Behind the Chalkboard: Carrie Fisher

Welcome to Behind the Chalkboard, which gives readers an inside look at the educators in the community, why they do what they do and their lives outside of the classroom.

Carrie Fisher

Special education teacher at Boulder City High School

This year is her first year of teaching at the high school and her 14th year overall.

Why did you become a teacher?

I always wanted to be a teacher. I went to school to be a music teacher but ended up with a speech pathologist degree and from there I ended up in special education.

If you were not a teacher, what would you be doing?

I think I would still be doing some sort of coaching or mentoring if I wasn’t in a classroom.

What do you do for fun when you’re not teaching?

I love to be outside with family. We go camping. I also used to play the tiki drums.

What is the one thing you want your students to learn in your class?

I push really hard for them to understand respect. Respect for themselves and respect for others. I also want them to be a viable member of the community.

Why did you want to be a teacher at Boulder City High School?

Living here in Boulder City, I wanted to be in the same schools my kids are in. I’d be in a larger school and want to be in a smaller school. You get a bigger sense of community. It’s nice to get to be connected to more people.