Liz Slavens to Serve as High School English Teacher at SFLS
Sioux Falls Lutheran School is pleased to announce that Mrs. Liz Slavens will serve as our high school English teacher beginning in the fall of 2020.
Mrs. Slavens is a 2002 graduate of Concordia University, Nebraska, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education. She completed her Master’s Degree in Education at Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri, in 2009, and has more than 15 years of experience in teaching, curriculum and instruction, and professional development.
Mrs. Slavens moved to Sioux Falls with her family in the summer of 2019, when her husband, Rev. Doug Slavens, received a call to serve as Associate Pastor of Discipleship Ministry at Memorial Lutheran Church. Since moving to South Dakota, Mrs. Slavens has obtained her SD Teacher Certificate for high school level English Language Arts and has been substitute teaching at Tea, Sioux Falls Public, and SFLS where her four children attend school. She’s also been busy assisting with a variety of special projects at SFLS, to include the transition of high school classes to 6715 South Boe Lane during the 2020-21 school year.
Check out the Q&A below to learn more about Mrs. Slavens and her passion for education.
How did you decide to pursue a career in education?
I really feel that I was called to be a teacher. I have wanted to be a teacher since I was in 4th grade. My 4th grade teacher was wonderful, and I wanted to be just like her. That love for learning was fostered as I continued into middle school and high school. I was also encouraged by my pastor in middle school to become a teacher. He always told me that God would use me in a special way, and he pushed me to hear God’s calling.
What led you to specialize in English/Language Arts?
I love reading and instilling the love of reading in others. When I was in high school, I continued to develop my love for reading because my teachers shared great books with me. I have a passion for teaching students to write well and develop their public speaking skills.
Tell me a little bit about your teaching style.
I really see myself as a facilitator type teacher. I enjoy working with students one-on-one to help them develop their skills. Students in my classroom typically enjoy several different types of projects, literature circles, and different genres of writing. I take into account each student’s best learning style and work to provide lessons that differentiate to that.
What excites you most about integrating your faith with your passion for education?
My faith is what has made me who I am today. God has weaved an incredible story in my life. Not only do I have a heart to share that story with my students, but I also want to help students notice and develop the story that God is writing in their lives.
About Sioux Falls Lutheran School
At Sioux Falls Lutheran School, our mission is to develop capable, Christian servant-leaders in a complex world who are World Ready and Faith Secure. We are passionate about giving our students the tools they need to be successful academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. We strive to accomplish this goal by maintaining high academic standards, employing excellent teachers, and upholding a Christian worldview drawn from Scripture. Ultimately, we are committed to partnering with parents and the church to raise lifelong learners who use their gifts and the fruits of the Spirit, in faith, to touch a troubled world with God’s grace.