Author Archives: Terry Lee Marzell
Spring Break, inspiration, and professional renewal
Easter time, and its accompanying Spring Break (yippee!), is a time of renewal and new growth, not only spiritually and personally, but professionally as well. Whenever I am looking for professional inspiration, I turn to a handy little book called The Quotable Teacher edited by Randy Howe.
This little volume is divided into ten chapters devoted to various teaching topics of interest to educators. For example, “Those Who Teach,” “The Philosophy Behind Good Teaching,” “The Need to Think Outside the Box,” and “Those We Teach.” Before I retired, I kept a copy of this dandy little inspirational book on my desk at school for those moments when I needed a little lift.
If you wish to acquire this thought-provoking volume, you can find The Quotable Teacher on amazon.com.
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Jaime Suarez named the 2025 Florida State Teacher of the Year.
Middle school teacher Jaime Suarez has been named the 2025 Florida State Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Jaime Suarez
Congratulations to Jaime Suarez, a middle school teacher from Spring Hills, Florida. She has been named her state’s 2025 Teacher of the Year! She was selected from five finalists. Altogether, more than 185,000 public school teachers from across the state were nominated.
Jaime teaches mathematics to sixth through eighth graders at the Challenger K-8 School of Science and Mathematics in Spring Hill. in a career that spans 13 years, she has taught at Challenger for four years.
“Each day, I focus on designing engaging and interactive lessons that not only help students grasp mathematical concepts but also encourage them to explore, question, and make connections,” declares Jaime. “I believe that math is more than just formulas—it’s about discovering patterns and solving problems creatively,” she continues. And her efforts have achieved remarkable results. In 2002-2003, algebra students in her class earned a 100% pass rate on their end-of-course assessment.
Jaime earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Troy University in Troy, Alabama, in 2004. She is a member of the National Council of both the Teachers of Mathematics and the National Association for Gifted Children.
In addition, Jaime has filled several leadership roles, including grade-level team lead, new teacher mentor, Math Field Day Coordinator and district science textbook selection committee member.
Jaime says she strongly believes in the importance of extracurricular activities for building relationships. To provide opportunities for extracurriculars, she established the Video Productions Club and the Rubik’s Cube Club on her campus, and she serves as the school’s cheerleading coach.
In addition to her recognition as the Teacher of the Year, Jaime received a $50,000 award from the state of Florida and a tuition waiver to pursue a graduate degree from the Florida State University College of Education. She will also receive a two-year Florida College scholarship from the Florida Prepaid College Savings Plan to present to a student of her choice.
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Elem teacher Rachel Greenberg named 2024 Teacher of the Year by Providence Public Schools
Elementary school teacher Rachel Greenberg has earned honors as the 2024 Teacher of the Year by the Providence Public School District. Photo credit: 10 WJAR
It is always a pleasure to share the story of an outstanding educator who has earned honors for their work with young people in the classroom. Today I share the story of Rachel Greenberg, an elementary school teacher from Rhode Island. She has been named the 2024 Teacher of the Year by the Providence Public School District.
Rachel teaches at Robert L Bailey IV Elementary School, where she serves as the campus First Grade Multilingual Classroom Teacher.
In her classroom, Rachel uses a truly unique approach to teaching. “I would describe my approach as quirky,” she confesses. “I’m an only child, and growing up, I lived in the boonies, so there was nobody around. So I had imaginary friends, and I had cousins, and they came every so often. But my mom and I were by ourselves. I was home and she would make songs up all the time about everything. And so I kept doing that,” she continues. “And I do that even in my classroom. We take things that are like, not things that are boring, but things that are mundane that you have to learn and we make them fun. So instead of learning about roots and plants and how the roots are in the ground, we make a song out of it. And so it becomes, ‘The roots are in the ground. They soak the water up.’ So every year, A new batch of kids, new songs, new things they like,” she concludes.
In this role she supports language development and personalized learning for her high-needs students. In addition, Rachel serves as the Science Team Lead for K-2; the Musical Director for the school’s production of Finding Nemo Junior.; the Equity Leadership Team Ambassador; the lead for the Elementary Computer Science Curriculum; and the Technology Lead, where she manages building technology issues and facilitated Chromebook repairs.
Rachel’s honors as Teacher of the Year is not the only recognition Rachel has received. She earned a Golden Apple Award by the Rhode Island State Department of Education in 2017.
Rachel earned her Bachelor’s degree in Geography, graduating magna cum laude. She earned her Master’s degree in Education, and a second Master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, both from Rhode Island College. Her passion for inclusive education is further highlighted by her certifications in Classroom Culture, Rigor and Mastery, Differentiation and Identity, and Interest and Agency, which she earned from the Highlander Institute.
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Jennifer Fey of Texas garnered 2024 Outstanding Teaching of Humanities Award
Congratulations to English teacher Jennifer Fey of Spring Hill, Texas. She has garnered a 2024 Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award. Photo credit: Cornal Independent School District.
Congratulations are due to Texas educator Jennifer Fey. She has garnered a 2024 Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award.
Jennifer teaches English at Hill Country College Prep High School, a public school located in Spring Hill, Texas. She also partners with a History teacher to plan her lessons. In addition, she serves her school as the National Honor Society sponsor, the University Interscholastic League coordinator, the grade-level chair, a reading interventionist, and a teacher mentor
The honored educator earned her Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Texas at Austin. She earned a Master’s degree in Reading Instruction from the University of West Florida, and a second Master’s degree in Public Administration from Troy University. Her career as an educator spans 12 years.
Jennifer strongly believes that incorporating project-based learning into her curriculum emphasizes the importance of the humanities subjects she teaches. The projects she incorporates are wide-ranging, from Greek and Shakespearean shadow puppet plays to trade route and revolutionary marketing plans. “The humanities give students a foundation in how to live and how to apply their skills ethically,” declares Jennifer. “By learning through authentic projects, students see how history and literature shape their world.”
Of the more than 700 teachers from across the state of Texas to be nominated for the 2024 Humanities Texas Outstanding Teaching Award, Jennifer is one of 15 to receive the honor. The award includes a $5,000 cash prize and an additional $1,000 for her school campus to be used for the purchase of instructional materials. Humanities Texas is associated with the National Endowment for the Humanities. Its mission is to advance education through programs that improve the quality of classroom teaching, to support libraries and museums, and to create opportunities for lifelong learning for all Texans.
Her selection for this award is not the only recognition Jennifer has received. In 2023, she was named a recipient for the KENS 5 EXCEL award for Comal Independent School District.
