LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Siobhan Cochran

Position: Fourth Grade Teacher
School: Cherokee Elementary School
School District: Pascagoula Gautier School District
City, State: Pascagoula, MS

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Siobhan Cochran was nominated by a student.

Mrs. Cochran always finds creative ways to motivate her students. To encourage her students to meet their attendance goal for the first nine weeks, she awarded them with the chance to carve pumpkins.

"It was so much fun, and most of our classmates had never carved a pumpkin before! She is always rewarding us for working hard in her class" her nominator said.

Another way she motivates her students is through iReady, an online program to monitor her students' academic performance. Her students need to have at least an 80% pass rate at the end of each week. On Friday, if her students have met this goal, she gives them a quarter. Her students used the money to buy a jawbreaker candy from a huge Marvin the Martian gumball machine.

No matter what her students learn, Mrs. Cochran is always trying to make it fun. When her students were learning about prepositions, she pretended she was a plane flying through the clouds. She went through the cloud, on, beside, next to, below, above…. all to help her students learn prepositions.

"We had to write about whether coal should or should not be used as an energy source. Since we didn’t know too much about coal, we did research and she tried to build our knowledge," her nominator said. "She was even able to get REAL coal from Mississippi Power! She also brought us all chocolate chip cookies that we 'mined.'"

Mrs. Cochran also came up with a funny way for her students to remember the water cycle. Then, her students did a science experiment to represent the water cycle using shaving cream, food coloring, and water.

Mrs. Cochran picks out the best writing her students produce when they have an assignment, and she publishes it on to a t-shirt to encourage them to want to write. Her students also sit on bean bags, yoga balls, stools, or her hand chair in her class. Right now, her students are researching countries and how they celebrate Christmas.

"She makes it feel like home. We even have a board with pictures on it of all of us and our families. Were like one big school family," her nominator said. "We love Mrs. Cochran and want to nominate her as life changer of the year because she is so sweet and inspiring! If you meet Mrs. Cochran you would see right away that she is GREAT GREAT GREAT!"

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Comments (15)

Allison Webb Posted over a year ago

Ms. Cochran is an excellent teacher and mentor! I've had the pleasure of observing her innovative teaching styles for the past three years, both as a mother of a former student and as a peer. Ms. Cochran finds the time to create interactive lessons which allow all types of learners the opportunity to thrive. Whether it is making ice cream to understand properties of matter or observing chickens hatch to comprehend life cycles, her students are eager to attend her class to see what new discoveries await them. As a peer, I am too! She assists students in formulating goals and provides the support needed to reach them. She truly changes lives because she inspires all of us to be accountable and persist!

Emilee Berryhill Posted over a year ago

I’ve been lucky to spend some time in my career teaching next door to Ms. Cochran. Not only is Siobhan an incredible and engaging teacher, she is also a reliable and supportive coworker. Her door is always open and she goes above and beyond to share her ideas and collaborate with others in order to ensure student success. She also does whatever it takes to make connections with students and create a learning environment that students thrive in. I am grateful to not only have Siobhan as a colleague in the education field (because she is making a difference every day), but also as a great friend.

Beverly Gallaspy Posted over a year ago

My granddaughter learns so much from her class---and she loves doing the work. Isabella never wants to miss a day of school. Teachers like Mrs. Cochran make learning fun.

Jessie Stewart Posted over a year ago

Ms. Cochran is a fantastic educator. She truly cares about the success of her students and she strives to push them beyond the level of expectation. She is more than deserving of this award!

Ami Mitchell Posted over a year ago

My daughter was in Ms. Cochran’s class last year at Cherokee. We LOVE Ms. Cochran. She truly is one of those once in a lifetime teachers. She invests in her students in school and out of school. She came and watched my daughter dance at the fair last year just because Gracie asked her to. It made my daughter’s month! Ms. Cochran is such a wonderful mix of creativity, fun, nurturing and high expectation. She ABSOLUTELY is a life changer!!!

Amy Gager Posted over a year ago

She was the first teacher who taught all 3 of my children. She helped shape my kids into the great students they are today. She introduced my 1st to books she would actually like to read. She helped my 2nd become a great leader in the classroom. She helped my 3 love science.

Donnis Ely Posted over a year ago

Ms. Cochran taught my niece when she was in second grade. Alivia absolutely loved her. We had never met her before that. A’livia is nineteen now, and we still think of her as a lifechanger!

Cherie Cole Posted over a year ago

Awesome! Good job Mrs. Cochran!

Wanda Dantzler Posted over a year ago

Mrs Cochran is the BEST. last year my daughter ChristaDantzler was in her 2nd year of public school at Cherokee Elementary, and actually a little afraid, however Mrs Cochran had Christa so involved and loving school. Christa received President awards from President Donald Trump and Superintendents list. Now in the 5th grade, Mrs Cochran always has a moment to say hi and you're welcome whenever Christa tells her how much she loves and misses her . Mrs Cochran has made a tremendous impact on my daughter's love for school and lrarning.

Melanie Mink Posted over a year ago

My child is so lucky to have her as a teacher. Ms. Cochran makes learning fun and she is is the reason my child wants to come to school. She is well deserving of this award.

April Stallworth-Davison Posted over a year ago

Mrs. Cochran is truly a life changer. She gives her all to her students and co-workers. She is a true asset to Cherokee!

Linda Dawe Posted over a year ago

Before I retired from the school district, I had the pleasure of working with Ms. Cochran. She was a breath of fresh air when I worked in her class as a special education assistant. She was always incorporating new ideas to motivate her students and it was exciting to see them want to participate in the learning process. I would definitely second the fact that she is inspiring and sweet, but honestly she does have extremely high expectations for her students. She most certainly pushes her them to excel. She's been a life changer for as long as I've known her and I second the nomination!

Jennifer Walley Posted over a year ago

Ms. Cochran is a fantastic teacher who goes above and beyond for her students! She motivates her students to try to always do their best.

Terri Matienzo Posted over a year ago

Siobhan Cochran gives her students such "hands-on" learning experiences. Her students can't wait to get to her class. She DEFINITELY makes learning fun! Cherokee Elementary is so very BLESSED to have her as a 4th grade teacher.

Kayden Posted over a year ago

Mrs Cochran teaches us stuff we need to know in a fun way. She picks the students who makes the highest grade on their writing test and make them a shirt with their writing on it. She has a jawbreaker machine for the people who do good on there Iready. Mrs Cochran is an amazing teacher.