Tag Archives: English Teachers

Susan Rosato named Vermont’s 2021 Teacher of the Year

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Susan Rosato, an English Language educator from Vermont, has been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Linked In.

I enjoy sharing stories about exceptional educators who have earned accolades for their work in the classroom. One of these is Susan Rosato, an English Language educator from Vermont who has been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year.

Susan currently teaches at Colchester High School in Colchester, Vermont, where she has been for 17 years. She began her career at the elementary level, teaching for five years at McMahon Elementary School in Holyoke, Massachusetts. In all, her career as an educator has spanned 22 years.

Within the educational community, Susan has a reputation for being a fierce advocate for immigrant and refugee families, and she has dedicated herself to smoothing their transition from their home countries to the United States. To this end, she has created and implemented a “newcomer” class in her school. She teaches the school’s English Learner (EL) course, and she instituted her school’s EL summer school program. In addition, she developed the district’s EL professional development course for her colleagues.

During the pandemic when students were completing lessons via distance learning, Susan stayed connected with families and provided support so they could maintain access to their children’s education, figure out how to sign up for unemployment benefits, and update their health information. She also created instructional and multilingual videos to provide information about the reopening of schools.

“What I can do and what we can all do to make students’ dreams a reality is we can start breaking down some of these barriers that refugee and immigrant students and other minority populations in our country and state face,” declares Susan. “I believe that our curriculum needs to be accessible and free of cultural bias. We need to start from the idea about what students can do, not what they can’t do,” she continues.

Susan earned her Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from the State University of New York at Cortland in 1991. She earned her Master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from the State University of New York at Albany in 1994.

To read more about Susan Rosato, see this article about her published by the St. Albans Messenger.

Lee Perez named 2022 Nebraska State Teacher of the Year

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Congratulations to middle school educator Lee Perez, who has been named the 2022 Nebraska State Teacher of the Year!

Lee currently teaches English as a Second Language to students in grades 5 through 8 at Alice Buffet Magnet Middle School in the Omaha Public School system. He inaugurated his teaching career in 2008 at Marrs Magnet Middle School in Omaha. There he taught a seventh grade World Studies-Dual Language Program until 2019.

Lee employs a comprehensive approach to reach his students. He combines culturally responsive teaching and language learning engagement strategies,. His goal is to teach his students a new language while celebrating his students’ own backgrounds and cultures in the classroom. “It is important to embrace diversity. We should acknowledge that being different is special and these differences should be showcased during learning,” Lee asserts. “Good teaching isn’t always about effective lesson planning, data, assessments, or observations with administrators. It’s about empowering our students to strive to be the best versions of themselves socially, emotionally, intellectually, and academically,” he continues.

In addition, Lee uses the power of his own childhood experiences to guide his approach to his students. “I just want my students to know that I had a tough life growing up, and just because you have a hard life growing up doesn’t mean you can’t reach your dreams,” reveals Lee.

In addition to his work in the classroom, Lee is an active member in the community. He is a member of the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee, the Omaha Education Association Metro Board, the Nebraska State Education Association, and the English Learner Curriculum Pathway Committee for Omaha Public Schools.

Lee is an alumnus of the University of Nebraska, Omaha.

The Teacher of the Year program recognizes the contributions of classroom teachers who are exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable, skilled and who have the ability to inspire students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn.

 

Educator Marilyn Pryle named PA’s 2021 Teacher of the Year

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High school English teacher, author, and public speaker Marilyn Pryle has been named Pennsylvania’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Marilyn Pryle.

Many outstanding teachers from all over the country have been recognized for their talent in the classroom. One of these is Marilyn Pryle, a high school Language Arts educator from Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania. She has been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year.

Currently, Marilyn teaches at Abington Heights High School, where she has worked for the past 11 years. The school is a highly rated, public school located with an enrollment of 1,075 students in grades 9-12. The student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1. Previously, Marilyn taught in Boston and Philadelphia. But she inaugurated her professional career in Kathmandu, Nepal, where for two years she worked as a Jesuit International Volunteer. Inall, her career as an educator has spanned 20 years.

In addition to her work in the classroom, has authored seven books for educators on the subject of teaching reading handwriting. She frequently presents at local, state, and national conferences. And, as if all that were not enough, this indefatigable teacher is also an organizer of the Scranton English Conversation Group, a community outreach program for local refugees.

“We’ve all heard that teaching is the profession that creates all other professions, and this is of course true,” asserts Marilyn. “I’d like to go a step further than that. Teaching is the profession that creates the very character of our culture. Teaching is the profession that creates the fabric of our discourse as a nation. Teaching is the profession that creates the conscience of our democracy,” she continues.

Marilyn earned her Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education (1991) and her Master’s degree in Reading Education (1997), both at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. She also completed a Master’s in Fine Arts program with an emphasis in Creative Writing at Emerson College in 2000. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at Wilkes University in 2020. In addition, she is a National Board Certified Teacher.

To read more about Marilyn Pryle, click on this link to her website.

Educator and author Andee Reilly releases new Christmas novel

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Educator and author Andee Reilly has just released a new Christmas romance which would make perfect reading for Winter Break. Photo credit: Andee Reilly.

Looking for a relaxing Christmas read over your Winter Break? I recommend A Christmas Love Song, a romance novel just released by English educator Andee Reilly.

Andee is well-versed in the study and teaching of excellent writing. In 1988, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies at California State University, Northridge. She earned a Master’s degree in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing from California State University, Los Angeles, in 1999. In 2010, she completed the requirements for a second Master’s degree in Creative Writing from the University of California, Riverside, in Riverside, California.

After earning her teaching credential, Andee inaugurated her career as an English teacher at Palisades High School in Pacific Palisades, California. After a few years at the high school level, Andee was hired to teach at Moorpark College. She taught additional courses at Pierce College and the College of the Canyons, until securing a position at California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI). While at CSUCI, Andee garnered a Maximus Award for outstanding teaching. A few years later, Andee moved  to Hawaii, where she accepted a teaching position at the University of Hawaii, Maui College. There she currently teaches composition to incoming freshman.

In addition to her classroom successes, the honored educator also enjoys success as a published novelist. In 2015, Andee published her first novel, Satisfaction. This entertaining book tells the story of Ginny Martin, a recent divorcee, who embarks on a road trip to attend every concert on the Rolling Stones’ North American tour. Along the way, Ginny learns more about herself than she expected. Andee’s second book, A Christmas Love Song, gives us a romance between a has-been pop star, Jake Wilder, and Mackenzie Stone, a reporter longing to become a serious and respected journalist.

You can purchase Andee’s new release on amazon.com at the link A Christmas Love Song. You can find Andee’s first book by clicking the Satisfaction. To visit her website, click on www.andeereilly.com.

California teacher Mark Takano serves in US House of Reps

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Former California English teacher and member of the US House of Representatives Mark Takano works to improve educational opportunities for learners of all ages. Photo credit: The Advocate.

Many fine classroom teachers go on to successful careers in politics. One of these educators in Mark Takano, a former teacher who now serves in the US House of Representatives.

Mark was born on December 10, 1960, in Riverside, California. He spent his entire childhood there. As a Japanese American, he grew up listening to stories told by his parents and grandparents about their internment in an American camp during WWII. As a young boy, Mark attended La Sierra High School. When he graduated in 1979, he was named the school’s valedictorian. After his high school graduation, Mark attended Harvard, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Government in 1983. He earned a second Master’s in Fine Arts with an emphasis in Creative Writing for the Performing Arts, from the University of California, Riverside, in 2010.

Once he earned his degree, Mark worked as a substitute teacher for various public school systems in the Boston area. Later he returned to Riverside, and, in 1988, he inaugurated his teaching career in the Rialto Unified School District. He taught British Literature at Rialto High School. Only two years later, he was elected to the Board of Trustees for the Riverside Community College District. There he worked diligently to increase job training opportunities for adult learners. In 1991, Mark was elected Board President. In all, Mark taught for 23 years in public schools.

In 2012, Mark was elected elected on the Democratic ticket to represent the 41st District in the US House of Representatives. His District includes Riverside, Moreno Valley, Jurupa Valley, and Perris. As a Congressman, he serves on a variety of committees, including the Education and Labor Committee; the Science, Space and Technology Committee; and as the Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

To learn more about Mark Takano, see his Congressional website.