Faculty Focus is a student life series, featuring a faculty member at Coppell High School, rotating by department, each week.
Coppell High School forensics teacher Catherine Murphy has been inspiring students at CHS for 3 years. Drawing on her unique background in law enforcement, she brings a real-world perspective to her classroom, engaging students with hands-on projects and lab work that delve into the intricacies of forensics.
What inspired you to become a part of the education field?
My background is in law enforcement, so during my career I got the opportunity to do a lot of public relations-type activities. I did things like teaching self-defense classes, safety expos for kids, perceived safety inspections and installations. Then, I got injured on the job [in 2012], so I had to choose a different career. When I started thinking back about what I really enjoyed about my job versus just going and doing it every day, I realized that I truly enjoyed working with people and helping them learn something that would benefit them later on in life and just the positivity of that experience. So, I went back to school and got my master’s in education and started teaching.
How would you describe your approach to working with students?
I try to create a welcoming environment for them so that they know right from the start that I truly care that they’re here. Then I try to get to know them on an individual basis. I learn about the things that are important to them, the ways that they learn best, what their classroom interests might be like, why they took the classes, what they hope to get out of it and then offer them some opportunities to do those types of things. I’m really blessed to teach forensics because it gives me kind of a unique experience, that the students that take the class are usually really interested in the material. It’s something different that they’ve never learned about before. We do a lot of projects and lab work in groups and in pairs and so forth and so that allows me to go sit down with their group and join in their conversations while they’re working and just build those relationships.
What do you love most about working at Coppell High School?
Some of the best feelings that I have is when I see students that are excited about something that they’re doing, or they come into my class not knowing really where they want to go futurewise. They know they’re going to go to college, but they don’t really have a passion for something and then through the course, they develop that passion and they’re excited about their future. Getting students that were excited about learning something unique that they don’t normally learn in other classes and then a lot of them end up going to college for forensics and going out into those fields. I love getting text messages and stuff from former students that tell me what they’re doing, and it’s great they can come back and visit me. Knowing that you’ve changed somebody’s life, that you helped them discover something, it’s amazing.
What are your goals for this school year?
My goal is to grow the forensics program, have students take the class that think that they have some kind of interest in the field and are excited about doing all of the different labs that we do here. Just kind of getting the word out about what we do, we’re kind of tucked away down here and we don’t ever see what goes on in other people’s classrooms. When we’ve got bodies and blood splattered all over the floor and you know students are collecting the packaging evidence and diagramming the seams, nobody sees that. Getting the word out, and getting kids who think that that’s something that interests them involved in the program.
What advice would you give to new staff members at CHS?
I’m more of a quiet person, so I don’t get out and socialize as much as I should. I would encourage them to do that, the people who teach here or work here are just truly caring people. From CHS parking and security attendant Anthony Saldana that’s out there directing traffic, to teachers that you don’t even know that are willing to help you out with something. Get out there and make friends, and enjoy the great relationships that you can build with the other faculty and staff outside.
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