Author Archives: Terry Lee Marzell

About Terry Lee Marzell

Terry Lee Marzell holds a bachelor's degree in English from Cal State Fullerton and a master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Cal State San Bernardino. She also holds a certificate for Interior Design Level 1 from Mt. San Antonio College. She has been an educator in the Corona Norco Unified School District for more than 30 years.

Christina Melly named Missouri’s 2023 Teacher of the Year

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High school English teacher Christina Melly of St. Louis, Missouri, has been named her state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Christina Melly

It is always my pleasure to share the story of an exceptional educator who has earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Christina Melly, an English teacher from St. Louis, Missouri. She has been named the 2023 Missouri State Teacher of the Year.

Christina teaches at Ritenour High School, where she haas worked for 13 years. The school just happens to be her high school alma mater. She has also coached her school’s speech and debate team, served as the Chair of the English Department, and , And as if all that were not enough, she is also a Gateway Writing Program teacher-consultant.

In addition, Christina is active in her local teachers’ union. She has served as the President of the Ritenour National Education Association. There she holds the position of the Missouri Resolutions Committee. Recently she was elected to a fourth term as a delegate on the National Resolutions Committee.

As a first-generation American, Christina understands the value of using writing to amplify her students’ voices, including publishing their experiences with writing through the National Council of Teachers of English’s English Journal. “I am the best teacher on the days I learn from students,” Christina declares. “It takes a lot of practice and courage to reach those days, but the lessons that define me as a teacher have student choice, voice, and experiences at the center; this creates shared ownership of our learning,” she continues.

Christina earned a Bachelor’s degree in English and a second Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2010. She earned her Master’s degree in English and a graduate certificate in the teaching of writing from the same university in 2015.

To read more about Christina Melly, click on this link to an article published about her by UMSL Daily.

 

NJ math teacher Riley Gartland earns prestigious 2023 Milken Award

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High school mathematics educator Riley Gartland of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, has garnered a prestigious 2023 Milken Educator Award. Photo credit: Milken

Hearty congratulations go out to Riley Gartland of New Jersey! She has garnered a prestigious Milken Educator Award for 2023. She has been a mathematics teacher at Cinnaminson High School in Burlington County for the past eight years.

Riley sets high standards for her students, but she works diligently to make sure they have a path to success. She creates individualized achievement plans for each student by pre-testing each one to determine their current level, and then she schedules one-on-one meetings with them to provide individualized support. These efforts have led to notable achievement growth among students of all abilities, with many consistently outperforming the county and state. Also, Riley uses real-life applications of mathematics to bring her classroom to life. Her students create board games, make Sierpinksi triangles, and use current math technology like Desmos to create art.

In addition, Riley serves as her school’s advisor for the National Honor Society, planning the induction ceremony and reception, and chaperoning the prom and a senior class trip to Disney World. She serves as the freshman class advisor, mentoring students during all four years at Cinnaminson. She plans fundraisers, spirit week, and the school blood drive. She also fills the role of co-advisor for the school’s Future Educators Association.

Riley’s leadership extends beyond her classroom. She collaborates with the Math Department, sharing her data analysis resources with colleagues and helping to develop curriculum for students so they can build strong ties to state learning standards. During district professional development sessions, she has been instrumental in training colleagues on new technology and resources, including helping colleagues implement remote instruction during the pandemic. As if all this were not enough, Riley is active in professional development and committed to a positive school environment. She leads the Sunshine Committee, an on-campus faculty club that helps to improve teacher morale.

Riley earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education and Mathematics from Rowan University in Voorhees, New Jersey, in 2016.

The Milken Educator Awards are hailed by Teacher magazine as the “Oscars of Teaching.” For more than 35 years, the program has recognized excellence in the world of education by honoring top educators around the country with a $25,000  cash prize. The honor includes membership in the National Milken Educator Network, a group of more than 2,700 exemplary professional educators from all over the country. To learn more, click on Milken Educator Awards.

Music educator Brenda Gregory honored at 57th Annual Country Music Awards

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High school music educator Brenda Gregory was honored by her former student, country music singer Chris Young, at the 57th Annual Country Music Awards on Wed., Nov. 8, 2023. Photo credit: Siegel High School 

Many fans of country music enjoyed the broadcast on the 57th Annual Country Music Awards (CMA) on Wed., Nov. 8, 2023. Among those fans were many educators, and they must have been delighted when Chris Young, a Grammy-nominated and CMA winner country music singer, paid a special tribute to his high school music teacher, Brenda Gregory.

Brenda currently teaches at Siegel High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, but she was teaching at Murfreesboro’s Oakland High School when Young was her student. She cast him in the role of Riff in the musical West Side Story when he was just a freshman. Before he completed his high school years, Young was also cast in the Kevin Bacon role in Footloose at the Arts Center of Cannon County and as Inspector Javert in Les Miserables.

Although humble, Brenda understands the important role that music educators play in the lives of their students. “Music teachers have the ability to help students find themselves,” she declared. And Young does not underestimate Brenda’s influence. “Some people have trouble encouraging someone in the right way,” he said. “She walked a fine line, stern when you needed it and a pat on the back when you needed it,” he recalled.

As part of his tribute, Young presented Brenda with a brand new Chevy Trax. After honoring her, the CMA Award winner also paid tribute to music teachers all over the country. “Let’s hear it for all of our music educators,” Young encouraged as Brenda and the star-studded crowd at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena cheered.

Brenda is a native of Columbia, Tennessee. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music at MTSU.  She has served on the faculty of the Governor’s School of the Arts, and she has been recognized five times as an Outstanding Teacher of the Arts . She was named Tennessee Arts Teacher of the Year in 2010. She holds professional memberships in ACDA, MTVA, MENC, and REA.

 

Veterans’ Day: Honoring all veterans, especially those who are also teachers

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Today is a day we have set aside to honor our United States Veterans. But the call to service is something that many service members don’t lose once they are discharged. That’s one of the reasons that so many veterans gravitate towards the teaching professions once their military service is complete. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 2% of teachers in our nation’s classrooms are military veterans.

Military veterans have many personality traits that make them particularly suited for a career in teaching. When entering the teaching profession, veterans are typically older and have had more varied life experiences. In addition, veterans can bring a wealth of leadership qualities to the classroom. An understanding of the importance of discipline, an appreciation of the value of education, the ability to adapt, and the capacity to work well, even under highly stressful circumstances, are some of the qualities that veterans can bring to the classroom. Also, often veterans possess the ability to persevere, which is a trait that is especially needed in a profession that has a high turnover rate.

Another valuable characteristic that many veterans possess is their potential to connect with students from ethnically diverse neighborhoods or lower-economic backgrounds, because many veterans themselves come from such circumstances. They understand from firsthand experience how challenging some school environments can be, and therefore may be more invested in helping to make a difference in such school systems. Furthermore, veterans have been especially trained to accomplish tasks collaboratively.

For these reasons, and many more, veterans are invaluable as Chalkboard Champions. So, today and every day, let’s celebrate our nation’s veterans who are also teachers!