Prattville Primary School teacher inspiring next generation of educators

PRATTVILLE, Ala. (WSFA) - Susan Shoupe’s lessons are the gift that keeps giving. In her classroom at Prattville Primary, she’s working to shape lifelong learners with her enthusiasm and her 25 years of experience.

Shoupe says she’s not alone, her daughters are also educators.

“My daughter actually teaches PE at Prattville Primary too, and then I have a daughter that teaches out at Pine Level,” Shoupe said. “We love it! We love working with kids. I have four children, five grandchildren, and 22 children in my classroom.”

The first-grade teacher said she loves teaching and she was inspired by her teacher when she was in school at Autauga County High School.

“It was my own teacher, many years ago, who really changed my life,” Shoupe said. “I remember I told her when I was in 10th grade, I said, ‘I want to be just like you. I want to be a teacher and I want to inspire all my kids.’”

Shoupe kept that promise to her teacher. She encouraged her own children, and she continues to shape her students.

Shoupe is credited with inspiring a new wave, the next generation of educators. It’s something that’s desperately needed right now with the ongoing teacher shortage.

“Like my daughter, a lot of my students are teachers now and they will reach out to me and say that ‘we teach just like you’. So, there’s no better feeling than knowing that you’ve inspired other people to be teachers,” Shoupe added.

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