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.

Math teacher Pedro Dones, The Big Action, earns NYC Big Apple Award

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Have you ever met a teacher named “The Big Action”? Well, students at Middle School 363 in the Bronx, New York, can say they have. This innovative and entertaining educator is Pedro Dones. He’s just been named a finalist for the coveted New York City Big Apple Award, one of the few from the Bronx that have every been recognized in such a big way.

Pedro has earned accolades for his creative instructional videos featuring his alter ego, The Big Action. He uses the videos to teach math concepts to his middle school students. He admits the students finds The Big Action far more interesting than Mr. Dones. “I asked the kids ‘who do you want to watch teach? Mr. Dones or The Big Action?’” Pedro says. “Mr. Dones got 12% and Big Action got 88%,” Pedro confesses.

In the videos, Pedro uses funny accents, wardrobe changes, and clever background props to capture the attention of the students. He also uses witty quips and sometimes calls out his students by name. “He makes it into a fun way, so we don’t be bored just listening to math,” describes student Lorley Pichardos.

For his instructional innovations, Pedro has been named a finalist this year for the New York City Big Apple Awards. The Big Apple Awards recognize full-time public school teachers in New York City. The honors celebrate teachers who demonstrate outstanding teaching practices, dedication to the profession, and hard work. Pedro was recently featured in a story aired on News 12 The Bronx. View the segment above.

Pedro earned his Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Media Studies from Fordham University in 2006. He earned his Master’s degree in Special Education and Teaching from the City University of New York City College in 2013.

To view the videos created by Pedro on YouTube, see this link at Awesome Math Network.

Sharon Nearby of NYC succumbs to coronavirus

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Sharon Nearby, and English and Language Arts teacher from Staten Island, New York, succumbed to the coronavirus on April 4, 2020.

With sadness, we recognize the passing of yet another dedicated educator who has succumbed to the coronavirus. Sharon Nearby, a teacher in New York City, passed away on April 4, 2020. She was 52 years old. Her passing came just days away from her 53rd birthday, which would have been on April 8.

Sharon was an English and Language Arts teacher at Barnes Intermediate School (I.S. 24) in Staten Island. She taught eight grade and sixth grade there for 27 years. The beloved educator was described as a spirited supporter of everything going on at IS 24. She was a leader in the Language Arts Department, fostering collaboration and mentoring new teachers. She reached out to students with disabilities or those having a difficult time at home, and was always there to applaud student performances at concerts and plays.

“She was a fantastic teacher,” Sharon’s husband, Jeff Nearby, recalled. “Her kids would come back to her and thank her to the point where we were walking through Disney World one day a few years ago, and one of her students sees her and runs up to her and starts hugging her, thanking her for putting her in the right direction and having her pursue English as her major in college.”  With a career that long, Sharon had taught literally thousands of students. “We couldn’t go anywhere on Staten Island without her running into somebody she knew. Whether it was staff in a doctor’s office or in a store, or anywhere,” Jeff commented.

To read more about Sharon, view this online article on silive.com.

Washington teacher Evin Shinn addresses social justice

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Evin Shinn, who teaches 11th grade US History and Language Arts at Cleveland High School in Seattle, Washington, works with his students to address issues of social justice.

Throughout America, educators who are still conducting classes are struggling with how to address issues of social justice with their students. One such educator is Evin Shinn, who teaches 11th grade US History and Language Arts at Cleveland High School in Seattle, Washington.

Evin is one of only three African American teachers at his school, even though 90% of the student body is students of color, and 20% is African American. Because he is Black, Evin feels compelled to address the current protests and issues of social justice with his students, despite the difficulty of broaching the subject. “It’s hard because as a teacher, you’re not a therapist, you’re not a social worker, you’re not a doctor or a nurse—but those are all roles we take on when you become a teacher,” Evin remarked in an interview with Education Week (June 1, 2020). “Particularly as a Black educator, it’s so important to show up for students in moments like this.”

When protests erupted throughout the country this week in response to the death of George Floyd in Minnesota, Evin sent text messages to his students to tell them he wasn’t assigning any work this week. Instead, he told his students they should do something to combat racism. He suggested they write a letter to elected officials, make a protest sign, or write a poem that reflected on inequities and the protests.

Next the compassionate teacher sent a text message to each one of his African American students individually to ask them if they were OK and if there was anything he could do for them. “I was very open,” Evin said. He told the students, “I’m feeling definitely sad, and I’m feeling hopeless and angry, and I feel rage,” he revealed. He asked them, “How are you doing? How are you feeling?” The students who responded confessed they felt like this week has been “one big emotional roller coaster.” One student said they were avoiding social media because there’s “a lot going on, and it’s really sad.” In addition to reaching out to the kids, Evin held a virtual class meeting on Wednesday to give his students additional opportunities to talk and process their emotions.

Evin is just one of many educators who is working diligently with their students as they try to cope with current events in meaningful and constructive ways. He is a true Chalkboard Champion! To read more about him and other educators addressing today’s current events with their students, read the full article at Education Week.

The intrepid Prudence Crandall: She braved danger to teach African Americans

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Prudence Crandall

Teacher Prudence Crandall: The Chalkboard Hero who taught African American students.

There are many courageous teachers who have made great sacrifices for the sake of their students. One of these was Quaker Prudence Crandall, a Connecticut teacher who lost everything she owned in order to educate African American girls in a time when doing so was unheard of.

In 1831, Prudence opened a boarding school for young ladies in Canterbury, Connecticut. By the end of the first year, she had earned the praise of parents, community members, and students throughout New England.

Then one day an African American student named Sarah Harris asked to be admitted to the academy. Sarah said she wanted to learn how to be a teacher so she could open her own school for Black students. Prudence knew admitting an African American student would generate some resistance from her neighbors, but after some soul-searching, she decided her conscience and her religious convictions would not allow her to refuse the request. Unfortunately, Prudence had severely under-estimated the resistance she would encounter for this decision.

Figuring the complaint from her detractors was that she was operating an integrated school, the intrepid teacher closed her academy for white girls and re-opened as an academy for “misses of color.” That just made the situation worse. Her action caused ripples all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court and resulted in Prudence’s brief incarceration in the local jail. After lawless community members set fire to her school, Prudence was forced to close the academy and leave town.

Years later, however, the courageous stance taken by Prudence Crandall resulted in the intrepid teacher being named the Female State Hero for Connecticut. You can read more of the gripping account of what happened in my second book, Chalkboard Heroes, now available on amazon.com.