By Sherry Posnick-Goodwin
The five Teachders of the Year are (left to right): Jennifer Kelly, Shannan Brown, Darin Curtis, Kadhir Rajagopal and Beverly Gonzales.
Five CTA members were selected by state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell as California Teachers of the Year. We asked them to share the secrets of their success.
Curtis’ mantra is: “Nothing will affect students’ future happiness and success in life more than a healthy lifestyle.” He practices what he preaches as an eighth-grade physical education teacher at Tierra del Sol Middle School in Lakeside.
A member of the Lakeside Teachers Association, Curtis describes himself as a teacher and coach who acts as a “motivator” to keeps students moving, engaged and health-conscious. “I find a sense of humor is a must, because your smile lasts longer than your lesson.”
He emphasizes practicing skills every day instead of just focusing on tests at the end of a unit. “I am also preparing students to be independent learners each day forward,” he says. “I continually challenge students by establishing high expectations, building their self-confidence and empowering them to take ownership of their learning.”
Curtis was selected to serve as California’s representative to the National Teacher of the Year competition. He and the candidates from other states will be honored at a White House ceremony.
His thoughts on winning the award? “It’s unbelievable to think that I, a PE teacher, was chosen,” says Curtis. “Honestly, just being at Salute to Teachers, the San Diego awards ceremony, was like being at the Oscars.”
Teaching is a “dynamic and ever-changing profession,” says Brown, a fifth-grade teacher at Thomas Edison Elementary School in Sacramento.
“Teaching is not just about standards,” she says of her philosophy. “It is also about teaching whoever walks in the door to believe in themselves. I create an environment of high expectations, but loving support. I know that what I say — and don’t say — will affect them for the rest of their lives.”
She says that the secret of her success is giving non-graded feedback on areas where students have achieved mastery, as well as on the areas where they need to improve. “I involve students and they begin to take charge of their own learning,” Brown says.
Brown, a member of the San Juan Teachers Association, says being involved in the union has made her a better teacher.
“SJTA gives me a voice to express concern and frustration about not being able to do what is best for students due to mandates made outside of my classroom,” she says. “The association and district have held very honest and open conversations about how we can work together to further student learning.”
This fourth-grade math and writing teacher at Santa Fe School in Baldwin Park sees herself as a “gardener” who is cultivating successful students.
“I water my seeds with knowledge,” she says. “Some need watering constantly and grow very quickly. I make sure there is no ceiling above them to stop their joyous growth. Others need careful watering; I make sure they can handle each drop before I give them more. Occasionally I am given a seed that others would say is a weed. I refuse to believe that. It may need its own soil, watering level and more sunshine, but if you look you can see the beginnings of the most beautiful flower imaginable.”
Gonzalez, a member of the Baldwin Park Education Association, has been a school principal, but found that her heart is in classroom teaching.
“I love the personal challenge of finding every way possible to teach and motivate my students to achieve at a level not usually attributed to lower socioeconomic, predominantly English language learner students,” she says.
She credits her much of her success to receiving outstanding professional development.
“I have been given the opportunity over the years to have hundreds of hours in training in theory and instructional strategies,” she says. “My ‘quiver’ is very full of strategies. If one doesn’t work with a particular child or group of children, I can easily reach back and pull out several more strategies until I find the perfect fit.”
Constantly evaluating her lessons and asking herself questions is the key to the success of this eighth-grade physical science teacher at Middletown Middle School.
“Am I reaching the students?” she wonders. “What is advancing and hindering learning in my class?”
Her job, as she sees it, is making kids want to learn.
“It is our job as teachers to help make students excited about learning,” says Kelly, a member of the Middletown Teachers Association. “I draw on students’ backgrounds, interests and learning needs to shape my lessons. I never give up, and I encourage students to do their best. I use a visual, hands-on style of teaching combined with a detailed knowledge and enthusiasm for the subjects. I make class an interesting place.”
She encourages teachers to become lifelong learners and attend workshops whenever possible to grow in the profession.
“It’s important to surround yourself with positive thinking,” she adds. “Teaching can be tough and frustrating at times, which makes it extra rewarding when you figure out how to be successful.”
This math teacher has been credited with creating a “math turnaround” at Grant High School, an inner-city campus in Sacramento, by dramatically increasing student achievement. He is a member of the Twin Rivers United Educators Association.
“You should try to build a class culture where students feel it is cool to succeed,” he says. “It’s also important to create a school culture that celebrates success for students and teachers.”