Danielle Doyle, middle school English language arts teacher at Merryville High School, has been named a 2025-2026 Beauregard Parish Middle School Teacher of the Year.
The Louisiana Department of Education sponsors the Excellent Educators Award Program annually to recognize the state’s most exceptional teachers. Those teachers who demonstrate expertise in their field, who are innovative in creating pathways for student success, who build collaborative relationships with students, parents, and colleagues, who deliberately connect the classroom to the community, and who are inspiring and engaging are considered for the program.
Doyle has been an ELA teacher at Merryville High School for three years. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of Arkansas, Fort Smith, and she is certified in English Language Arts for 6-12 grades. In addition to teaching, she also serves on the Instructional Leadership Team at the school and is the co-sponsor for the Junior Beta Club.
Doyle’s teaching philosophy centers around the vibrant and witty middle school students she teaches. She nurtures a love for literature while encouraging students to find their own voices. She strives to imbue a sense of humor into her classroom discussions, writing assignments, and creative projects.
A favorite tradition in her classroom is Thursday Tales. Every Thursday, she reads the first chapter of a high-interest novel aloud to the class, always leaving them on a cliffhanger. This simple ritual builds anticipation and curiosity and often leads to students picking up books they might never have chosen on their own, she explained.
“By piquing my students’ interest in reading, I hope to instill within them a love of reading that they will take with them when they leave my classroom,” she stated.
Doyle engages her students in the learning process through debate-based discussions where students prepare by gathering textual evidence, forming their own interpretations, and anticipating counterarguments. These student-led discussions encourage active listening, respectful disagreement, and a deeper analysis of complex themes.
“Even quieter students often find their voice in this format,” she explained, “and the level of engagement is consistently high and enthusiastic.”
One of her favorite things about teaching is getting to build relationships with her students – getting to know them, earning their trust, and witnessing their growth. One of the most rewarding experiences for Doyle is seeing students who struggle with or dislike reading become genuinely engaged when they connect with a novel or have fun analyzing literature in ways they never expected.
“Teaching junior high comes with its unique challenges,” she concluded, “however, these students are some of the most honest, forgiving, and compassionate individuals. I genuinely enjoy building relationships with my students and being a part of their academic and personal growth. Each year, they teach me something new, and I am grateful for the opportunity to grow alongside them.”
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