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.

Teacher Sue Cahill serves in Iowa House of Representatives

Posted on by

Elementary school teacher Sue Cahill also serves in the Iowa State House of Representatives. Photo Credit: Ballotpedia

Many fine classroom teachers go on to have successful careers in politics. One of these is Sue Cahill, an elementary teacher from Iowa who has been elected to her state’s House of Representatives.

Sue was raised in Kansas City, Missouri. She attended Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Communications in 1981. In 2006 she earned her teaching credential from Buena Vista University, and in 2008 she completed the requirements for her Master’s degree in Collaborative Teaching and Learning at Graceland University. She also holds certifications in Reading, Teacher Librarianship, and Computer Science.

Once she earned her degrees, Sue became a teacher in Iowa’s Marshalltown Community School District. That was in 1999. She worked as a kindergarten teacher for 12 years at Woodbury Elementary, and she also worked at Rogers Elementary. In addition to her work in the classroom, Sue has worked as a Teacher Librarian at the elementary level. Currently, she teaches as a Title 1 Reading Specialist. Her career as an educator has spanned a total of 24 years.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Sue works as a teacher leader and helps train new teachers. She also serves on the Marshalltown Youth Foundation, which helps fund music, arts and sports programs for children, The Marshalltown Read by Third Campaign, a program which supports educational success for all students. In addition, she is an active member and leader of the Marshalltown Education Association and the Iowa State Education Association. She has also participated in the Iowa Teacher Leadership Compensation Grant in the role of a Curriculum and Professional Development Leader.

Sue launched her career in politics in 2017 when she was elected to a seat on the Marshalltown City Council representing the First Ward. She served in that role for three years. On Nov. 4, 2020, Sue was elected on the Democratic ticket to serve in the Iowa House of Representatives. Since January, 2021, she represents the 71st District there. She serves on the Committees for Administration and Rules; Education; Labor; and Veterans Affairs. Her term there will last until 2023.

Kimberly Johnson named Alabama’s 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year

Posted on by

Kimberly Johnson, a junior high school teacher from Auburn, Alabama, has been named her state’s 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit; The Anniston Star

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 Kimberly Johnson, a junior high school teacher from Auburn, Alabama. She has been named her state’s 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year.

Kimberly works at Auburn Junior High School as an interventionist and study skills teacher for at-risk eighth and ninth grade students. The honored educator says she strives to get students involved and interested in their coursework by using a student-centered approach. Her approach involves giving students options and holding them accountable when it comes to their schoolwork. Kimberly believes one of the most important aspects of her teaching is showing students that she cares. “Relationships are first, and then you can get students to do hard things,” she asserts. Once those relationships are established, she says, then she can create a safe space where they can work through any issues they may face.

Kimberly’s career as a professional educator began in 1998 and has spanned 23 years. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Alabama, and her Master’s degree in English and Language Arts Education from Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University. She also completed the requirements for a degree as a Specialist in Education in English Language Arts Education from Auburn University.

As the Alabama Teacher of the Year, Kimberly will serve as a full-time ambassador for the teaching profession for one year. She will spend this time speaking to civic and professional organizations, PK-12 schools, colleges and universities; conducting workshops for teachers; and writing newspaper and magazine articles.

Congratulations, Kimberly!

 

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming!

Posted on by

As we all finally emerge from two years of worldwide coronavirus pandemic, and perhaps especially because of it, parents and students all over the country are particularly appreciative of their teachers. We don’t need the upcoming Teacher Appreciation Week to remind us of how wonderful this group of professionals are!

This year, the annual celebration will take place from May 2 to May 8. When thinking about the best way to honor your teacher, or your child’s teacher, or friends and family members that are teachers, or someone you know that is going into the profession, consider gifting them with copies of these two inspirational books, Chalkboard Champions and Chalkboard Heroes. The books make great reading now, while educators are developing additional new and innovative ways to work with their students. They are also appealing to history buffs and social scientists.

Each volume is packed with inspirational stories about remarkable educators in American history and the historical implications of their pioneering work. Among the captivating stories in Chalkboard Champions is the story of Charlotte Forten Grimke, an African American born into freedom who volunteered to teach emancipated slaves as the Civil War raged around her. Read the eyewitness account of the Wounded Knee massacre through the eyes of teacher Elaine Goodale Eastman, and educator Mary Tsukamoto, imprisoned in a WWII Japanese internment camp. Read about Mississippi Freedom Summer teacher Sandra Adickes who, together with her students, defied Jim Crow laws to integrate the Hattiesburg Public Library. Marvel at the pioneering work of Anne Sullivan Macy, the teacher of Helen Keller, the efforts of teacher Clara Comstock to find homes for thousands of Orphan Train riders, and the dedication of Jaime Escalante, the East LA educator who proved to that inner city Latino youths could successfully meet the demands of a rigorous curriculum.

In Chalkboard Heroes, you’ll find about dedicated educators who were heroes both inside and outside of the classroom, including WWI veteran Henry Alvin Cameron and Civil War veteran Francis Wayland Parker. Learn about teachers who were social reformers such as Dolores Huerta, Civil Rights activist Robert Parris Moses, suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt, and Native American rights advocate Zitkala-Sa, all of whom put themselves at risk to fight for improved conditions for disenfranchised citizens. Discover brave pioneers who took great risks to blaze a trail for others to follow such as Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher in space; Willa Brown Chappell, the aviatrix who taught Tuskegee airmen to fly; Etta Schureman Jones, the Alaskan teacher who was interned in a POW camp in Japan during WWII; and Olive Mann Isbell, who established the first English school in California while the Mexican american War raged around her.

All these remarkable stories and more can be shared with someone you know this year on Teacher Appreciation Week!

Colonel Francis Wayland Parker: Teacher and Civil War Veteran

Posted on by
Francis Wayland Parker

Colonel Francis Wayland Parker, Civil War veteran and celebrated pioneer of the Progressive Movement in education. PhotoCredit: myhero.com

At the turn of the of the 20th century, one of the most celebrated pioneers of the Progressive Movement in education was Colonel Francis Wayland Parker. In a time when modern ideas were not popular, this innovative educator promoted a philosophy that education should not emphasize standardization, rote memorization, and isolated drill. Rather, he advocated a curriculum that addressed the development of the whole student, including the child’s intellectual, physical, and moral growth. He created a model program that was strong on language development and geared towards teaching students to think and make decisions independently. Today, we would recognize his strategies as teaching critical thinking skills and creative problem-solving.

Francis Parker was born on Oct. 9, 1837, in Bedford, New Hampshire. At the tender age of 16 he became the village teacher, and when the Civil War broke out seven years later, this young educator enlisted as a private in the 4th New Hampshire Volunteer Army. It wasn’t long before he was promoted to lieutenant, then to lieutenant colonel, and then to commander. In May, 1865, Colonel Parker was captured by Confederate forces and held as a prisoner of war in North Carolina.

When the war was over, this Civil War veteran resumed his teaching career, first as a teacher, and then as a principal. In 1872, the continuously evolving educator traveled to Germany to study pedagogy at the Humboldt University of Berlin. When he returned, he became the coordinator of a highly-acclaimed teacher-training institution in Chicago, Illinois.

Colonel Parker is an American hero in so many ways, and is undoubtedly a Chalkboard Champion in the truest sense of the word. You can read more about this remarkable historical figure in my second book, Chalkboard Heroes: Twelve Courageous Teachers and Their Deeds of Valor, available from amazon.