Monica Dixon: Helping young people learn

Carlie Day, Staff Writer

Growing up in St. Joseph, Illinois in a teaching household, Monica Dixon knew that teaching is what she was meant to do. “Ever since I was in junior high, I have wanted to be a teacher,” says Dixon when asked if she has always pursued a teaching career. After knowing what she was meant to do, she attended Eastern Illinois University to make that dream come true. While Dixon attended EIU in Charleston to achieve her goal of a teaching career, she had a lot of inspiration to keep her going. After being asked what her inspiration was, she stated: “My parents were both teachers. They are retired now, but my mom was a third grade teacher and my dad was a PE teacher.”

Having already taught for a total of twenty- three years, Dixon has influenced many students. Starting off in Adelphi, Maryland, Dixon taught junior high physical education. From there she moved to teaching physical education at an elementary school in Baltimore, Maryland and then finally returned to her home state to continue her teaching career at Jacksonville High School. When asked what it was that Dixon enjoyed most about teaching, the response was simple, “I enjoy working with and helping young people learn.” What Dixon likes about being a teacher of physical education is that she “likes being able to be active throughout the day.” Being active is one of the things Mrs. Dixon looks forward to each day and is one of the things she likes to instill in her students. “I would like to open their minds to many different activities so that they will continue to be active throughout their lives.” This is, in fact, something that everyone can benefit from.