Pleasant Home School’s new math teacher, Chelsea Farley, is ready to prepare students for not only equations, but to be respectful and prepared for life beyond high school.

Farley was born and reared in Covington County, graduating from Straughn High School in 2014. She earned her associate’s degree from LBW Community College and then her bachelor’s degree in math education from Troy University. She expects to complete her master’s in math education from Troy University in December.

Farley is ready to be back in her element, after completing her internship at Enterprise High School.

“I was hired as a long-term sub for a semester at EHS,” Farley said. “So technically I have had experience in a classroom by myself, but I am ready to be back in Covington County in my element.”

After working as a tutor in high school, Farley found her new passion in teaching.

“I wanted to become a physical therapist in high school,” Farley said. “But after tutoring a girl, I knew that I wanted to become a teacher. She was struggling pretty badly and then one day she looked up and said that she understood everything.”

Farley said that after seeing the light bulb come on in the girl’s head, she knew that teaching was for her.

“It is an incredible feeling,” Farley said. “To work with someone who is struggling with something and being with them for the entire process and then to see them finally understand it.”

Farley’s goal in her classroom this year is to get to know all of her students.

“There are so many personalities that come together in the classroom, so I’m ready to see how they work together and of course hear the arguments between them,” she said.

Farley decided to change the curriculum this year for high school math and continue with Eureka Math, which is the most widely used curriculum in America for grades K-8. She said that this will be the biggest challenge for her this year.

“I have decided to use Eureka Math for all of my classes, which will be from eighth grade to twelfth grade,” Farley said. “It will be different for them and for me as well, but I am ready to work together with my students and hopefully they will feel more comfortable knowing that I will be learning along with them.”

Other than reading over lesson plans, Farley enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her niece and nephew.

She has been married to Mason Farley for a year and three months.