't smart enough—is a constant challenge we tackle together.
My greatest professional joy is watching students graduate. They leave not just with a diploma but with confidence, knowledge and resilience forged over four years of hard work. The transformation from a doubtful freshman to a capable, ready-to-launch adult is the single most rewarding aspect of being an educator, making every graduating class a collection of my favorite moments.
Why are you passionate about teaching? What things do you love about working with students?
When I started teaching, it was the excitement that I had when the student got that ‘a-ha moment.’ It was not until later, when I started receiving thank you messages from former students that I found my true passion for teaching. Getting an email or social media message from a student I had 10 years earlier, and having them tell you that they are who they are, not just because of the curriculum I taught, but because I taught them how to be successful and supported them in finding their passion is a great reward. They revealed that I had shaped their character and life trajectory by imparting foundational life skills like resilience, a growth mindset, time management and the pursuit of passion. Supporting their self-discovery and teaching skills for lifelong success, far beyond the curriculum, became the true, enduring passion and reward of my career.
What do you think are the keys to a student’s success and how do you help foster continued learning?
The keys to student success are passion, the belief that failure is an opportunity to grow and soft skills. Every year, I work to get to know all my students and help them find their passion. I also work to incorporate projects that help students develop soft skills such as teamwork, communication and problem-solving. When a student gets an assignment wrong, I don’t give them the solution. Instead, I ask questions to help the student learn how to overcome mistakes. The keys to student success are a blend of passion, a growth mindset that views failure as a learning opportunity and strong soft skills. My yearly focus is on connecting with all students to help them discover their passion.
How have you grown as an educator? What advice would you give to a new teacher starting out in the field?
When I started teaching, I used a variety of tools to teach concepts. Unfortunately, I focused too much on the tools and too little on classroom control. Over the years, working with other educators, I learned the importance of classroom management.
My advice to new teachers would be to develop classroom procedures for the start and end of class, along with expectations for moving between individual and group work. Through collaboration with experienced educators over the years, I realized the critical importance of effective classroom management. My primary advice to new teachers is to set aside time to establish clear classroom procedures. These procedures should cover transitions, such as starting and ending class, as well as expectations for moving smoothly between individual and group work. Also, remember that students will respect you if you care about and respect them. Effective classroom management is the most important lesson I learned after starting my teaching career.
Who was a teacher that made a positive impact in your life? What things did they do to make learning meaningful?
Mr. Larry Flom taught history at Sioux City West High School. He knew how to motivate students and made a point of getting to know all of his students. He was always excited about teaching and found many different ways to help students learn. He would incorporate games, magic, and word puns to get students excited about learning. My greatest regret is that I never let him know the change that he made in my life. In 2000, I was hired by Sioux City Schools, and one of the first things I did was go to West High to find Mr. Flom. It was then that I learned he retired in 1995 and passed away in 1999. I urge everyone reading this to take a moment and remember an educator who made a difference in their life and to send them a message of gratitude before the opportunity is lost forever.