Tara Martin | Web Editor-in-Chief

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Q: What is the process for becoming Teacher of the Year?

A: For Avon High School, my department chair, Matt Noble, was the one who nominated me for Teacher of the Year. Other people get nominated as well; department chairs, principals, and then we get a staff email where the entire school then votes on Teacher of the Year for the high school.

Q: What is it like competing with teachers from other schools?

A: So you write a little portfolio, it’s like a professional biography. Just a little bit about who you are, why you teach and then there’s also where you explain lesson plans. It described why you’re inspired to be a teacher and you submit that to our superintendent, and then she has a committee that looks at these two documents. Then that committee then decides who the district Teacher of the Year is.

Q: How would you describe your teaching style?

A: Engaged, interactive. I like to hear my students’ voices, I like to hear what they have to say, so if there’s any way I could try to get them to be engaged by talking and interacting then that’s what I’ll do.

Q: How have your coworkers and students reacted to you winning?

A: I’ve gotten a lot of congratulations, which is awesome. It’s humbling and it’s exciting at the same time, but I couldn’t do it without my amazing students that I have currently and that I’ve had in the past. The staff is just the best, they inspire me daily.

Q: What do you win for being Teacher of the Year?

A: I got a pretty generous donation from Andy Mohr, so it’s amazing. For the high school, I got a cute little bell and a cute little apple, too. I got a YMCA year membership, which is awesome. And then just people reaching out, [saying] congratulations and thanks and all of that good stuff, too.

 

Photo from avon-schools.org