You can hear a middle school classroom before you ever see it. Voices overlap, conversations drift and snap back, and no one seems to sit still for long. It is messy, loud, and constantly changing. This is exactly the kind of energy that Julie Sully, this month’s outstanding teacher at Woodland Presbyterian School, embraces. In her classroom space, that energy is not quieted. It is shaped with purpose. Over time, it turns into clearer thinking, stronger writing, and the confidence to speak up.
Sully has been teaching seventh and eighth grade English for nine years. She sees her role as more than teaching grammar rules or assigning essays. For her, middle school is a stretch of time when students are starting to form opinions, test ideas, and figure out who they are becoming.
“Through books and stories, we are able to step into someone else’s experiences, perspectives, and struggles,” Sully says. “That kind of empathy helps us grow not only as readers, but as better human beings.”
For a lot of students, writing feels intimidating at first. The blank page just sits there. Sully does not treat writing as one big leap. Instead, she brings it down to something smaller and more manageable, starting with the sentence.
Her approach is straightforward. Strong ideas come from strong sentences. She works with students on word choice, clarity, and structure, helping them see how even small changes can make a difference. A vague sentence becomes more precise. A confusing idea starts to make sense. Bit by bit, the process feels less overwhelming.
As students revise and get feedback, they begin to notice their own progress. Writing stops feeling like something you turn in once and forget. It becomes something you can return to, adjust, and improve.
But communication is not only about what ends up on paper.
Sully also makes space for students to speak and be heard. One of the most talked about parts of her class is “Hot Take Tuesday.”
Each week, students take on big questions tied to the books they are reading. Discussions around Lord of the Flies or To Kill a Mockingbird do not stay quiet for long. Students jump in, push back on each other’s ideas, and learn how to support what they are saying with evidence from the text.
Just as importantly, they learn how to listen. The goal is not simply to win an argument. It is to understand where someone else is coming from while still standing by your own thinking.
Outside the classroom, Sully works with the school’s drama department, which gives her another way to connect with students. The environment is different, but the core idea stays the same.
“Theater creates a unique environment where students collaborate, take creative risks, and support one another,” she says.
Whether they are on stage or working behind the scenes, students rely on each other. That shared experience builds trust. When students feel that support, it often carries back into the classroom.
For Sully, the moments that matter most are not always the obvious ones.
They show up when a quieter student, someone who usually hangs back, decides to take a risk. It might be speaking up during a discussion, reading something out loud, or trying something new in front of others.
“Middle school years can be challenging, and when a student begins to feel confident enough to share their ideas, it feels a little bit magical,” she says.
Those moments tend to stick. Not just the awards or big accomplishments, but the quieter shifts when a student starts to believe their ideas are worth sharing.
When students ask how to improve, Sully keeps her advice simple. Focus on consistency. Do not wait for things to be perfect.
“I remind students that confidence grows through small risks,” she says. “Whether it is sharing an idea in class, reading their work aloud, or trying something new, each step helps them realize that their ideas matter.”
Once that belief starts to settle in, the rest becomes easier to build.
Submit your nomination for Outstanding Teacher at memphisparent.com/oustanding-teacher.