Washington’s Mandy Manning named 2018 National Teacher of the Year

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Mandy Manning

Mandy Manning of Spokane, Washington, named the 2018 National Teacher of the Year.

Congratulations to exemplary educator Mandy Manning of Spokane, Washington, who has been named the 2018 National Teacher of the Year.

Mandy teaches English to newly-arrived immigrant students in the Newcomer Center at Joel E. Ferris High School in Spokane.

As 2018 National Teacher of the Year, Mandy says she would like to encourage educators to teach their students to overcome their fears and seek out new experiences. “Let’s teach our students to be fearless,” she declares. “Let’s teach them to be brave when confronted with uncertainty. Brave when they fail. Brave in meeting new people. Brave in seeking opportunities to experience things outside of their understanding,” she continues.

In her classroom, Mandy designs lessons that help her students process trauma, celebrate their home countries and culture, and learn about their new community.Mandy says she makes it a priority to create connections between her students and the community inside and outside of the school. She has invited district leaders, campus resource officers, community members of color, and professional writers to visit her classroom. These visits help her students learn cultural expectations and how to express themselves effectively. In return, her students teach these leaders where they come from, who they are, and the contributions they make to the community.

“All of us together make this world interesting and good. We must teach our students to overcome their fears and seek out new experiences. The only way to teach fearlessness is to show it. We must show kindness by getting to know our students, learning about them, and showing them how to connect,” Mandy asserts.

Mandy earned a Bachelor’s degree from Eastern Washington University, her Master’s degree from West Texas A & M University, and a second Master’s degree from Northwest Institute of Literary Arts. In addition, Mandy is a National Board Certified Teacher. This amazing educator inaugurated her career in the teaching profession when she worked for the Peace Corps in Armenia in 1999. She then spent several years working as a teacher and assistant teacher in schools in Japan and across the U.S. Mandy has taught for the past 19 years, seven of which have been in her current position.

In addition to recognition as the 2018 National Teacher of the Year, Mandy has earned the National Education Association Foundation’s California Casualty Award for Teaching Excellence in 2017 and the Kim Plemons Leadership Award from the Spokane Education Association in 2015.

Joseph Acaba: Math teacher and US Astronaut

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Many talented educators earn recognition for achievements outside of the classroom. This is true of science and math teacher Joseph Michael Acaba, who is also a hydro-geologist and NASA educator astronaut. This chalkboard champion is the first individual of Puerto Rican descent to become a NASA astronaut.

Joseph Acaba
Math teacher and US astronaut Joseph Acaba.

Joe was born on May 17, 1967, in Inglewood, California, where his parents, Ralph and Elsie Acaba, had moved from Hatillo, Puerto Rico, during the 1960s. When he was an elementary student, Joe excelled in both science and math. He enjoyed reading, particularly science fiction stories. He also appreciated educational movies, and credits his interest in space to a film he watched in his boyhood depicting Neil Armstrong’s 1969 landing on the moon. During his senior year in high school, he became interested in scuba diving, and later he became a certified scuba diver through a job-training program at his school. This experience inspired him to further his academic education in the field of geology. In 1985, Joe graduated with honors from Esperanza High School in Anaheim, California.

Joe earned his Bachelor’s degree in Geology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1990, and his Master’s degree in Geology from the University of Arizona in 1992. Following his graduation, Joe enlisted as a reservist in the US Marine Corps, where he served his country for six years. During this time, Joe worked as a hydro-geologist in Los Angeles, where he was involved in the assessment and remediation of groundwater contaminants. He has also worked for the Caribbean Marine Research in the Bahamas and as a shoreline re-vegetation coordinator in Vero Beach, Florida.

Additionally, Joe spent two years in the Peace Corps, where he trained over 300 teachers in modern teaching methodologies in the Dominican Republic. “Once I did that, I knew that education was what I wanted to do,” Joe said. To fulfill this dream, after leaving the Peace Corps Joe taught one year of high school science and math at Melbourne High School in Melbourne, Florida, and four years of science and math at Dunnellon Middle School in Dunnellon, Florida. Then, in May 2004, the veteran educator was one of three classroom teachers selected by NASA to be a mission specialist. “The only job that could take me away from teaching is being an astronaut,” he confessed. “Being an educator astronaut is the best of both worlds.”

In February 2006, Joe completed his astronaut candidate training, which included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training, T-38 flight training, and water and wilderness survival training. Upon completion of his training, Joe was assigned to the Hardware Integration Team in the Space Station Branch, working technical issues with European Space Agency hardware.  He was also a member of the Space Shuttle Branch, supporting shuttle launch and landing preparations at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Joe’s first space mission was aboard STS-119, which flew from March 15 to March 28, 2009. The task for this mission was to deliver the final set of solar arrays to the International Space Station. Joe performed two space walks during this mission. His second space mission was Expedition 31/32, which was launched on May 15, 2012, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and returned on September 17, 2012.  As a member of the Expedition 31/32 crews, Joe spent 123 days aboard the International Space Station as a flight engineer. The intrepid educator has logged a total of 138 days in space during his two missions.

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Joe once said that, as an educator astronaut, he hoped to reach out to minority students. On March 18, 2008, he traveled to Puerto Rico, where he was honored by the island’s senate. During his visit, Joe met with school children at the capitol and at Science Park located in Bayamon. Science Park boasts a planetarium and several surplus NASA rockets among its exhibits. Joe made a second trip to Puerto Rico on June 1, 2009. On that trip he spent seven days on the island and came into contact with over 10,000 citizens, most of them school children.

Joe is active in several professional organizations. He is a member of the International Technology Education Association, the Florida Association of Science Teachers, and the Association of Space Explorers. During his career, Joe has earned many honors. He has been given the Ana G. Mendez University System Presidential Medal and a Doctorate Honoris Causa from the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico. In addition, Caras Magazine designated Joe as one of the most influential and exciting Puerto Ricans of 2012.

“As an educator,” this chalkboard champion once expounded, “I think the most important thing for me is to fulfill the goal of inspiring the next generation. Motivating kids to learn is as important as the subject matter.”

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.

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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.”