UNH Today

For Elizabeth Duclos ’06 ’07G, a long-time passion for teaching started with playing “school” with her younger cousins: she knew from a very young age that she wanted to be an educator, and she also knew she wanted to learn the art and craft of classroom teaching at UNH.

“My dad went to UNH; I applied early to UNH  … I actually wrote a children’s book as my application essay, and I was the subject of the book,” she shares.

That passion for and interest in education hasn’t waned: Now in her 18th year as an educator, Duclos spent the past year serving as the state’s 2024 Teacher of the Year, an honor announced in October 2023. Since then, she’s served as an ambassador for New Hampshire educators, speaking at events and connecting with other educators across the country. She teaches third-grade at Pembroke Hill School, the elementary school in Pembroke with just over 330 students in kindergarten through fourth grade.

Pembroke Hill Principal Wendy Gerry has described Duclos as a teacher who makes her students’ experience the utmost priority. “When you walk into her learning environment, it is evident that the students feel valued and safe to take risks in their learning … her ability to connect with students is truly superior.”

Duclos graduated magna cum laude from UNH in 2006 with her undergraduate degree in child and family studies from the College of Health and Human Services, and followed that up with her master’s in elementary education a year later. She’s taught elementary students in both public and private school settings and also has a teaching writing certificate from Plymouth State.

She was on campus earlier this year to talk with students in education classes taught by Associate Professor Vincent Connelly and Clinical Associate Professor Elaine Marhefka.

With the new school year still in its first several weeks, UNH Today checked in with the state’s Teacher of the Year as classes were just getting under way.

What are your goals for this school year?

I'm always looking to first and foremost build relationships with my students and get to know them. I'm also working to build a classroom community that is collaborative, caring and supportive for my learners. As a professional, I'm always looking to continue learning and growing. I have a few opportunities to speak at conferences in the coming months. 

What advice would you give first-time teachers who might be starting out this fall?

I want first-year teachers to remember that they are enough. I know it sounds a bit cliche but as a first-year teacher I was always striving to be perfect. I wanted to impress my students, colleagues and administration. What I found (and I wish I could go back and tell myself all these years later) is that just showing up and doing my best is what is most important. Also, only take one thing home each night. We have contract hours for a reason and while I find myself doing work outside of these hours (like most teachers), I realized that if I focus on one thing each night it tends to feel less overwhelming and I am able to tackle that task successfully.

Can you describe  your experience with the New Hampshire Teacher of the Year program?

When I got the email saying I had been named New Hampshire Teacher of the Year, I thought it was spam. I was blown away to be nominated, and throughout the application process, I really had a chance to look inward. It felt really good. In February I went to California for a national conference with the Council of Chief State School Officers and I walked in thinking “Why  me? Why am I here?” And then I thought “Why not me?” I truly hope to finish out the remainder of my year as the 2024 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year by speaking at a few more engagements and continuing to share my knowledge of teaching. 

What’s your favorite thing about teaching?

I love teaching children to read — to watch them gain that knowledge through stories… to be able to watch them go from non-readers to a reader, and teaching them how to take what they read and make meaning out of it has been the most rewarding. The joy you get watching a child access learning at a young age, and really engaging in academics, whether it’s reading or learning a new math concept, you can see when they sort of think, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s what you meant.’ Their eyes light up, they perk up in their seats. Those lightbulbs moments … the lightbulb going off thing is real.