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If you have ever considered a career in education, a conversation with Ms. Sue Keene, 2nd grade teacher at West Newton Elementary, will convince you to get started right away! With 48 years of experience, 44 of those in Decatur Township, Ms. Keene says that, “Teaching is part of who I am and where I want to be every day, and it’s fun each and every day.” Ms. Keene is originally from Oregon, but moved to Indiana with her family as a child. She attended Indiana University, earning both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Before her start in Decatur Township, Ms. Keene taught on a Navajo reservation in Arizona.
What does Ms. Keene love the most about teaching? “I love the students’ smiles, when they are having a good time learning, and when that light bulb moment occurs because they are really getting something! I also love it when they [students] are so engaged that they want to keep going, even when it’s time to stop.”
Those smiles are frequently visible Ms. Keene’s classroom. She shared that her favorite subjects to teach are math and science. “I love math; it is so concrete, but there are lots of ways to approach it such as games, hands-on strategies, and technology integration.” Today, students played a quick game of “quiz quiz trade” to practice telling time skills, but also used the opportunity to set goals and give feedback to one another.
A National Board Certified Teacher, Ms. Keene has taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades, and held some additional roles in Decatur Township, such as Lead Teacher at the Blue Academy and Teacher at the Ed Venture Lab. She also currently serves as Extended Day Lead Teacher and PTO Vice-President at West Newton. Ms. Keene was able to work for Panther Racing as a teacher in residence for a year, developing a race experience/curriculum for middle school age students, and taught pre-service teachers at UIndy as well.
With so many highlights to her ongoing career in education, Ms. Keene believes without a doubt that West Newton Elementary is her home and a very welcoming place to be: “Mrs. Strube is a wonderful principal. All the students in this school are ‘our kids’ and we look out for them all.”