Third grade teacher Taylor Miller comes from a family of educators, and knew from an early age that she wanted to join the profession. 

Miller, who grew up in Keizer, said she was “immersed in the education life” as a child. She recalls joining her parents at their teaching jobs, such as her mother’s job at Whiteaker Middle School. Her father and brother now work at McNary High School. 

School was a place Miller enjoyed and felt safe to grow as a child, and she chose to go into teaching herself to build the confidence of other children. 

“I wanted to be a part of that story for as many kids as I could,” Miller said. 

After 11 years of teaching, spent entirely at Keizer Elementary School, Miller was recognized with the Keizer Chamber of Commerce’s Service to Education award during a banquet on Saturday, Jan. 17.

In the nomination form, Louis Risewick described Miller as “instrumental in shaping some of the youngest in our community.” Risewick noted that Miller runs a school program allowing students to write and act in plays, maintains strong relationships with current and previous students and attends the majority of Keizer Elementary’s extracurricular activities.

“All in all her passion for the kids is above and beyond what is truly expected of any teacher,” Risewick wrote. 

While Miller said some prefer to teach outside the community they grew up in, that is not the case for her. Miller values immersing her two daughters in the Keizer community and the connections built with others while running into people at the park or grocery store. 

“Being in the Keizer community is just a way for me to not only give back to the community that’s given me so much, in my career, in my life, but to be able to show my own family that it’s a really special place to be raised,” Miller said. 

Miller attended Oregon State University, earning her undergraduate degree in human development and family sciences, then earned a master’s degree in curriculum instruction from Concordia University. 

Last year, Miller earned her license to become a school administrator. She doesn’t have any plans to do so now but Miller wanted to challenge herself and may step into administration one day.

“It’s important to realize that sometimes there’s other avenues to be able to support students and families here in Salem-Keizer, and I always want that to be an option,” Miller said.

Miller was drawn to elementary education during her postgraduate courses, and enjoys the excitement of the young students.

“They come in smiling, and want to tell you about their new cat that they got, or you know, their football game that they just played in over the weekend,” Miller said.

She said such moments of connection made her want to teach elementary students.  

Miller has taught second, third and fourth grade during her career, and views it as a privilege when she teaches the same student again after advancing grade levels. She has connected with families after teaching multiple siblings over time.

The small, everyday moments with her students and colleagues remind Miller why she chose this career – including celebrating a student’s test score improvement with another teacher, greeting a former student and receiving a note from parents or students.

“It’s less about the moments that I feel, but it’s the moments that I get to see students and my team feel and experience every single day,” Miller said. 

Outside of teaching, Miller is an avid runner, enjoys playing disc golf with her family at Keizer Rapids Park and is “carpool queen” for her daughters’ activities like soccer. Her family is also close with neighbors and will spend time playing soccer, hockey or basketball with them. 

Miller is close with the other Keizer Elementary teachers, and spends time with them as well.

Miller said she is proud and humbled to earn the chamber award, noting that some of the past winners inspired her to become a teacher. She said the award represents those who helped her grow as an educator, and it is a “privilege” to be awarded for the job she enjoys doing. 

When someone asked her if she likes Mondays, as a way to ask if she enjoys her job, Miller responded “of course.” 

“I get to do what I love and if, in my opinion, you’re not doing that, then you’re in the wrong spot,” Miller said.

NEWS TIP? Contact reporter Krista Kroiss at [email protected].

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