Spanish teacher and TikTok sensation Dr. Trevor Boffone

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Often dedicated classroom teachers will do anything to motivate their students. Here’s one who hip-hop dances with them: Dr. Trevor Boffone, a Spanish teacher at Bellaire High School in Houston, Texas. He has more than 300,000 followers on Instagram – all because of his viral videos in the classroom. Dr. Boffone wanted a way to connect with his students and asked them to teach him some dance moves like the ones he viewed on Dubsmash and TikTok. In just six weeks, he racked up 50,000 followers. Now he has millions of views and followers around the country! Dr. Boffone says he’s not afraid to dance like no one’s watching, but he knows plenty of people are. Watch him with his students in the 4:21 minute video below. Enjoy!

 

Recommended summer reading for teachers

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Terry Lee Marzell

Author Terry Lee Marzell recommends her book, Chalkboard Heroes, to educators for summer reading. Photo credit: Terry Lee Marzell.

I love to tell stories about outstanding teachers. There are so many phenomenal stories that could be told! I believe that teachers represent the best our country has to offer, and, as a group, they are among the most dedicated, hardworking, and talented people anyone can know.

During this summer vacation, you may be interested in reading stories about some of these wonderful teachers. I have included 12 of them in my second book, Chalkboard Heroes: Twelve Courageous Teachers and their Deeds Valor. The educators included in this volume were not only talented teachers, but they were also pioneers, trailblazers, and social reformers influential in America’s history.

It fills me with joy to be able to share the stories of just a few of the amazing individuals who have made such significant contributions to the lives of so many. And it fills me with pride to know that, every day, talented educators all over the country are making significant contributions to the lives of their students.

You can order Chalkboard Heroes from amazon in print or digital formats now. Simply click on this link be taken to the page where you can order. Enjoy!

Kansas Special Ed teacher Juan Yanez succumbs to Covid-19

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Special Education teacher Juan Yanez of Derby, Kansas, succumbed to Covid-19 in Feb., 2021. Photo credit: Derby Informer.

Sadly we report the passing of yet another beloved educator who has succumbed to Covid-19. Juan Yanez, a Special Education teacher in Derby, Kansas, succumbed to the disease in February, 2021.

For nine years, the beloved educator had been a teacher at Oaklawn Elementary School in the Derby Pubic School District located in Wichita, Kansas. Previously he had taught at Wineteer Elementary and Pleasantview Elementary.

Colleague Joe Addis described Juan as someone who “definitely, really cared about kids. That really showed in everything that he did,” Addis said. “He just worked hard to build connections with the students that he worked with. That was something that always really impressed me about him,” Addis remembered. He said also observed Juan’s teaching style, commenting that the fallen educator used his sense of humor and his genuine passion to make connections with students. “He did a lot of really good incentive work, I thought, with students to really help them be encouraged to come to the room and give their best, Addis concluded.

Juan’s compassion for youngsters with special needs extended to adults with special needs as well. In early March, 2020, before the pandemic caused nationwide shut-downs, Juan and fellow Special Education teacher Jennifer Nulik organized a community service project at Pleasantview Elementary School. The project was designed to provide employment resources and opportunities for special needs students and adults. The project was part of Juan’s course work in his Master’s program at Wichita State University. The effort resulted n the First Annual Tri-County Career/Resources Fair. To read more about the event, see this article published by the Derby Informer.

Ruth Q. DePrida worked tirelessly for retired California educators

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Retired teacher and principal Ruth Q. DePrida worked tirelessly for the benefit of retired educators and others in the state of California. Photo credit: Find A Grave.

There are many Chalkboard Champions who work tirelessly for the benefit of their colleagues. One of these was Ruth Q. DePrida, a retired teacher and principal who threw her considerable energy into improving retirement benefits for her fellow California educators.

Ruth DePrida was born and raised in Southern California. As a young woman, she attended UCLA, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in education. She earned her Master’s degree in Education from USC.

Once she earned her degrees, Ruth accepted a position as a teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She taught for 13 years, and then was promoted to the position of elementary principal, where she served another 23 years as the head of both the Rosewood Ave. Schools and third Street Schools..

After Ruth retired from the teaching profession, she became dedicated towards improving the lives of retired teachers. She became active in California Retired Teachers Association. In 1981, she was appointed to Chair the State Legislation Committee, a position she held until 1996. While serving on this body, she worked toward guaranteed purchasing power protection for retirees, and she advocated for the Elder Full Funding Act and the Desert Protection Act. During her term, the Elk Hills Petroleum Reserve agreement was developed. The state wanted to put the funds gained from this agreement into the general fund, but Ruth worked to see that those profits were designated for retired teachers in the Supplemental Benefit Maintenance Account instead. In 1984, Governor George Deukmajian appointed Ruth was appointed to the State Teachers’ Retirement Board, where she served until 1996. She brought to the Board the perspective a system retiree.

All throughout her life, Ruth was a tireless worker for the welfare of all, including children and seniors. She spent 50 years lobbying for children’s hospitals, schools, teachers, and retried teachers. She also became interested in the cause of nursing home reform based on her own difficulties in finding adequate care for her own family members and friends.

To learn more about Ruth Q. DePrida, see this obituary published by the Los Angeles Times.

 

New York’s Betty Lacey: She coached both boys’ and girls’ teams

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Athletic coach and Physical Education teacher Betty Lacey of Sherwood, New York, one of the very few women in that period who coached both boys’ and girls sports teams. Photo credit: auburn pub.com

Many women make fine athletic coaches, but very few have coached both boys’ and girls’ teams, especially in the 1940’s. One such coach was Betty Lacey, a physical education teacher from Sherwood, New York.

As a young woman, Betty earned her Bachelor’s degree from Sargent College at Boston University in 1944. In 1964, she earned her Master’s degree in Physical Education from Ithaca College in New York.

After her graduation from Boston University, Betty inaugurated her career as an educator when she accepted a position as a Physical Education teacher at Sherwood Central High School in Sherwood, New York. From 1944 to 1946, while World War II was in full swing creating a serious shortage of manpower, Betty taught and coached both boys’ and girls’ sports teams. This was highly unusual, even for that time. While at Sherwood, Betty coached boys’ football, basketball, and baseball. In addition, she officiated women’s university volleyball and basketball games at institutions across upstate New York and the northeast.

From 1956 to 1981, Betty taught at Auburn High School in New York. While there, the indefatigable educator coached all of the girls’ major athletic teams, including a record-setting field hockey team. Under her leadership, the Auburn teams garnered four consecutive New York State Championship titles in girls’ field hockey.

For her work as an athletic coach, Betty earned many accolades. She was the first woman to be inducted into the New York State Coaches Hall of Fame. She was also inducted into the Auburn High School Athletic Hall of Fame and the Ithaca College Athletic hall of Fame. In addition, Ithaca College Women’s Basketball bestows an annual award in her honor.

Betty Lacey passed away on August 11, 2012. To read more about this amazing Chalkboard Champion, see her obituary at Legacy.com.