Here’s a fabulous Chalkboard Champion from Garland School district in North Texas. She is Sharon Bradley, a health science teacher at Naaman Forest High School. Sharon is 85 years old, and hasn’t missed a day of school in 26 years. Watch this inspirational video about her.
Music Educator and choir director Amy Eden describes life lessons her students learn from participating in her program.
Today I would like to spotlight music educator and choir director Amy Eden. She teaches at Corona High School in Corona, California. I met Amy when she brought her Madrigals to perform at the monthly meeting of the California Retired Teachers Association, Division 80, last Friday.
During the Madrigals’ performance, Amy chatted with the audience about the life lessons her students learn from their involvement in her music program. What Amy teaches her students in addition to music is impressive!
The students travel from venue to venue within the city, she noted, and the acoustics of each venue varies greatly. The students must instantly adapt to the unique sound properties of each venue. She also mentioned that when the group experiences unexpected absences in its members, those who are present must adjust their volume to compensate for those missing voices. The chalkboard champion conducted an impromptu on-the-spot survey of the students, which revealed that many of the students pursue other interests in addition to choir. These interests include theater, sports, Advanced Placement courses, learning to play an instrument, and working at jobs outside of school. “So they really have to learn time management,” Amy pointed out.
Amy earned her Bachelor’s degree in Vocal/Choral Education at California State University, Fullerton. While there, she studied conducting, participated in the Chamber Singers, the University Singers, and joined the ACDA Student Chapter. Amy also earned a Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the American College of Education in 2016. She has taught at Corona High since 2003. Prior to accepting her position there, she taught for one year at Terra Cotta Middle School in Lake Elsinore, California.
In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Amy performs in and directs local Broadway musicals and she sings for her church.
Preschool Special Education teacher Rebecca Vitelli named Delaware’s 2020 State Teacher of the Year.
Congratulations to Rebecca Vitelli, who has just been named Delaware’s 2020 State Teacher of the Year. This remarkable educator is a preschool Special Education teacher in the Colonial School District.
Rebecca teaches at the Colonial Early Education Program in New Castle. Her youngsters deal with autism, cognitive challenges, and health issues. Rebecca says she strives to be inclusive in her teaching. She firmly believes that every students has the drive and the ability to learn.
“Teachers must remain consciously present listeners and encouragers,” declares Rebecca. “Many of my students begin school without the ability to speak. However, this in no way means they have nothing to say. We teach children to express themselves in a multitude of ways. We show them that communication is powerful, and that others will listen and value what they have to share,” she continued.
Rebecca came from a family of educators. Bother her parents are teachers. She earned both her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and her Master’s degree in Education at the University of Delaware. Her career has spanned only four years, but already her work has captured the attention of state-level educators.
Rebecca was selected out of a group of 20 teachers, one from each district and one from a Delaware charter school. As this year’s honoree, she will receive a $5,000 grant to use for the educational benefit of her students, and two personal grants totaling an additional $5,000.
Read more about the remarkable Rebecca Vitelli at this link: Delaware’s State government website. Take a look at the short video below where Rebecca shares her philosophy of learning.
Andrea Carson Johnson: Virginia State’s Teacher of the Year.
I love to tell stories about outstanding classroom teachers who have earned recognition for their hard work. One of these educators is Andrea Carson Johnson, who has been named the 2020 Virginia State Teacher of the Year.
Andrea teaches 12th grade English at Salem High School in Salem, Roanoke County, Virginia. Her career has spanned 12 years. She inaugurated her teaching career in 2011 at Lakeland High in Suffolk. In 2014, she transferred to Andrew Lewis Middle and Salem High in Salem. She now teaches just at the high school level, where she has served as the Chairperson of the English Department since 2017.
The honored educator earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia. She earned her Master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.
“I am looking forward to being the ambassador for my school system, for the teachers that I work with, and for all of the teachers of Virginia,” Andrea said. “I tell my students that anything worth doing is worth doing well, and teaching is perhaps the most important thing worth doing well.”
As the Virginia State Teacher of the Year, Andrea qualifies for the 2020 National Teacher of the Year which will be announced next spring at a ceremony at the White House.
To learn about more outstanding teachers in Virginia. click on this online press release from the Virginia Department of Education.
Middle school educator Anne Martin named one of three 2019 Teachers of the Year by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars, also known as the VFW, named three stellar educators as their Teachers of the Year for 2018-2019. One of these is Anne Martin, a middle school teacher at Williams Middle School located in Tracy, California. Anne earned the distinction because of her dedication towards honoring America’s veterans.
Anne teaches seventh grade Language Arts and Social Studies. In a career that has spanned 24 years, this remarkable educator has used her experience as a Gold Star family member to help her students better understand the sacrifices made by America’s military. Anne’s work includes organizing school-wide campaigns to collect donations and thank you letters for deployed troops. She also coordinates the school’s annual Patriot Day celebration, which includes a patriotic door-decorating contest. In addition, the honored teacher oversees the school’s Associated Student Body elections, helping students to understand and navigate the democratic process.
Anne revealed that she began organizing military-related events and activities after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. It was at that time that she encouraged her students to contribute to a “chain of thanks” to send to American soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. The chains have been used at the local VFW Post during a Veterans Day celebration. Anne says activities like this give students opportunities to appreciate the sacrifices of others. “The fact that they’re here going to school is really a privilege because of the [men and women who served our country],” Anne declares.
“Students who are lucky enough to have teachers like Anne develop a deep sense of patriotism and understand the values and freedoms upon which our nation was founded,” expressed VFW National Commander B.J. Lawrence. “The VFW is honored to recognize the vital role America’s educators play in nurturing and encouraging the civic-minded leaders of tomorrow,” he continued.
Each year, the VFW names one elementary, one intermediate, and one high school teacher for their National Citizenship Education Teacher Award. Bobbie Schamens, a fourth grade teacher at Meadowview Intermediate School in Sparta, Wisconsin, was named the elementary school winner. Kevin Wagner, an Advanced Placement History teacher at Carlisle High School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was chosen to represent the high school level.
To learn more about these amazing educators, view the article at VFW.
