Category Archives: Education

What makes a great teacher? Check this list for an answer

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Every educator knows that teaching is one of the most complicated and demanding jobs a person could choose today. What makes a great teacher, specifically? Well, here’s a list published by greatschools.org on August 29, 2018.

  • Great teachers set high expectations for all students. They expect that all students can and will achieve in their classroom, and they don’t give up on underachievers.
  • Great teachers have clear, written-out objectives. Effective teachers have lesson plans that give students a clear idea of what they will be learning, what the assignments are and what the grading policy is. Assignments have learning goals and give students ample opportunity to practice new skills. The teacher is consistent in grading and returns work in a timely manner.
  • Great teachers are prepared and organized. They are in their classrooms early and ready to teach. They present lessons in a clear and structured way. Their classrooms are organized in such a way as to minimize distractions.
  • Great teachers engage students and get them to look at issues in a variety of ways. Effective teachers use facts as a starting point, not an end point; they ask “why” questions, look at all sides and encourage students to predict what will happen next. They ask questions frequently to make sure students are following along. They try to engage the whole class, and they don’t allow a few students to dominate the class. They keep students motivated with varied, lively approaches.
  • Great teachers form strong relationships with their students and show that they care about them as people. Great teachers are warm, accessible, enthusiastic and caring. Teachers with these qualities are known to stay after school and make themselves available to students and parents who need them. They are involved in school-wide committees and activities, and they demonstrate a commitment to the school.
  • Great teachers are masters of their subject matter. They exhibit expertise in the subjects they are teaching and spend time continuing to gain new knowledge in their field. They present material in an enthusiastic manner and instill a hunger in their students to learn more on their own.
  • Great teachers communicate frequently with parents. They reach parents through conferences and frequent written reports home. They don’t hesitate to pick up the telephone to call a parent if they are concerned about a student.

To see the original article, click on www.greatschools.org.

Art educator Jonathan Juravich named the 2018 Ohio State Teacher of the Year

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Jonathan Juravich

Elementary art educator Jonathan Juravich named the 2018 Ohio State Teacher of the Year.

Jonathan Juravich has garnered the 2018 Ohio State Teacher of the Year award. Jonathan teaches elementary art at Liberty Tree Elementary in the Olentangy Local School District located in Powell, Ohio. Jonathan has invested 12 years in the teaching profession.

Jonathan earned his Bachelor’s degree in Art Education from Otterbein University in 2005, and his Master’s degree in Art Education from the Art Academy of Cincinnati in 2011. He has spent his entire 12-year career as an elementary at teacher at Powell’s Liberty Tree Elementary School. During those years, he also coached cross country and track at Hyatts Middle School, served as an adjunct professor at Otterbein, and worked as an art program consultant for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. In addition, Jonathan is recognized as a leader in the Ohio Art Education Association.

Over the course of his career, Jonathan has earned many accolades. He was named the Ohio Central Region Outstanding Art Teacher in 2014, and he was given the Otterbein University Community Engagement Award in 2013. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Central Ohio selected him Man of the Year in 2012, and the Art Academy of Cincinnati gave him their Peace and Justice Award in 2011.

Jonathan Juravich

Art teacher Jonathan Juravich works with his students at Liberty Tree Elementary School.

School

And then he was named the 2018 Ohio State Teacher of the Year. He’s humble about the praise, though. “There are moments in our every day where we have the opportunity to quietly shine, and I hope you take it,” remarks Jonathan. “Don’t wait for a giant role and the pride that accompanies it, but instead leap forward and show the world what you are made of: respect, empathy, awareness, perseverance, and above all kindness.”

 

Lucas Daniels selected Mississippi’s 2018 State Teacher of the Year

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Lucas Daniels

Sixth grade math teacher Lucas Daniels has been selected Mississippi’s 2018 State Teacher of the Year.

Sixth grade math teacher Lucas Daniels has been selected by the state of Mississippi as their 2018 Teacher of the Year.

Lucas came from a family of educators. Both his mother and his father were teachers. Lucas earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2009, and he earned his Master’s degree in Education in 2011, both from Mississippi College, a Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi.

The honored educator inaugurated his career at Pearl Junior High School in Pearl, Mississippi, where he taught from 2011-2012. His next assignment was at Clinton High School in Clinton, Mississippi, where he worked from 2012-2013. Then he transferred to Petal High School, where he taught from  2013-2015. His current assignment is at Petal Upper Elementary School in Petal, Mississippi, where he has been from 2015 to the present.

To learn more about the impressive Lucas Daniels, view the video below:

Nevada’s Pilar Biller named her state’s 2018 Teacher of the Year

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Pilar Biller

Nevada art educator Pilar Biller named her state’s 2018 Teacher of the Year.

Pilar Biller, an art teacher at Damonte Ranch High School in the Washoe County School District, was named the 2018 Nevada Teacher of the Year by the Nevada Department of Education.

Pilar earned her Bachelor’s degree in Art from Gonzaga University in 1996. Gonzaga is a private, Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington. In 1998 Pilar earned her Master’s in Teaching and Education from Sierra Nevada College. Sierra Nevada College is a private, liberal arts university known for its programs in environmental science, English and creative writing, humanities, fine arts, and teacher education.

Pilar, a National Board Certified Teacher, has dedicated more than 18 years of her life in the classroom. The honored educator says it’s important for students to think creatively and to problem solve. She encourages her students to share their art in the community and to work with local service organizations.

“Pilar is an amazing art teacher who is so passionate and works just incredibly well with kids at all levels,” remarked Damonte Ranch Principal Darvel Bell. “Her classes are fun. Her kids love being in her classes,” he asserts. “I recently got to participate in one of her classes where the objective was to connect their art projects to businesses. This included developing a marketing plan and was a great example of how learning applies to the real world,” Bell remembers.

To learn more about Pilar, watch the video below:

Sara Reed named 2018 Wyoming State Teacher of the Year

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Congratulations to kindergarten teacher Sara Reed, who was named the 2018 Wyoming State Teacher of the Year. “Sara Reed is one of those outstanding individuals whose personal mission fits their professional mission,” says Boyd Brown, Superintendent of Campbell County School District #1. “During her 12 years as a kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Reed has taken every student in her class and worked to meet their needs, no matter what learning style they may have or other hardship they may be dealing with outside of school,” Brown declares. “Sara is a leader in her school, the district, and will be a great role model as the Wyoming State Teacher of the Year,” he concluded.

Sara was raised in a family of educators in Gillette, Wyoming. She has been a teacher at Hillcrest Elementary School for 12 years. She has a reputation for making every effort to get to know each student and their families so she can tailor her teaching to meet their needs. She also incorporates “movement with a purpose” into her classroom to help her students improve in their reading and writing, and to reduce behavior problems.

In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Sara developed the Kindergarten Mentor Program at Hillcrest. The program pairs each kindergartener with a sixth grader at the beginning of the school year to ease the transition into school. Sara matches students based on interest, gender, and culture, making sure that each English-Language Learner student has a sixth grader that can speak with them in their native language. Principal Brad Winter says the mentor program is one of the most positive and successful programs available at Hillcrest, and it has helped ease the stress of starting kindergarten for many of the students and their families.

Congratulations, Sara!