2009 Teacher of the Year Let me share a joyous part of my year--2008-09. In April, 2008 I was named Webster Teacher of the Year. After filling out many pages of materials, I was also named ESA 1 Teacher of the Year. As a result of receiving this regional honor, the next step was to compete for South Dakota Teacher of the Year honors with 6 other teachers.
It has been an exciting year. The seven candidates met in Pierre in July with the judges and also to create videos of advice for new teachers. We met with the judges for a short interview in the afternoon. We also got the chance to bond with one another as a group. (Incidentally, on the way home I was truly enjoying the scenery and made mental plans to go out and do some landscape photography the next day. As it turned out, we had the infamous July 31, 2008 windstorm the next morning. There were lots of landscape photos that next day, but certainly not like anything originally planned.) Governor Rounds Teacher Leadership Conference was held in early October. This would also include the announcement of the State Teacher of the Year and also the New Teacher Academy. The event included a banquet on Sunday night followed by another two day conference in which we reflected on education and also worked with the new teachers in the profession. I was able to meet with one of my mentees which was important to me. My boss, Jim Block, my sons, Bill, Karl and Michael, my friend, Paul, and I all were at the banquet. (This event must have been pretty important since all of them wore suits--and I wore a dress.) It was nice to see the other nominees again. The big announcement was that Paul Kuhlman of Avon won the coveted award.
The session also included a speech by the National Teacher of the Year. (His topic was based on the Daniel Pink book concerning the role of right brained people in our world--a topic near and dear to my heart.) |