Hi! I'm Logston.
My first name is Tirré (you say it like "Turr-ay"), but in class you can just call me Logston. Please don't call me "Miss L." That one's a no.
Where I'm from
I was born in Medford, Oregon, but I didn't grow up there. When I was itty-bitty, my family moved to Mississippi, then California, then all the way to Turkey. While we lived overseas, I stayed with family friends in Germany for a while when my mom had to fly back to the United States for surgery.
After Turkey we came back to Oregon, then moved to Idaho. As an adult I lived in Alaska, Texas, Idaho again, and now I'm back in Oregon.
Birthday
March 16. Write it down. Just saying.
Me in three words
Nerdy. Techie. Geek.
Favorite colors
I can't pick just one. I love jewel tones: purples, teals, and deep forest greens. (Look around. This website is wearing them.)
My nickname
Only one person ever had a nickname for me: my grandpa. He called me "Sammy Joe" (or "SJ"). When I was born, my parents were young and my dad had just joined the military. Military folks are sometimes called "Joes," and "Uncle Sam" is the guy on the old "We Want You" posters. So Grandpa said I was Sammy Joe's baby. I loved it.
Morning person or night owl?
I can get up really early, but I'd rather stay up late. So I'm somewhere in the middle, where I'm just short on sleep 24/7.
Always in my bag
Caffeine, my phone (and other tech), and my sunglasses. You will never catch me without my sunglasses, at least not far from them.
Me as a student
I was not always a "good at school" kid. Here's the real story.
"I was a geek. I was a nerd. I still am."
One first grade, three schools
Because my family moved so much, I went to three different schools in just one year of first grade. I started first grade in Turkey, did the middle part in Oregon, and finished in Idaho.
Middle school me
In 7th and 8th grade I was pretty awkward. I had a really good group of friends, and they were my saving grace.
Learning to read
Reading was hard for me. I didn't learn to read until 4th grade. Now I write books. Never give up on yourself.
Favorite subject
Usually science. My 5th grade teacher, Miss Twarog, was super science-y and geeky. Later, Mr. Stewart, who taught chemistry and physical science, made me love science even more. We didn't have tech classes back then. Tech came later.
Why names matter to me
One of my science teachers couldn't pronounce my name, so he just called me "T." It made me really angry. Names are super important, and everyone deserves to be called by their name.
Here's my confession: I'm dyslexic, so I will probably mess up your name. More than once. I apologize in advance! But being dyslexic doesn't mean you stop trying. It just means you have a bigger battle to win. I will keep trying and never give up, because I know how it feels when someone doesn't respect your name.
The teacher who inspired me
My English teacher, Mr. DeVore. He taught lots of poetry and fun, interesting stuff, and I loved everything he taught, even though reading wasn't my strength.
Sports, clubs & band (the embarrassing part)
- Swim team: very short time.
- Tennis: could not keep the ball in the court.
- Volleyball: if you said "I can't," you had to sing "I'm a Little Teapot." I sang it more times than I got to play.
- Band: I tried pretty much every instrument, all the way down to the cowbell. Couldn't play that either. I got kicked out of band.
Biggest lesson
Stop pushing back. Pushing back just causes drama in your life. Just get it done.
High school
I graduated from Mountain Home High School in Idaho.
College
I earned my Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix (online). Next up: my master's degree in curriculum at Western Governors University.
Why I teach
When I was in school, I was a talker and a class clown. Very few teachers shared my interests or got through to me. I didn't want that for other kids.
I want kids to enjoy school, especially the ones who learn best with their hands.
Dream jobs along the way
Before teaching, I wanted to be a geologist, an English teacher, a science teacher, and a stay-at-home mom who homeschooled. After my son was born I wanted to work in IT, then decided teaching was it. Hands-on, project-based learning is my thing.
The Jewett STEM Lab
Starting in 2018, I ran the STEM Lab at Jewett Elementary in Central Point, Oregon. Somewhere between 550 and 650 students came through my lab every year.
Favorite STEM Lab projects
- A Monarch Waystation, a garden stop for monarch butterflies, when they went on the endangered species list.
- Big Bubble Day: a tradition I started for the last week of school. We made bubbles bigger than our kindergartners!
- The school news: up to 40 students in my room on Mondays, recording the weekly news for every classroom.
- Robotics and 3D printing.
- Teaching my advanced students Python and Arduino.
Ducklings in the lab
We hatched Muscovy duck eggs in my STEM Lab in Central Point. About nine hatched, and five grew up and came to live on our family farm. (Meet them in File 5.)
Teaching online
I also taught online classes for kids all over through Outschool. I taught Tinkercad (3D design) and coding in Python and Scratch.
Rule #1 in my classroom
Everyone is welcome. We all come from different walks of life, and you never know someone's story, so we give each other grace.
"Behavior is communication"
This is something I believe. In kid words: if you're acting up, you're really asking for help. I'm here to help. I see you.
Best memories
I don't have one single funniest moment. I just have lots and lots of good memories from Jewett.
My people
The people I love most.
My son
My son's name is Ayden. He graduated in 2026 from Crater High School in Central Point, Oregon. Go Comets!
An author in the family
My mom is a published children's author! Her book is called Mocha and the Bad Case of the Naughties. It's about our real alpaca, Mocha, who got into everything and ate things she wasn't supposed to.
Mom Spawn Studios
My son and I have a side project called Mom Spawn Studios. We hope to make our own video games!
Family traditions
We just like getting together, hanging out, and playing board games, card games, and escape-room games. I love family game nights.
Citadel Farm & friends
My family's farm in Oregon is called Citadel Farm. Here's who lives there.
Callie
Callie is half Jack Russell, half Chihuahua. She is ancient, about 17 years old! She's blind and deaf and has no teeth, which is why her tongue sticks out so far.
Demi
Demi is half French Bulldog, half Chihuahua. We got her during COVID, in 2020. She is full of spunk, energy, and sass.
The farm dogs
Three more dogs live on the farm. They belong to my parents and are mini Aussie border collies: Toby (I call him Tobias), Ellie, and Abby.
Goats
We have two new baby goats named Liberty and Justice. Their mom is Lacy. We also have three boy goats named Curly, Larry, and Moe.
Alpacas
Our alpacas are Daisy, Rebel, and a boy alpaca named Teddy. We used to have Mocha, the alpaca from my mom's book.
Birds, birds, birds
Chickens, ducks, and turkeys! Some of our ducks are the Muscovy ducks I raised in my STEM Lab.
Bad Duck
One duck is named Bad Duck because it pulled feathers out of its brothers and sisters. We had to separate it for a long time. To this day, Bad Duck sleeps on top of the chicken coop, won't go in the duck hut at night, and escapes the pen to wander the barnyard.
Nugget
A mama duck accidentally crushed all of her eggs in the nest. Only one duckling survived, and it wasn't even in the nest. It had been left out in the cold and was almost gone. My mom rescued it and raised it in a crate on the kitchen table. That little survivor is Nugget.
Beneath the Raven's Sky
I wrote a book! Remember, I didn't learn to read until 4th grade.
What it's about
A little girl gets lost while hiking with her family. She befriends a raven that helps her survive in the wilderness. (It's not a true story!)
Who it's for
I wrote it for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade reluctant readers, kids who don't love reading yet. It's short and spaced out so it doesn't feel overwhelming.
Why ravens?
Ravens are amazingly intelligent. It's crazy how smart they are.
Why I started writing
I wanted to run small reading groups online. To use someone else's book, you have to go get permission. I didn't want to do that, so I just wrote my own book.
My tip for young writers
"Just start, and see where it takes you."
I have several more book series in my head. I just haven't started them yet!
Things I love (and don't)
The quick-fire round.
Favorite food
Anything Mexican. I just came from a Spanish immersion school where I got authentic Mexican food all the time, and I miss it!
Least favorite food
Steak and hamburgers. I don't like big cuts of meat. (I'm not a vegetarian, though.)
Go-to snack & drink
A Lotus energy drink and goat cheese. Never together. That would be gross. I started drinking Lotus when my son worked at Cafe 101, and now I'm hooked.
Yes, I know: you can't have energy drinks at school. That's the teacher rule called "Do as I say, not as I do." Just because I like it doesn't mean it's good for you. Your brain is still growing. Mine is already held together with a metal plate.
Movies & shows
No single favorite. I'm a fan of all the fandoms: Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Harry Potter, sci-fi and fantasy. Just not anime. Anime isn't my thing.
Video games
Fortnite, Minecraft, The Sims, and Stardew Valley. My Fortnite skin? Anything pink and flashy.
Music
I don't listen to a lot of music. When I do, it's Christian music.
Favorite holiday
Christmas, and anything fall. People feel cozy, kind, and connected that time of year.
Superpower
To read minds. I'm always wondering what people are thinking and why they do what they do.
Maker life
I love 3D designing and printing. I'm proud of a hand-sanitizer holder I designed myself. I also make my own shirts with sublimation printing.
Coding & apps
I love coding. I've started creating my own apps for teachers to use in their classrooms.
Web design
I also love web design. I worked on our church's website, I have my own website, and I usually make a classroom website so students can find everything they need in one place. (Like this one!)
Favorite kind of place
Not the beach, not the mountains: forests, river bends, and rocky river beaches.
Things you'd never guess
The top-secret part of the file.
I had brain surgery
In January, I had brain surgery. A nerve in my face (the trigeminal nerve) was causing a lot of pain, so doctors made a hole about the size of a quarter behind my ear and went down near my brainstem.
They moved some blood vessels away from the nerve, wrapped the nerve in a tiny Teflon "pillow," and closed it up with a metal plate. So yes, I have a metal plate in my head. Pretty crazy!
What my name means
My first name, Tirré, was my great-grandfather's last name. My dad told me it meant "dirt." It probably comes from the word terrain. Long ago, people who came to America often turned their job into their last name, so my family were probably farmers or miners who worked the soil.
My last name, Logston, probably has something to do with logging or woodworking.
My biggest fear
The unknown. I hate swimming in lakes where I can't see the bottom, because I am positive the Loch Ness Monster lives down there. And if I'm outside in the dark and hear rustling in the trees, I'm sure it's a giant mountain lion getting ready to eat me.
What I'm most proud of
I finished my teaching degree in my 40s and didn't give up on that dream. Now I'm starting my master's, and after that I hope to add endorsements to teach high school CTE, science, and math.
Bucket list
Visit the Harry Potter world at Universal Studios (I'm going in November!), see the Star Wars land at Disneyland, and travel the world.
I've been to Mexico once. It was my son's 5th grade graduation present, because he was in a dual immersion program. I'd love to go back.
Would you rather?
- Pizza or tacos? Tacos, absolutely.
- Dogs or cats? Dogs.
- Beach or mountains? Mountains.
Famous people?
I've never met anyone famous, and famous people don't rank very high in my book.
Super uber geek
In case it wasn't clear: I am a super uber geek, and proud of it.
