Teachers Change Lives

It is not an exaggeration to say that a great teacher can change a student’s life. There
are an endless amount of great teacher stories that attest to the benefits of a strong
relationship between an educator and pupil.

As some of the most influential role models for developing students, teachers are

responsible for more than just academic enrichment. If you want to be a great educator,
you must connect with your pupils and reach them on multiple levels, because the best
teachers are committed to their students’ well-being both inside and outside the
classroom. By forging strong relationships, educators are able to affect virtually every
aspect of their students’ lives, teaching them the important life lessons that will help
them succeed beyond term papers and standardized tests.

It is not always easy to change a student’s life, which is why it takes a great teacher to
do so. Some just need an extra push like the student whose math grade is just a few
points shy from the A that will give them a 4.0 GPA; others may be going through
something troubling in their personal lives and need someone to talk to. Whatever the
student needs to help them excel, a life-changing teacher will be there for them.
While you will spend your entire career learning the different ways you can change your
students’ lives, here are three aspects that are directly affected by great teachers:

1. Education
A great teacher makes learning fun, as stimulating, engaging lessons are pivotal to a
student’s academic success. Some students who are more prone to misbehavior,
truancy or disengagement are more dependent on an engaging teacher. Making your
classroom an exciting environment for learning will hold the students’ fascination, and
students learn best when they are both challenged and interested. It’s part of motivating
students, which may not be easy, but which can benefit students immeasurably in the
long run.

2. Inspiration
Have you ever had a teacher who inspired you to work harder or pursue a particular
goal? Were you inspired to become an educator by one of your own great teachers?

Inspiring students is integral to ensuring their success and encouraging them to fulfil
their potential. Students who are inspired by their teachers can accomplish amazing
things, and that motivation almost always stays with them. Inspiration can also take
many forms, from helping a pupil through the academic year and their short-term goals,
to guiding them towards their future career. Years after graduation, many working
professionals will still cite a particular teacher as the one who fostered their love of what
they currently do and attribute their accomplishments to that educator.

3. Guidance
Teachers can also be a trusted source of advice for students weighing important life
decisions. Educators can help their pupils pursue higher education, explore career
opportunities and compete in events they might otherwise have not thought themselves
able to. Students often look to their teachers as mentors with experience and
knowledge, and, as an educator, you will almost definitely be asked for advice at some
point during your career.

Did you know that one in four students drops out of school or that every nine seconds,
another student drops out? Dropping out is a decision that students won’t likely come to
you about, but an adept teacher can notice the indications that a student is struggling
and intervene before it’s too late. Aside from educating them on the hard facts about
dropping out, teachers can also help assess the problem and figure out an alternative.
In such situations, teachers undoubtedly have the ability to change the lives of students.
Motivating Students

One of the most difficult aspects of becoming a teacher is learning how to motivate your
students. It is also one of the most important. Students who are not motivated will not
learn effectively. They won’t retain information, they won’t participate and some of them
may even become disruptive. A student may be unmotivated for a variety of reasons:
They may feel that they have no interest in the subject, find the teacher’s methods un-
engaging or be distracted by external forces. It may even come to light that a student
who appeared unmotivated actually has difficulty learning and is need of special
attention.

Interested in developing your skills as a teacher? Explore online education short

courses designed to give you an in-depth understanding of various skills in teaching.

While motivating students can be a difficult task, the rewards are more than worth it.
Motivated students are more excited to learn and participate. Simply put: Teaching a
class full of motivated students is enjoyable for teacher and student alike. Some
students are self-motivated, with a natural love of learning. But even with the students
who do not have this natural drive, a great teacher can make learning fun and inspire
them to reach their full potential.

Here are five effective ways to get your students excited about learning:

1. Encourage Students
Students look to teachers for approval and positive reinforcement, and are more likely to
be enthusiastic about learning if they feel their work is recognized and valued. You
should encourage open communication and free thinking with your students to make
them feel important. Be enthusiastic. Praise your students often. Recognize them for
their contributions. If your classroom is a friendly place where students feel heard and
respected, they will be more eager to learn. A “good job” or “nice work” can go a long
way.

2. Get Them Involved

One way to encourage students and teach them responsibility is to get them involved in
the classroom. Make participating fun by giving each student a job to do. Give students
the responsibility of tidying up or decorating the classroom. Assign a student to erase
the blackboard or pass out materials. If you are going over a reading in class, ask
students to take turns reading sections out loud. Make students work in groups and
assign each a task or role. Giving students a sense of ownership allows them to feel
accomplished and encourages active participation in class.

3. Offer Incentives
Setting expectations and making reasonable demands encourages students to
participate, but sometimes students need an extra push in the right direction. Offering
students small incentives makes learning fun and motivates students to push
themselves. Incentives can range from small to large giving a special privilege to an
exemplary student, to a class pizza party if the average test score rises. Rewards give
students a sense of accomplishment and encourage them to work with a goal in mind.

4. Get Creative
Avoid monotony by changing around the structure of your class. Teach through games
and discussions instead of lectures, encourage students to debate and enrich the
subject matter with visual aids, like colorful charts, diagrams and videos. You can even
show a movie that effectively illustrates a topic or theme. Your physical classroom
should never be boring: use posters, models, student projects and seasonal themes to
decorate your classroom, and create a warm, stimulating environment.

5. Draw Connections to Real Life

“When will I ever need this?” This question, too often heard in the classroom, indicates
that a student is not engaged. If a student does not believe that what they’re learning is
important, they won’t want to learn, so it’s important to demonstrate how the subject
relates to them. If you’re teaching algebra, take some time to research how it is utilized
practically for example, in engineering and share your findings with your students.
Really amaze them by telling them that they may use it in their career. Showing them
that a subject is used everyday by “real” people gives it new importance. They may
never be excited about algebra but if they see how it applies to them, they may be
motivated to learn attentively.

Teachers Care
“When I was in second grade I had a kidney disease, and she came to my home every
day and home schooled me.” — Eleanor Powers  External link 

You may decide to become a teacher because you care about education and the
students you’ll be working with. You know the lasting impact a great teacher can have
on a student perhaps having even experienced it yourself and you want to make a
positive impact on someone else. You want to be a role model. To commit yourself to
teaching means you care about education, but once you actually become a teacher,
that vague concept becomes more defined: It becomes real, specific and tangible. Once
you become a teacher, you care, not just about education, but about your students’
education.

Great teachers care about their students. They want them to succeed and are
committed to helping them achieve their goals. Moreover, teachers care about their
students’ happiness, well-being and life beyond the classroom.

“She was clearly interested in every child. She visited our homes, met our parents,
and assisted us in our homework and studies.”- Daniel K  Inouye  External link 
Investing yourself in your students creates a positive atmosphere in the classroom that
enhances your relationship with students and makes them feel important. A student is
far more responsive to a teacher who cares, and is therefore more likely to learn and
engage. Connecting with your students establishes trust, which is important to the
students’ learning because it makes them comfortable enough to participate, ask for
help when needed, and pay closer attention to advice and encouragement. Also,
students feel better about themselves if they feel that a teacher has taken a genuine
interest in them; they are motivated, and stronger self-assurance can make it easier for
the student to challenge themselves academically. Especially with younger students,
away from their parents and overwhelmed by the commotion of the classroom, a caring
teacher is comforting and helps make the transition easier.

“Every student would get a birthday card for their birthday...that small gesture meant
so much to us.” — Valerie Penales  External link 

A great teacher does not make it a secret that they care. Go the extra mile. Motivating
students by encouraging them, rewarding them and getting them involved shows your
students that their teacher is vested in their education. Do the best job you can to teach
your students and they will notice. Meet with parents during conferences and school
functions. Send notes home about student performance. Ask about how things are
outside the classroom. Commemorate their birthdays in a small, special way. Make a
student feel as if their life and not just their homework, grades and attendance is of
interest to you.

“They [teachers] make you feel that you were so important in their lives it makes
everything worthwhile.” — Mr. Jacobowitz  External link 

In the New York Times article, “On Facebook, Telling Teachers How Much They
Mean,” External link  Jaqueline Ancess, a researcher at Columbia University’s Teachers
College, says “the most powerful factor in transforming students is a relationship with a
caring teacher who a kid feels particularly connected to.” It is the teachers who make
such an impact that students seek out many years later, and reconnecting with your
students can be a highly rewarding experience. Not only does it give you the chance to
see where your students ended up, it also gives you the chance to hear their gratitude
and to truly know the kind of impact you had on them.

Whether it’s via Facebook, emails or phone calls, students are looking to reconnect with
the teachers who show that they care, because it’s these teachers who are likely to
make the longest lasting impression and have the most positive impact on their
students.
Grants for Teachers

Great teachers are always looking for new ways to expand their instruction and engage
their students. Innovative teaching is important--but it can be expensive.

Luckily, there are a wide variety of sources available for funding educational initiatives.
Grants, fellowships and scholarships are available for teachers who want to help their
students.

These funds come from all sorts of sources, from the federal government to private
companies and charities, and they focus on a wide range of topics. Teaching grants can
fund professional development, classroom enrichment, school supplies, field trips and
almost anything else that goes into bettering the quality of education.

Interested in developing your skills as a teacher? Explore online education short

courses designed to give you an in-depth understanding of various skills in teaching.

If you are still in the process of figuring out the funding for your initial teaching degree or
even your doctorate in education, be sure to check out our resource guide to financing
your education.

There are literally thousands of education grants for teachers. The following 20 grants
are only a small sample of the options available to you:

 Professional Development Grants for Teachers

 Funds for Classroom Enrichment/Student Achievement

  STEM Grants

 Humanities Grants

Teacher Appreciation

For most teachers, the greatest reward for their job is seeing students thrive and
succeed. They just want to know that they’ve helped. Thus, one of the most important
things students can do for their teachers is say thank you. Our teacher profiles feature
stories of students who return to visit their teachers many years later, and for these
teachers, knowing where their students end up instills in them a sense of
accomplishment.

Ways to Thank a Teacher

There are many ways to thank a teacher: a note, a card, a kind word. There are also
ways to share your gratitude in the hopes that others will recognize your teacher’s
impact and maybe honor their own teacher. Our partner, USC’s online Master of Arts in
Teaching, the MAT@USC External link , has its weekly “Thank a Teacher Thursday”
blog post. The website My Teacher, My Hero External link  allows people to record and
upload videos in which they speak about their favorite teachers. People like Sean
Paul External link , Kathie Lee Gifford External link  and Star Jones External link  have
already thanked their teachers have you?

Teacher Appreciation Celebrations

On a nation-wide level, the importance of teacher recognition is also acknowledged and
encouraged. On the first Tuesday of the first full week of May, thousands of
communities across the country gather to celebrate National Teacher’s Day External
link , to focus on the invaluable contributions of educators. The week encapsulating
National Teacher’s Day is also considered Teacher Appreciation Week, and many
school districts sponsor events, including special lunches or awards ceremonies, to
mark the occasion. National Teacher’s Day and Teacher Appreciation Week are
opportunities for school administrators to thank the educators who work so hard to
make schools a better place. But also, it is a chance for students, parents and
communities to give back. It is not uncommon for students and parents to present
teachers with gifts of appreciation or for classrooms to come together in little
celebrations to honor their teachers during this time of year. National Teacher’s Day
was instituted by the National Education Association External link , which
provides resources for planning your own teacher appreciation events External link .

Companies Honoring Teachers

Companies and organizations with vested interests in education also play a part in
thanking teachers. Office Depot, for instance, has instituted the Star Teacher
Program External link , which provides educators with everyday discounts, a Teacher
Appreciation Breakfast and other events. Every year for Teacher Appreciation Day,
Staples has in-store events that recognize educators and offers them special benefits.
Target, Big Lots, Walmart and Office Max have similar initiatives.

Teacher Appreciation Awards

You can also nominate a teacher for an award to show your appreciation. There are
many awards associations that are very stringent with regards to who’s allowed to
nominate a teacher, but others, such as the National Teacher’s Hall of Fame External
link , allow students, parents, community members and fellow teachers to nominate
candidates. Other teaching awards include:

 Thomas Gale TEAMS Award

 National Association of Special Education Teachers Award External link 
 The Great American Teacher Awards External link 
 PBS Teacher Innovation Awards External link 
 Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards External link 

Remember: Appreciating your teacher shouldn’t be limited to a single day or special

event. Teachers change lives every day, and it’s important to ensure they know they are
appreciated. These awards and events are special ways to do a little something extra to
show your gratitude, but what’s important is simply saying thank you.

Read More:

 The Demand for Teachers

 Meet Great Teachers

Teachers Are Role Models

A role model is a person who inspires and encourages us to strive for greatness, live to
our fullest potential and see the best in ourselves. A role model is someone we admire
and someone we aspire to be like. We learn through them, through their commitment to
excellence and through their ability to make us realize our own personal growth. We
look to them for advice and guidance.

A role model can be anybody: a parent, a sibling, a friend but some of our most
influential and life-changing role models are teachers.

My Teacher, My Hero
When you think of the type of teacher you'd like to be, who comes to mind? The math
teacher that helped you conquer fractions? The English teacher who wrote great
comments on your stories? The teacher that helped you discover a new sport, hobby,
talent--or maybe even nudged you down your current career path?

Interested in developing your skills as a teacher? Explore online education short

courses designed to give you an in-depth understanding of various skills in teaching.

Those are the teachers we're celebrating through our YouTube channel, My Teacher,
My Hero External link . Together, we're paying homage to the teachers that have
played such an integral part in shaping our lives, and to their importance in shaping the
next generation of educators.

“When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” — Marlene Canter, My Teacher
My Hero

Teachers follow students through each pivotal stage of development. At six to eight
hours a day, five days a week, you as a teacher are poised to become one of the most
influential people in your students’ life. After their parents, children will first learn from
you, their elementary school teacher. Then, as a middle school teacher, you will guide
students through yet another important transition: adolescence. As children become
young adults, learning throughout middle school and into high school, you will answer
their questions, listen to their problems and teach them about this new phase of their
lives. You not only watch your students grow you help them grow.

“We think of teacher-heroes that taught us the academics but we don’t often
think of those teachers that taught us life’s lessons.” — Maria Wale, My Teacher
My Hero External link 
Much of what students learn from their greatest teachers is not detailed on a syllabus.
Teachers who help us grow as people are responsible for imparting some of life’s most
important lessons. During their initial school years, students encounter, perhaps for the
first time, other children of the same age and begin to form some of their first
friendships. As a teacher, you will show your students how to become independent and
form their own relationships, you will carefully guide them and intervene when
necessary. School is as much a place of social learning as academic learning, and this
is true, not only in our early years of education, but all the way through college. Armed
with a supportive and well-educated administration, there is no limit to the influence a
teacher can have on one, or many, students' lives. Though a teacher’s influence on the
social sphere of school lessens as students mature, those early lessons still have an
effect on how they will interact with others in the future.

Teachers are founts of experience. They have already been where their students are
going, undergone what they will go through and are in a position to pass along lessons,
not only regarding subject matter, but lessons on life.

Meet Great Teachers

Teach.com has been speaking with award-winning teachers from across the country to
hear their stories and, hopefully, find out a bit about what it is exactly that makes them
great. If you are currently a teacher or thinking about becoming a teacher, take a look at
some of the Teacher Profiles below to learn a bit more about what can make a teacher
great.

 Valerie Kibler, High School English and Journalism

 Lynne Kesselman, High School Computer Technology
 Dr. David Lazerson, "Dr. Laz", Special Education
 Dr. Penny Ferguson, 11th grade English
 Lisa Wells, Early Childhood Education
 Genein Letford, Elementary School Music
 Debra Rose Howell, 4th, 5th and 6th grade -- Multiage Education
 Susan Evans, Kindergarten

Feeling inspired? Take these next steps:

 Click over to our YouTube Channel to watch the rest of our My Teacher My
Hero External link  series.
 Then, upload your own video with the tag "MyTeacherMyHero" to share your
story.

Have a teacher you'd like to talk about? Submit a video!

Here's how: Take a video of yourself discussing your favorite teacher. You can use the
below prompts to get your wheels turning.
1. Choose an example of how your teacher changed your way of thinking or
acting.

Did your teacher encourage you to take risks? To overcome self-defeating thoughts or
behavior? Did he or she help you speak up more in class, or have more patience with
solving problems?

2. Tell us how these changes have influenced your life's direction.

Did they help you uncover a unique talent, or steer you away from a dangerous life
path? How did this change your eventual direction in life?

3. Share an interesting story.

Sometimes actions speak louder than words. And your story doesn't have to be serious!
A teacher's impact often shines through the most.

And of course, remember to say thank you! Watch the rest of the My Teacher, My Hero
series on YouTube External link .

FEATURED ONLINE DEGREES AND SHORT COURSES

Teachers Know

Teaching at its most literal level educating, imparting knowledge is the most
fundamental part of a teacher’s job. It is more obvious than (though just as important as)
inspiring, motivating and forming relationships.
But just like many other elements of the job, the act of teaching is personal. No two
teachers are the same. The way you teach is unique to you and by teaching you bring
yourself to the classroom: your personality, your experiences and your ambitions. Your
pedagogy your teaching style is shaped by these characteristics, influenced by your
own education, and becomes the guide you use to teach your students.

But learning is a cooperative effort, requiring engagement on the parts of both students
and teachers. Each student also has their own learning style: They learn at their own
pace and in their own ways. While it is important to establish your teaching style, you
should also be flexible enough to take the learning styles of your students into account.
You can be guided by a general pedagogy while also being considerate of your
students varying needs. Great teachers find balance between a curriculum-centered
and a student-centered approach.

So, what kind of teacher are you? Learn more:

 Teaching Methods
 Testing Effect
 Teach100

 Learning Styles
 School Media

 Debra Rose Howell

 “That’s part of the beauty of teaching in one district: they know me and they
come back to visit a lot. I try to teach them how to be their own best teacher.
Hopefully that will transfer into their daily lives. I have a minister’s license
and I can legally marry people, and I’ve had students come back to ask me to
officiate their weddings. Now that is a really amazing experience!”


 Debra Rose Howell has been teaching for 27 years in the Granite Falls School
District of Washington State. She teaches fourth, fifth, and sixth graders in the
same classroom through an innovative teaching method called Multiage
Education, that allows her to integrate different grade levels and follow students
through multiple years of academic development. She team teaches with her
younger brother Mike Schireman. In 2011, Debra Howell External link became
the third teacher from Washington State to be inducted into the National
Teachers Hall of Fame External link . She has also taught middle school, high
school driver’s ed, and coached. She became a National Board Certified Teacher
in 2000, and renewed in 2009. She also facilitates NBCT groups through local
state universities.

 On Becoming a Teacher
 “I think I was actually born to become a teacher. I’m the oldest of four kids, and I
used to pretend to be the teacher. I’d have all our dolls and my brothers and
sisters lined up around me like they were my students.”
 Teaching certainly ran in Debra’s family. She has eight relatives who are
teachers, including her aunt. When Debra was in high school, she invited her to
observe her teach a first grade class. “Just observing her and watching the kids
felt like this was the place for me, and that's when I decided to become a
teacher.” Debra went to school at Western Washington University in Bellingham,
and the education classes she took there reinforced her belief that she belonged
in a classroom. “I think every experience along the way was really positive for
me.” Debra’s daughter also wants to become a teacher, and is entering her
second year in the teaching program at Western Washington University.
 “One of the drawbacks, and I shared this with my daughter, is the first year in
college, when you’re not really taking actual teacher prep classes. You lose a lot
of people because the first year in college is not exactly what they think it's going
to be. Schools should let students dabble more in teacher prep classes from the
 very beginning. My daughter has become very frustrated having to take the
general classes, and I keep telling her to stick it out because it’s definitely worth
it.”

 On Teaching
 As both a teacher and living in the same community, Debra is involved in her
students’ lives in more ways than one. Her commitment to students doesn’t stop
in the classroom--rather, it carries over into students’ extracurricular activities and
into the community as well, and this helps her create stronger and deeper
connections to her students. “I think the whole idea of kids seeing the teachers
doing things outside of the regular school day like coaching or doing things in the
community is really important.”
 “I think the whole idea of kids seeing the teachers doing things outside of the
regular school day like coaching or doing things in the community is really
important.”


 Debra’s community is relatively small. She lives and teaches in a small town, and
this makes interacting with students outside the classroom not only easier, but
also inevitable. However, she uses this to her advantage to build relationships
with students and foster a sense of familiarity and comfort between them. She
also uses her position as a role model to influence the behavior of students in
their community as well.
 “It’s very critical in the small community I live in. The kids need to see that you're
actually walking the walk: when you talk about good behavior and responsibility,
then they need to see how you conduct yourself in the community, and the role
that the school has in the community as a whole. Teachers in a small community
really get an opportunity to solidify themselves as a role model. We talk about all
these things and give these great examples, and I think when the kids actually
see you're doing those things in the community they really take you seriously and
have a much deeper respect for you as well.”
 Debra is an especially interesting teacher in that she teaches students over a
series of years as opposed to one year, which helps her build strong and lasting
relationships with the people she encounters. “I taught middle school, and then I
taught fourth grade for a while. Then I started our Intermediate Multiage Program
21 years ago. I teach fourth, fifth, and sixth grade multiage right now, and I have
nine new students that join us as 4th graders each year. My team teacher, my
brother, also teaches the same age span. He too gets 9 new fourth graders while
the others roll up a grade level. Together we teach our curriculum in unique
ways.
 “If I only had kids for one year I would feel like a failure because there’s so
much to do, and it takes so long to get to really know the kids and understand
their strengths and weaknesses.”


 If I only had kids for one year I would feel like a failure because there's so much
to do, and it takes so long to get to really know the kids and understand their
strengths and weaknesses. By the time I got to know them, I’d lose them if I only
had them for one year. Now, however, I have them for three full years, and when
they come back as a fifth grader or sixth grader I know exactly where they're at.”
 In Washington, according to Debra, some schools have been approaching
teaching like this for over 30 years, integrating students at different grade levels
to facilitate better social skills and build longer lasting connections between
teachers and students. “There are a lot of people that just don't get it. They think
it’s a split class, and it's not that at all. You don't have one grade level on one
side of the room and another grade level on the other. We've been really
fortunate to have always had superintendents and principals that have really
supported this method of teaching.”

 On Technology in the Classroom

 Debra is a strong proponent of incorporating the latest developments in
technology into the classroom setting. As technology continues to develop at a
rapid pace, it is important that students remain up to date and literate with
regards to the latest technological advances. Incorporating technology into the
classroom can deepen a child’s educational experience, and prepare them for
the real world.
 “I think [technology] is a real centerpiece to education and people that are not
using it are selling themselves and their students short.” She believes teachers
have a responsibility to be technologically literate, and more skilled with
technology than their students. Technology, she says, is also stimulating to
students. “It excites the kids; they like to see new technology being used.”

 On Impacting Students
 Debra’s small town, close-knit community, and the teaching method that allows
her to instruct students across multiple school years all contribute to deep, well-
rounded relationships she develops with her students. The involvement she has
with them both inside the classroom and in the community, spanning multiple
years allows her to leave long-lasting impressions on the students she influences
and the lives she touches. When reflecting over the many students on whom she
has had an impact, Debra remembers a young man named Bruce:
 “I had him in fourth, fifth and six grade. He really had a lot of struggles with his
academics but his behavior was just way out there. He didn't have a lot of faith in
himself, but he and I hit it off fairly well. We went ‘toe to toe’ numerous times. He
had times when he was physically and verbally destructive and disruptive, but he
knew that I had drawn the line in the sand and that was it.
 “He comes back a lot to check in with me and see how my students and I are
doing.”


 It was like I was able to sort of moderate his behavior. I ended up keeping him for
an additional year. But he ended up graduating from high school, which was
phenomenal because he's the first one in his family. He had a terrible accident on
the job and had to have his leg amputated. I had called the hospital to check on
him, but didn’t get to talk with anyone about how he was doing. Somehow he got
word of this. He stopped here at school on his way home from the hospital just to
check in and tell me he WOULD be walking again. He comes back a lot to check
in with me and see how my students and I are doing.”
 The relationships Debra fosters with her students carry on to become something
much larger than simply that of a student and teacher. “That's part of the beauty
of teaching in one district: they know me and they come back to visit a lot. I try to
teach them how to be their own best teacher. Hopefully that will transfer into their
daily lives. I have a minister’s license and I can legally marry people, and I’ve had
students come back to ask me to officiate their weddings. Now that is a really
amazing experience!”
 Last Updated September 2020

 Dr. Laz
 “I think the basic idea of what I’m trying to do — the whole center of my
approach — is motivation. I try to get my students to go from being passive
observers to active participants. This is the common thread from my classes of
students with special needs straight up to my graduate level classes: They’re
all very motivated and very focused.”


 Dr. David Lazerson, more commonly known to his students as Dr. Laz External
link , is an accomplished teacher and musician who has been innovating in
education for more than 30 years. He holds a Bachelor’s in Divinity, a Master’s in
Learning & Behavioral Disorders and a PhD in Educational Research &
Evaluation. Dr. Laz has worked in public and private education both as a teacher
and as an administrator and has taught young, special needs students all the
way up to graduate level arts and education courses. Dr. Laz uses both assistive
technology and the expressive arts with his students who have profound special
needs and, in 2008, he was one of five teachers to be inducted into the National
Teachers Hall of Fame.
 Dr. Laz has made significant contributions to promoting tolerance and dissolving
racial barriers. Shortly after the Crown Heights race riots in 1991, then Mayor of
New York City David Dinkins appointed him liaison between the Hassidic
community and the African American community in the neighborhood.
Additionally, Dr. Laz is one of the founders of Project CURE, a racial harmony
group that has become a force for positive change regarding racism and
stereotypes. CURE has won the Mother Hale award, the Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. Fulfilling the Dream award, the NY Foundation Peace award and the John
Lindsay award.
 In addition to his political activism, Dr. Laz is an active musician who has toured
the world performing music that advocates peace, social justice and positive
 change. Also, the Showtime original movie Crown Heights (based on Dr. Laz’s
book about the race riots, Sharing Turf) used several original songs by his band,
Dr. Laz & The CURE. Combining his passion for music and education, Dr. Laz
works with children suffering from Down syndrome and autism, using music to
enrich their learning External link . He is currently studying how to use humor and
hands-on music in teaching students with special needs. His innovative approach
has drawn the attention of The New York Times, the Journal of Learning
Disabilities, the Journal of Emotional & Behavioral Disorders, NBC and CNN. Dr.
Lazs' latest project, the H.E.ARTS Project focuses on “Empowering Individuals
with Special Needs Through the Expressive Arts”.

 On Becoming a Teacher
 “I thought that, if you can teach an education evaluation and assessment
course in a way that’s motivational and creative, then there’s no excuse for any
other subject. You can teach any class in a creative way.”


 Like all great educators, Dr. Laz cites the influence of a teacher on his own
decision to work in education. Reflecting on his time earning his Master’s at
Buffalo State College, Dr. Laz recalls the lessons imparted on him by a Dr.
Bernie Yarmac: “I had to take a statistics course in education and psychological
evaluation, and a lot of people are intimidated by that class. But [Dr. Yarmac]
taught the course in such a motivational way. He got me so interested in the
class and so focused that I actually found a mistake in the textbook! We sent it to
the publisher and they acknowledge us in the next edition. In high school, I was
never into math, but he was so creative that I really enjoyed it.”
 It was Dr. Yarmac’s ability to capture the interest of his students in even an
esoteric subject that inspired Dr. Laz to become a teacher. “I thought that, if you
can teach an education evaluation and assessment course in a way that’s
motivational and creative, then there’s no excuse for any other subject. You can
teach any class in a creative way. He was a very big role model for me. I think he
was a real inspirational factor in my own teaching career.”

 On Teaching
 Drawing on Dr. Yarmac’s influence, Dr. Laz sought to bring creativity and
engagement to the classroom. “I think the basic idea of what I'm trying to do the
whole center of my approach is motivation. I try to get my students to go from
being passive observers to active participants. This is the common thread from
my classes of students with special needs straight up to my graduate level
classes: They’re all very motivated and very focused.”
 In more ways than just bringing his music into the classroom, Dr. Laz believes in
mixing things up with students, particularly with those who have special needs. “I
think motivation in the classroom is just something that people respond better to.
Teachers who just talk and write on the board while their kids sit quietly and take
notes aren’t really helping kids with special needs. We end up losing a lot of kids
 that way. On the other hand, I have all these wildly crazy things in my classroom
and at the Quest Center External link  where I work with kids and young adults
who have special needs, and this helps them participate more.”
 “I tell teachers now that you can teach anything with music; it’s an
educational goldmine.”


 On the role of music in the classroom, Dr. Laz remembers the important role that
music played for him growing up, when he learned how to play the drums, and
how he hoped to share that impact with his students. “I’m still using those skills,
and I just felt like they did so much for me. What was also interesting was I
actually started to do better in school once I learned how to play. Through music I
was really able to learn how to focus more and learn better, and I just saw all
these amazing benefits. And of course there's so much math involved with music
that I started to do better with my math.
 “Music also changed my perception of myself it was a great boost for my self-
esteem. So that’s how I decided to use music with my students. I ran an
alternative high school program for six years for students who were really turned
off of learning. They’d had it really rough, and they’d been kicked out of a lot of
different schools. So in my school, music was a big component. They either had
to learn an instrument or how to run the sound system. Some of these skills they
could use once they left my program, and one student actually went on to build
his own studio.”
 “There was this one student back in Buffalo. He was about 12 years old, and he
said to me, ‘I bet I can name all of the elements in the periodic table." Of course, I
said, ‘No way,’ and he asked how much I wanted to bet. I said to him, ‘I'll feel bad
taking your money, so I'm going to bet you only $20 but if you were rich, I'd bet
$50,000.’ Well, it's a good thing I didn't bet $50,000 because he named every
element in the periodic table. There was this song by Tom Lehrer External
link  who was a math teacher and an awesome musician back in the ‘60s at
Harvard. He came up with a song that went through the periodic table, and this
kid memorized it! It’s just mind boggling. That’s why I tell teachers now that you
can teach anything with music; it’s an educational goldmine.”

 Dr. Penny Ferguson

 “I care about my students, believe in their potential, and try to give them
opportunities to develop the skills that could affect them for the rest of their
lives. You can't always have that effect on every student that you teach, but
when you start getting notes, letters, phone calls, and emails out of the blue
from students that you did not even realize you had inspired, then these are
magical moments in your life as a teacher, especially when they are saying,
‘You helped me. I never would have made it without you.’”


 Penny Ferguson teaches 11th grade English at Maryville High School in

Maryville, Tennessee, where she has been since 1970. Since 1991, she has also
taught prospective educators as part of a teacher education program at Maryville
College. In all, Dr. Ferguson has taught for 41 years, and has received numerous
awards and recognitions for her devoted service to education.
 Among Dr. Ferguson’s most distinguished accolades are the 2008 National
Teachers Hall of Fame, 2007 Tennessee Education Association Teacher of
Excellence, the 2003 Disney American Teacher Award, the 2003 National
Education Association Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence, and the 2002
Chevy Malibu / TIME Teaching Excellence Award. In 2006 she was also
recognized as a National Facilitator by the National School Reform Faculty, and
in 2003, she received an honorable mention by USA Today’s All-American
Teacher Team.

 On Becoming a Teacher
 Penny Ferguson doesn’t remember a time in her life when she didn’t want to be a
teacher. “I think it was more organic. I always wanted to be a teacher. I was the
student who was always helping other people with their homework. Even in
elementary school, students would come to me and ask if I could explain things
to them. In the sixth grade we had a musical at school, and I was even cast in the
role of the teacher. So it was just something that I always wanted to be. I never
considered any other occupation.”
 Dr. Ferguson completed her undergraduate education at Maryville College,
where she has worked extensively throughout her teaching career. She received
a liberal arts degree in English with Secondary Teaching Licensure, and she
completed her degree in three years by attending summer classes. Having
known all along that she wanted to become a teacher, she started teaching
immediately. Many consider it strange that she has spent her career teaching at
her alma mater, but to her it feels like home.
 Penny pursued her education to the fullest extent straight from her
undergraduate career. Without ever taking time off, she completed a Master of
Arts degree in English, an Education Specialist (Ed.S) degree, and a Doctorate
of Education (Ed.D). She attributes the strong liberal arts education at Maryville
College with helping her to be a better teacher,and her advanced degrees have
also been hugely important. “I think in some ways it showed that I was a lifelong
learner. It opened a lot of gates and other opportunities for me, and it made me a
role model for the students that I teach. It showed them that you can set goals
and achieve them. It also opened doors to other professional opportunities, such
as serving on a Language Arts Advisory Board for the State Department of
Education and serving in various leadership positions in my state and national
English teacher associations.”

 On Teaching
 Dr. Ferguson is a staunch believer that we are all lifelong learners. She wishes to
emulate Michelangelo, who at age 87 said, “Ancora Imparo” (I am still learning).
That is why she has pursued her education so relentlessly, and even after 41
years of teaching, she says that she continues to stretch her mind and to pursue
new teaching strategies to use in the classroom. This emphasis on lifelong
learning is something she tries to instill in her students.
 Lifelong learning is part of what inspired her to instruct future educators in
Maryville College’s Teacher Education Program. Specifically, she works with
those who want to become English teachers, preparing them for student
teaching.
 In her high school classes, Dr. Ferguson maintains an active and engaged
approach to keep her students interested in learning. She has collaborated with
her colleague in the history department for the past 16 years, and they
coordinate their curriculum and combine their two classes occasionally for
projects or lessons. “For example, we bring our classes together to create an
1850 Presidential Press Conference in which students campaign for two
American writers, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, for the
offices of President and Vice President. The time period comes to life as the
students research, write speeches, pose as advisors and members of the press,
and finally re-enact an actual press conference open to the public in the school
lecture hall.”

 On Technology in the Classroom

  “I believe you have to incorporate technology into the classroom today, or you
will lose your students.”


 Dr. Ferguson has been the Chair of the English Department at her school for 35
years, and she actively utilizes technology in her own teaching. “I have always
been a firm believer in technology, and even though I'm one of the senior
members of the staff, I'm probably more up to date on technology than many
teachers in the school. In the American Studies classroom, our students are
constantly at work on projects and presentations that involve technology. Right
now they’re working on creating film trailers and virtual museums about different
time periods in U.S. History and about classic novels that we have read in class.
The students also blog and have forum discussions on the school website.”
 “I believe you have to incorporate technology into the classroom today, or you
will lose your students. The learning styles for today’s students are different.
They are fascinated by technology, and they immerse themselves in it. If you
want to rope them in, you're going to have to figure out a way to use technology.”

 On Impacting Students
 Having been a career teacher in one school and in one community, Dr. Ferguson
has touched the lives of countless students over the years. “One of my recent
students aspired to be a writer, and I encouraged her efforts, nominated her for a
national award, and then kept up with her throughout college where she majored
in English. I just attended her wedding, and now she and her husband are
teaching English in China. I have been keeping up with her teaching efforts on
her blog. To have been an inspiration for her has touched my heart. Such
instances make teaching worthwhile.”
 “I care about my students, believe in their potential, and try to give them
opportunities to develop the skills that could affect them for the rest of their lives.
You can't always have that effect on every student that you teach, but when you
start getting notes, letters, phone calls, and emails out of the blue from students
that you did not even realize you had inspired, then these are magical moments
in your life as a teacher, especially when they are saying, ‘You helped me. I
never would have made it without you.’”

Genein Letford
“They know I’m their teacher for life. They know they can always come back to me if
they just need someone who they know is on their side.”
Genein Letford is the music director of an elementary school in Canoga Park, California. She is noted for
her innovative teaching style that incorporates math, science, language arts, and social studies into a
music curriculum. She is an avid proponent of the arts and preserving the quality of education in the
arts. Genein began the Music For All: Instrument Scholarship Fund in 2009 to provide instruments for
low-income students to continue their music education. She won the 2010 Great American Teacher
Award, as well as the National Sontag Prize in Urban Education.
 

On Becoming a Teacher
One of Genein’s first great influences was her own mother, Gwen Jefferson, who worked at a non-profit
organization called the PAL Center External link , where she taught students who had dropped out of
school or faced other difficulties associated with living in a low-income area. “Many families have an
educator, or a doctor, or a lawyer that’s the person you go to with questions. My mom was that person
in our family, and it was watching her do the things she did and working at Sunday School and with kids
throughout my primary and high school education that made me feel like this was something I was
meant to do.” Genein got her bachelor’s in Psychology from UCLA, though she minored in Education,
with a focus in Diversifying in the Liberal Arts. The program was designed to give teachers a solid
foundation in education and then expose them to different areas to help them decide what they wanted
to do. She then went on to receive her teaching certification through a year long program called
Teachers for a New Era, which allowed her more hands-on experience with teaching than a traditional
teaching program would have provided. She recently completed her master’s thesis at California State
University, Northridge. In her third year of teaching in Canoga Park, the principal of her school asked her
to become the music program’s director.

 
On Teaching
Genein takes a very unique and innovative approach to teaching music that seeks to integrate it into
every aspect of her students’ education. In her music lessons, she’s been able to incorporate elements
of history, language arts, social studies, and even math to keep music interesting for the students and to
connect it to multiple aspects of their lives. “When you think about music you think about different ways
to describe it through writing. My kids are always working on their writing skills. I make connections
between mathematics and music as well. It’s not a hard connection, but I just try to be creative and
make it a fun way for the kids to interact with fractions and half notes and quarter notes.”

“I make connections between mathematics and music as well. It’s not a hard
connection, but I just try to be creative and make it a fun way for the kids to interact
with fractions and half notes and quarter notes.”

When approaching this integrated education, Genein quotes Ernest Boyer by saying, “‘The quality of
civilization can be measured through its music, its bands, its visual arts and drama, architecture and
literature...’ So how can I teach social studies and different cultures without bringing in their art? It’d be
a disservice to that culture. Being aware that those connections exist and that I have the right to bring
them in the classroom was just one main thing that I wanted to do for my kids.” Before teaching music,
Genein taught general education and English as a Second Language (ESL) to third graders in low-income
areas, and she also used these experiences to enlighten her teaching philosophy. “My biggest turning
point was when I had a child read a question that she didn’t know the answer to. I pointed to the word
and asked her if she knew what it meant. She told me ‘no’, and I knew there’s no way to know the
answer without knowing that one word. That instance really opened my eyes to the importance of
vocabulary. That’s one of the connections I bring into my music classroom.”
 

On Technology in the Classroom

Genein believes that when it comes to today’s students, “technology is part of their culture” and that it
should be actively incorporated into the classroom to connect the student to the lesson on another
level. She uses Facebook to communicate with former students, and encourages all her students to
always come to her for advice and assistance. “They know I’m their teacher for life. They know they can
always come back to me and they just need someone who they know is on their side.” “As far as
Facebook and Twitter are concerned, there are a few districts that have said no, and there’s a few
districts that haven't even addressed it yet. I believe we should address it. We’re in the age of
communication and information is right at our fingertips.”

 
On Impacting Students
Over the course of her career, Genein has interacted with a wide array of students, many of whom have
been significantly impacted by, not only her innovative method of teaching, but by her compassion and
dedication as well. When thinking back to the students she’s come to know and care about, one little girl
in particular comes to mind: “She was a flute player and she would practice in the morning and after
school. She’d even take home the flute and practice. And then one day her mom came in and she was
angry because the girl would play music until well into the night, even though she went to bed at nine.
The mom would come into her room and see her playing her flute under her sheets with a flashlight at
midnight. I actually found out a week or two later that she was going through some traumatic family
experiences and she played the flute to cope. I helped her by talking to her about how much music has
done for me and how it can help her get through this. It felt good to know that she had such a healthy
outlet at school to cope with that stress. It was good to know that I was a part of that healing process.
She’s back in middle school now, and she’s doing well.”

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 Lisa Wells
 “My passion for teaching includes a commitment to knowing each learner as
an individual and creating a classroom community where the social curriculum
is interwoven with the academic fabric.”


 Lisa Dewey Wells has taught for 12 years in Maryland at St. Anne’s School of
Annapolis External link , and over the course of her career has worked at
independent schools in Massachusetts, New York and Maryland. She has been
an avid practitioner of the Responsive Classroom approach External link  for
nearly 20 years, and is certified as a Teacher Leader through the Northeast
Foundation for Children. Lisa is an active blogger and writes frequently about
educational issues. In addition to maintaining her blog, Wonder of
Children External link , Lisa has contributed to Independent Teacher External
link  ( “Immersing First Graders in Interdisciplinary Learning”) and Stage of
Life External link  (“Raising a Family”).

 On Becoming a Teacher
 Lisa actually wasn’t sure she wanted to become a teacher until she was in her
20’s. Her father was a CPA, but accounting wasn’t for her, so she figured she’d
keep her options open in college. After college, she worked in lobbying in DC, but
quickly learned that lobbying and law were not for her. Later, while working at
Harvard Business School, she took advantage of coursework in education and
developmental psychology, and it was then that she decided she wanted to play
a more active role in the development of children. She went on to earn her
Masters in Early Childhood education from Lesley University, where she worked
as an apprentice teacher 30 hours a week while pursuing her graduate work.
Working with students, as well as learning from veteran teachers who had been
teaching for 10 to 30 years gave her the practical experience she was looking for
and confirmed her desires to become a teacher.

 On Teaching
 “My passion for teaching includes a commitment to knowing each learner as an
individual and creating a classroom community where the social curriculum is
interwoven with the academic fabric.” Lisa’s approach to teaching follows that, to
be a successful teacher, you need to truly be involved in every aspect of the lives
of your students. “And I think really understanding that is important. I mean if you
know what's going on in a kid's life outside of school, that can help you make
sure you can optimize what's going on in school.” Lisa teaches at an independent
school, where class sizes are much smaller, as are the student-to-teacher ratios.
As part of a very small team of faculty educating a very small group of students,
Lisa feels independent schools have an advantage that public schools don’t. “In a
small community you have a chance to build relationships. You don't have a
physical disconnect which can lead to interpersonal disconnect.” Working more
closely with her fellow teachers, and interacting with a more controlled group of
students allows her to form stronger connections with each student, their families
and caregivers.

 “If you know what's going on in a kids life outside of school, that can help you
make sure you can optimize what's going on in school.”


 Lisa is a strong proponent of the Responsive Classroom approach. The

Responsive Classroom is an innovative method of teaching that has been around
for about 25 years and seeks to integrate social learning into an academic
curriculum to cultivate elementary school students’ social skills. “There are lots of
different components. One is the idea of understanding child development and
having a really thorough background -- knowing what a typical five-year-old looks
like and what you can expect them to be able to do. Another is establishing the
rules [which are] taking care of yourself, taking care of others and taking care of
the environment. Keeping the rules simple and broad allows children to really
internalize the specific examples of each rule, which leads to increased self-
control, self-confidence and, eventually, learning.” The Responsive Classroom
seeks to create a safe, joyful, and engaging environment where students
participate fully in the operating of the classroom, giving them a sense of
responsibility, teamwork, and nurturing their social as well as their academic
development.

 On Technology in the Classroom

 Lisa believes in using advances in technology and social networking to enrich her
classroom. Inside the classroom itself, she uses a Smart Board, which she
believes “connects us to the world in ways you can't do without the technology...”
The Smart Board allows her lessons to be more interactive and incorporate more
stimulating multimedia material.
 As an active blogger, Lisa also subscribes to many other teacher’s blogs, many
of which she says are amazing tools for sharing knowledge and gaining insightful
perspectives from other teachers around the world. It is the connections teachers
form with other teachers and the knowledge they all share the Lisa believes is
highly beneficial to them all. For example, she sometimes teaches a kindergarten
science lecture even though she is not a scientist. She is able to teach the class
by reading the blog of another science teacher. “It's really a bit more middle
school and high school [oriented] but it's all inquiry based stuff he tied to national
standards.”

 On Impacting Students
 When thinking back over the years to the many students whom Lisa has
impacted, one little girl comes to mind. “She was a very scared, shy three year
old in a Pre-K class I taught: an African American extricate adopted by two white
lesbian women into a nontraditional family at a time when that was really
unusual, even in a fairly progressive city.” This little girl had a lot of trouble
adjusting to life in Preschool, but Lisa was determined to help her become
comfortable with her surroundings. “She was quiet, reserved, scared. We were
together for three years and in that time, I watched her slowly relax, learn coping
strategies and engage in learning and with her peers. She’s now in her junior
year in high school, the same school that I had her at, and she's one of the New
York State Track Champions. An incredibly good athlete.”

 Lynne Kesselman
 “What determines a great teacher is so subjective, because you need to look
at the needs of the students. A great teacher must respond to their student
based on that student’s needs.”


 Lynne Kesselman is the winner of the 2008 American Star of Teaching

Award External link , a prestigious accolade awarded to just one teacher from
each state per year. She teaches in the Egg Harbor Township School District
high school in New Jersey, where she has been teaching for eleven years. She
teaches Computer Technology courses, multiple levels of Web Design classes,
other business-related courses, and conducts seminars and lessons in web
technology for her fellow faculty.

 On Becoming a Teacher
 Lynne Kesselman became a teacher through alternative route certification after
18 years in the investment industry. Her degree from Stockton College was in
business, but she didn’t let that stop her from becoming certified as a teacher
when she realized that was what she wanted to do. Many teachers nowadays are
becoming certified through alternative means, and Lynne’s journey represents
that of countless individuals who change careers at some point in their lives
because of an unshakable inspiration to teach.

 After stepping back from the investment arena, Lynne decided to take an active
role in her children’s education. Having always had a passion for education,
Lynne decided to become a substitute teacher. She substituted for about a year
in different schools, becoming exposed to a wide array of students until she
decided teaching was what she wanted to do.

 “I decided I’d go through the alternate route. I have a degree in business, so I

became certified in business-related classes like Business Education and
Marketing. I found that it worked really well for me.”


 Lynne went through the Alternate Route Certification Program to prepare her to
teach full time. “We were getting a lot of teachers with real world experience--
experts coming in to teach our students. That was almost unheard of at that point
in time, and that’s when I decided I’d go through the alternate route. I have a
degree in business, so I became certified in business-related classes like
Business Education and Marketing. I found that it worked really well for me. Our
school district has been very supportive of alternatively certified teachers, and
they’ve hired quite a few.”

 After that, she took about a year off from taking classes, but found that she
missed it. So, Lynne then began graduate work and completed a Master of Arts
in Instructional Technology in May 2005 from The Richard Stockton College of
New Jersey. "I found it to be an invaluable experience and through my graduate
work, I was immediately gaining enhanced teaching techniques, great
technological skills, insight from instructors and fellow graduate students, and
developing exciting curricular projects. This experience not only benefited me,
but also my students, departmental colleagues, and through curriculum
committees and professional development sessions, eventually impacted faculty
members throughout the school district and beyond. Even though getting the
MAIT was a lot of hard work, I really enjoyed the courses."

 On Teaching
 “What determines a great teacher is so subjective, because you need to look at
the needs of the students. A great teacher must respond to their student based
on that student’s needs.” Lynne’s philosophy of teaching is one of communication
and interaction, of working with them for their education. Teachers who follow
students beyond the classroom are the ones who have the most impact on their
students. “In my opinion it’s always about the students. It’s never really about the
teacher, it’s about what the teacher can get out of the students.”

 “In my opinion it’s always about the students. It’s never really about the
teacher, it’s about what the teacher can get out of the students.”


 Lynne’s students work very actively with each other to practice different concepts
of web design and editing, and the lines of communication between her and the
students are always open. She encourages her students to take responsibility for
their grades and actions. “A student who’s not passing my class has never said
it's because you didn't teach me what I needed, they will always say, ‘I know I'm
 not passing the class. I just didn't work hard enough.’ As long as you don't feel
like a failure that a student didn't pass, you end up feeling like it’s a success
because they've been able to learn to look at what they didn't do right.”
Fortunately, most of those students are eventually seen back in the computer lab
on their own time, working really hard to get the job done.

 On Technology in the Classroom

 Teaching technology-based courses changes the dynamics of technology in the
classroom. Whereas some teachers shy away from the Internet, Lynne cannot
because it is such an important part of what she teaches. In this day and age,
students become so acquainted with technology at such a young age, and while
many people find that to be a distraction, Lynne finds it to be enriching. “The kids
are so much more talented and technologically capable than they ever were
before. They don’t feel that they necessarily need to learn something; they just
have to learn how to find it.”

 When it comes to teaching technology courses, Lynne continues her approach of

interacting with the students in crafting an engaging curriculum. “I take what
they've done in the first class and I look at the things that they find exciting. When
we start out, we have everybody work on the same thing, and then in advanced
classes, we can customize and expand on what we have them do based on what
they respond to. I have to keep my skills up-to-date through my various
professional development courses so I can keep up with the students and
continue to update my curriculum.”

 When Lynne receives new technology she has her students learn how to use it
first, and then she assigns students to teach teachers throughout the school how
to use that same technology. Through this role reversal she is able to increase
her students level of ownership over her course content and ensure her
colleagues are knowledgeable about the newest technology and software.

 On Impacting Students
 “I was in the store the other day and I saw one of my former students who
graduated two or three years ago. He was telling me about how much he loved
my class, and how now he’s at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. I've
gotten letters and e-mails from lots of other students.” Lynne’s active and
communicative approach to teaching has clearly impacted her students, many of
whom take her Web Design class as an elective, and are going into the course
with a passion for or interest in the subject.

 Lynne also works with students on Independent Studies, a relatively new course
option in her department at her school. Students work individually with her while
 they complete an intense project they create for themselves for their senior year.
She’s worked with many students over the last few years on their independent
projects. “All my students who do independent study take their work home with
them and come back with these gorgeous projects. I don’t have to solicit students
to do an independent study any more; they just come to me because they’re
interested.”

 Susan Evans
 “I felt like I was a good teacher when I started, but I feel like I’m even better
now that I’m a mom”


 Susan Evans has been a dedicated and outstanding kindergarten teacher for 22
years at Atlantic Highlands Elementary School External link  in New Jersey.
According to Susan, the two most definitive qualities of a great teacher are
“passion and compassion.”

 “You have to look at your students, whether they're 5 years old or 18 years old,
like they're your own children. Parents are sending their most precious gifts to
you when they send you their kids, and they’re trusting you for seven hours a day
to take care of them as they would. And I take that very seriously.”

 On Becoming a Teacher
 Quite often, the most influential person in a great teacher’s career is a great
teacher. That’s why it’s so important to be a great teacher: because you have the
potential to inspire others to dedicate their lives to education and to be the best
they can be. Susan cites the importance of several great teachers in her decision
to pursue a career in education. “In kindergarten, I had a teacher, Miss
Thompson, and she was just amazing. I still remember to this day that I was sick
one day, and she actually called home to speak to my mom and ask how I was
doing. It was amazing to me that she cared so much about me to call and that
stayed with me since I was five years old. At that young age, I knew I wanted to
do that for children, too.”

 Susan attended Rutger’s University’s Douglas College before it offered a major in

education. She obtained a degree in psychology and minored in education to
become certified as an educator. After graduating, she completed her student
teaching experience in Old Bridge, New Jersey. After a short period of substitute
teaching and working as a teacher’s aide in Red Bank Primary School, she was
hired by Atlantic Highlands Elementary School, where she has been teaching for
22 years. Her ultimate goal is to get her Master’s so she can work at the
university level, supervising and guiding student teachers.

 On Teaching
 One of the most important values to Susan as a teacher is fostering a
community. An enriching learning environment calls for a close-knit group of
teachers who form strong relationships with students and parents. In Susan’s
school, there are 300 students, ranging from pre-school to sixth grade, and she
considers her students and coworkers to be like her family. Another teacher who
started teaching at Atlantic Highlands Elementary at the same time as Susan has
become her best friend. “It’s such a small group that's what makes it so nice for
me. I’m a social person, and I enjoy close relationships with people. The
dynamics are different in a large school system. Here, there’s only 40 of us, so
it's been great to work closely with every teacher in my building. I’ve been very
fortunate to have really good administrators, too. The district is very good at
letting us teach in our own way if it’s working for the students. They give us the
freedom to be professionals who know our business”

 Susan’s degree in psychology has proven incredibly useful to her teaching. She
uses her knowledge of child psychology to help her connect with her students
and foster trusting relationships. “Psychology can come into play when a young
child is sad because they miss their mom or somebody upsets them. You can
calm them down or make them feel good and reassure them that everything will
be okay. There's a lot of ‘mommy’ in it too. I felt like I was a good teacher when I
started, but I feel like I'm even better now that I’m a mom because I see, as a
mom, how I need to handle my kids and what would work best when you're 5.”
 On Technology in the Classroom
 In Susan’s school, technology is integrated into the classroom to provide more
dynamic materials for lessons and to introduce students at an early age to some
of the benefits of educational technologies. “We use technology frequently. Every
classroom in my building has a smart board and the kids love them. I try to
integrate it as much as possible. They also go to the computer lab once a week,
but in my class, I don’t like to have them use the computer too much. I think they
need to interact with each other.” Susan is cautious of relying too heavily on
technology. “It’s not that I don’t like it, I think technology is awesome, but they
use it everywhere these days. I think it is important for them to have hands-on
experiences.”

 On Impacting Students 
 “I feel fortunate to teach in a small town, you get to know everybody, and the kids
stay local they come back to visit! You hope that you're impacting all of them. I
had one student who is a football player for the Indianapolis Colts. I taught him in
kindergarten and second grade, and we still keep in touch. He's become a friend.
It’s really cool because my husband told me that I should mention him [in this
interview], and I said, ‘What impact did I have on him?’ He said, ‘You taught him
to tie his shoes.’ And yes, it’s true, I did teach him to tie his shoes.”

 “I had another student who I taught in my first year of teaching. Both her parents
were deployed in Desert Storm, so she was living with her grandmother and she
had no parents with her. About two years ago I received a letter from her that
thanked me for being both her mom and her dad that year. She said I had a huge
impact on her, and when she went to school that year, she felt like she was going
to see her parents because I took such good care of her. It was the most
beautiful letter, and it just came out of the blue. I had no contact with her in years,
and it was just really sweet.”

 Valerie Kibler
 “To me teaching is really not just about what happens in the classroom. It’s
about developing these personal relationships that last.”

Valerie Kibler has been teaching for 24 years and has been at Harrisonburg High School
in Virginia for 14. She teaches AP English, freshman journalism, advanced journalism,
and Journalism in the Digital age for the online Virtual High School External link . Her
advanced journalism class is responsible for the publication of Newsstreak External link ,
Harrisonburg’s nationally award winning student newspaper. She is also the
2010 National High School Teacher of the Year External link .
  

 On Becoming a Teacher
 During our interview, Valerie spoke of a teacher who had an influence on her, “If I looked
back to a teacher that made a difference, I had an English teacher in high school who
pushed me real hard and I didn’t know she liked me until after I had finished her class.”
After high school, Valerie went to Virginia Tech. Determined to become a teacher, but
still undecided as to which subject, Valerie decided to take math classes.

 “You kind of know you’re doing the right thing when all of a sudden it’s not
work anymore, it’s fun.”

But it wasn’t until meeting with an adviser who was concerned for her grades that Valerie
decided to teach English. “You kind of know you’re doing the right thing when all of a
sudden it’s not work anymore, it’s fun.” In her fifth year of teaching, Valerie accepted a
position in journalism when the principal at her first school asked her to take over the
school newspaper. Valerie began reading books on journalism and attending
conferences until she developed a thorough knowledge of the field. She has been
teaching journalism ever since.
  

 On Teaching
 Valerie maintains an active role in her students’ lives. “I think the role that I've almost
taken has become one similar to a parent.” Valerie spends a lot of time getting to know
her students and their families to maintain a constant connection. “At the beginning of
every year I ask the parents to write me a letter telling me things about their child that I'm
 not going to find out [in class]...parents [of high school students] haven't been contacted
by teachers in a long time so when parents find out that teachers are still interested,
there's a great relationship.” Valerie’s class sends newsletters to parents. She believes a
successful student-teacher relationship involves a good relationship with the parents as
well. Newsstreak External link  is an award winning student publication produced by
Valerie’s very own journalism classes. Valerie’s students are responsible for writing,
editing, and compiling the content (both online and in print) as part of their grade. The
students are in charge of editing content, and their grades are based on participation.
“The editors really call all the shots, but it's on a rotational basis. The kids try to post
something every day.” She usesNewsstreak to introduce social media into the
classroom. “[The students] have a Twitter account and we can source people at events
that we were covering, like a huge football game.” Valerie also teaches classes through
the Virtual High School External link . “High schools can sign up to have one of their
teachers train to teach a course for them. I taught the class [at Harrisonburg] and they
enrolled 25 kids from around the world. I’ve had children who are military based or
overseas. I’ve had them from China, Brazil and Columbia. I had a group of young girls
who were trying to make the Olympic Ice Skating Team. One year I had a group of 13 or
14 inner city kids from Cincinnati where the school hadn’t hired a teacher and this was
their way of giving those kids English.”
  

 On Technology in the Classroom

 “They’ll [student] go on Facebook and spend hours writing back and forth to
people. We didn’t put that much time and effort into writing when we were
kids.”

As the facilitator for Newsstreak, Valerie is quite familiar with the incorporation of
technology into education. With regards to social media, Valerie doesn’t shy away from
bringing Facebook, Twitter, etc. into the classroom. “There’s so much we can do
educationally with these things.” Valerie is friends with many of her students on
Facebook, so she remains an active part of their lives outside the classroom, answering
questions about assignments and helping with the newspaper. “I’m [an adult], you’re a
teenager. I want to go to bed at 9:30, so if I don’t answer your question at 11:00, I’ll
answer it at 4:30 in the morning when I get up. That’s an advantage for the child they’ve
never had before.” Responding to the argument that social media distracts students and
keeps them from reading, Valerie thinks the opposite. “I think kids will write and read
more now than they ever have before. These kids are reading and investing a lot of time
and passion [into social media]. They'll go on Facebook and spend hours writing back
and forth to people. We didn't put that much time and effort into writing when we were
kids.”
  

 On Impacting Students
 Many of Valerie’s students keep in touch with her after they graduate. They visit, and
they communicate through Facebook. Some go on to pursue careers in journalism or
teaching, all because of the experiences they had in her classroom. “To me teaching is
really not just about what happens in the classroom. It’s about developing these
personal relationships that last.” She remembers one student who was one of the last
students she ever expected to have an impact on. Valerie first met him as a freshman
and was put off by his immaturity. “[But] by the time he was a senior, he had grown up. I
had zero idea how much impact I had on him.” He is now a teacher himself and has  just
begun his first year teaching history--one of his passions in high school. “It’s kind of cool
because he’s on Facebook and he comes by whenever he’s back in town and wants to
go to dinner.”