Emily Cox did not grow up wanting to become an educator, she had other plans for herself. But after an experience of leading a class, she realized that teaching is something that she loves and wanted to do.
“I did not go the traditional route to become a teacher,” she said. “I actually have a Bachelors in Crop Production and a Masters in Soil Fertility but I taught a few lab sections while in grad school and as an adjunct at Western Oklahoma State College while working at other places, and I always felt like I belonged in a classroom, so I made it happen. I love to bring my enthusiasm for science to my lessons and see students’ eyes light up when they learn something new or a topic finally makes sense. I love building lessons, coming up with new labs, creating my own curriculum, and sharing it all with the students and with my fellow science teachers.”
Cox is a teacher at Altus High School where she teaches Pre-AP Biology to freshmen, while also teaching Zoology and Botany to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
As she reflects back on her life, Emily says there were some teachers that made an impact on her and helped her become the teacher that she is today.
“I was the Ag kid growing up and I spent a lot of time in the ag building so my Ag teachers were big influences on me, but I also loved all of my science teachers,” she said. “I have actually taken a few of the lessons and labs that they conducted in their classes and adapted them to do with my own classes. Anytime I conduct an activity or lab that I adapted from them, I tell my students about them and how they made science fun, like I try to do every day.”
When she is not teaching or preparing lessons, Cox enjoys spending time with her family.
“I have been married to my husband Garrett for five years,” she stated. “We have a three-year-old daughter named Grady and a five-month-old son named Casey. I love being outside with my husband and kids and visiting family whenever we can. I also love to crochet. I love making clothes for my kids and gifts for my family.”
