Cypress-Fairbanks I. S. D.
Spotlight
Volume XVI ~ May, 2001

Introduction

Honoree Article Page

Bickford, Joanne - "The Pen Pal Connection"

Cherin, Bunny - "A Treasured Memory"

Mitchell, Rebecca - "Metamorphosis"

Roberts, Peggy - "It Had to Happen Sometime"

Tiegerman, Melissa - "Strategies to Success"

Angle, Cindy - "Proud Americans"

Brown, Jane Ann - "A Dream Come True"

Coriell, Chaere - "Prelude to a Future"

Dunn, Karl - "The Joy of Learning"

Everson, Stacie - "Mrs. Copeland"

Gary, Sherry - "A Life-changing Message"

Hays, Holly - "The World of Pre-K"

Howe, Beverly - "Learning Is a Journey – Enjoy the Ride!"

Keyes, Jeanne M. - "My Heart Smiled Back"

Manton, Valerie "Personal Perspectives"

Pellow, Debby "To Light a Fire, To Plant a Seed"

Queen, Patty "One Student at a Time"

Raines, Ann McMillen "An Invitation to Learn"

Renfrow, Rebecca "There Are 23 Counselors in this Room!"

Schmidt, Alison "Reading Is the Window to the World"

Smith, Trish "Getting a Great Start"

Talbot, Theresa "A STAR Was Born"

Womack, Terri "Meeting Needs"

Yurch, Angie "Everyone Needs to Feel Loved"

Berger, Kristine D. "You Teach What?"

Coker, Christie "My Mentor, My Friend"

Hoover, Kathy "Education 101"

Jackson, Jackie "Educating for Life"

Lewis, Jimmie E. Sr. "My High School Shop Teacher"

Linville, Judy "They Called Her ‘Koach’"

McGeary, Sue "The Golden Rule"

Morrell, Steve "W.W.C.D."

Osborn, Michele "Learn * Love * Laugh"

Passmore, Malia "By Example"

Prine, Marilyn "Teach by Example"

Rendall, Carol "The Best Kind of Role Model"

Robinson, Karen L. "A Year of Revelation"

Vaughn, David H. "Fit for Life"

Wolverton, Julia "Thank a Teacher"

Broussard, Julie "Starfish Flinger"

Bruce, Liz "Learning: A Lifelong Goal"

DeLafosse, Stacey "The Never-ending Journey"

Jones, Cindy "Reverse Inspiration"

Lembcke, Andrea "Creating Families of Lifelong Learners"

Mack, Jennifer "Looking Back, Looking Ahead"

Miller, Karen "Never, Ever Give Up"

Ness, Jo "Opening the Door of Learning"

Reidy, Judy L. "Lifelong Learner Lauds Lifeline"

Clayburn, Ashley "The Grant Challenge"

Kastor, David C. "Returning"

Lacy, Carolyn W. "Partners with Heart"

Lane, Beverly "My Dream Becomes Reality"

Magallan, Tara "What Is a Team?"

Reily, Kathryn "Teamwork = Success"

Shipman, Susan "TEAMWORK: Together Eagles Achieve More WORK"

Votaw, Barbara A. "A Teacher’s Teacher"

Woods, Donna "A Team Player’s Reward"

Index by Campus

What does it mean to be an exemplary teacher? One definition can be found in the district's Portrait of a CFISD Teacher, which describes these characteristics.

• Instructional Strategist
• Creator of Student-centered Environment
• Positive Role Model
• Lifelong Learner
• Team Player

CFISD's annual Spotlight program, now in its 16^th year, is the district's way of recognizing our classroom teachers who demonstrate these qualities day-in and day-out to make a difference in the lives of our students. Though each campus has a full cast and crew of star-quality performers, Spotlight allows each principal to select one teacher to be in the spotlight, center stage, so that we may honor that individual's performance.

This publication is set up as an informal sharing of real-life stories. Sometimes, when our lives are bombarded by volumes of paper, information, reports, and other impersonal data, a personal story can have a powerful impact for reminding us that we are not dealing with statistics, but with human beings—children—and that each one is special.

The narratives that follow were submitted by the 2001 Spotlight teachers, who were asked to choose one of the five dimensions of the Portrait and relate a personal "success story" from their experiences as a teacher or because of a teacher. The stories relate

• how the teachers developed these qualities in themselves or
• how these qualities observed in someone else provided personal or professional inspiration.

Some honorees recount childhood memories from their own days as students, while some describe pivotal moments in their careers involving especially memorable students, colleagues, or events. We hope you will be entertained and inspired by these insights from our teachers honored in this year's Spotlight.

Sometimes you stumble across a quotation that seems to say it all for you. I experienced that shock of recognition when I read Lois E. LeBar’s comment, "What the pupils want to learn is as important as what the teachers want to teach." I was reminded of the year that A. returned from spring break and led me into one of the most rewarding adventures of my teaching career.

A. had spent the break visiting with her grandmother, who was the principal of an elementary school in Ohio. One day after vacation, A. came to class with a bulky envelope and a smile of pride and excitement. She explained that she had spent some time in a first-grade class in her grandmother’s school, and, to her delight, that teacher had let the children each write a letter to A., their new friend from Texas. As A. spoke, my class listened to her description of the other school and eyed the letters with interest. A cloud of worry touched A.’s little face.

"The only thing is," she moaned, "it’s going to take a really long time for me to write all 20 kids back."

I didn’t have a chance to seize the moment and suggest that her classmates help. Eager hands were already snatching letters, and demanding voices were raised.

"Give me one, I’ll help."

"I want a letter, too!"

I figured we could squeeze in some TEKS on writing in different forms for different purposes and writing to communicate with a variety of audiences (good old TEKS 18 E and F), so I did a short lesson on friendly letters, and pencils began flying. I bundled up the results, mailed them off with a cover letter from me, and got back to the "real work" that I had planned for that week.

I was surprised two weeks later to receive a fat, brown envelope with an Ohio postmark. Mrs. Rosemary Suit would be delighted to be a pen pal class if I would be interested. My class was amazed and thrilled. Maps came out to locate Ohio. Lists of important questions to ask our new friends were kept. Speculation buzzed over whether it snowed all year that far north. We thought, learned, and exchanged letters several times before the semester ended. Mrs. Suit’s final letter before the holidays contained the proposal that we begin again next year in January and exchange letters during the second semester.

I can hardly believe that was five years ago. Enrichment and learning have flowed into my classroom with almost no effort on my part. We’ve received bookmarks with Ohio history on them and mailed off postcards showing Houston landmarks. We’ve marveled at snapshots of boots dripping snow lined up in Ohio hallways, and we’ve giggled as we took pictures of our cowboy boots lined up on Go Western Day. We were proud to hear that "our Ohio school" has a bulletin board devoted to the information we sent on the exotic custom of rodeo. Children’s books about state history were shipped back and forth. They sent us paper snowflakes so we could throw them into the air and make a paper blizzard. We wrote descriptions of playing outside in our shorts during months when they shivered. Pen pals wrote to us about Passover and Hanukkah. Ohio friends were interested to learn about the Houston area’s Cinco de Mayo celebration. Little ones who struggled with writing assignments merrily filled pages to their new friends.

I had designed none of this curriculum. Our children were simply learning what they wanted to learn. To my surprise, a lot of what I wanted to teach got included in the experience.

Over the years, "Dear Mrs. Suit" has become "Hi, Rosemary." I’ve enjoyed her cover letters about what’s going on in education in another state, and I’ve made a friend whom I’ve never actually met. Rosemary will retire this year. This essay is my way of acknowledging the important lesson she taught me. Learning can be effortless, when it is inspired by the student’s desire to know.

Shadows of long ago, memories of my childhood in New York City, become increasingly vivid.

The image of my third grade teacher, Mrs. Jaino, appears. She was a gentle, petite woman with a soft, mellow voice, who instilled in me a lifelong love of literature, music, and art.

Mrs. Jaino introduced me to the beauty of words. I was mesmerized by her animation as she read Alice in Wonderland, and I was engulfed by excitement when I was selected to portray a child who encounters famous literary characters.

She is responsible for my developing an intense enjoyment of music. Each week during Music Appreciation, she played classical pieces, assigning little verses to help us remember titles and composers, from Mozart to MacDowell.

Mrs. Jaino exposed the class to painted masterpieces, and a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art further nourished our appreciation for great works of art.

Encouraging and nurturing a commitment to that which has brought me such pleasure, I hope that I touch the lives of my students as we read the words of Langston Hughes or William Shakespeare, dramatize A Christmas Carol or chapters of an endearing novel, write as the radio pours forth enchanting music, or respond to students’ comments about a poster gracing the wall—perhaps a poster from a museum like the one I visited with Mrs. Jaino’s class.

In March of that same year, my father’s illness necessitated change, and I left P.S. 136. The last day, Mrs. Jaino called me to her desk and asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I responded, "I did want to write children’s books, but, maybe, I will be a teacher." She smiled and kissed me goodbye.

My strength as a teacher is my ability to learn from other teachers. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, never considering another career. From my earliest memories of elementary school to the present, my teachers have influenced my life greatly.

In elementary school Miss Bell taught the importance of caring. In junior high Mrs. Kelly taught discipline and respect. In college Dr. Yost taught the excitement of enthusiasm for content. I learned from them, and in my early years of teaching, I loved giving out all that content with great caring and discipline and enthusiasm.

In the early ‘90s my focus changed. I worked with a team of teachers whose idea was to challenge students to question and to think, rather than to pursue passive learning and to foster unquestioning acceptance. They taught me how critical it is for a student to experience success at some level, to feel that he/she is important, and to share ideas and opinions. In some instances, the student becomes the teacher, sharing information learned through personal experience or research. It feels good to feel smart.

My success is validated in the notes from students stating, "Thanks for not giving up on me," and "Thanks for believing in me." My success is actually my students’ success, and that success is founded upon all the teachers who have shared—and who still are sharing—their wisdom, insight, and expertise with me. I learn from my peers every day. They are truly extraordinary people who do "touch the future."

Well, it’s happened! I guess I knew it would. This year I’m teaching the son of a former student. Teaching in the district for my entire 20-year career—with 19 of those years here at Watkins—I guess it had to happen. Boy, it makes me feel old, but at the same time satisfied and proud.

I met "M." at the sixth-grade open house in August of this school year, and I became re-acquainted with his father, "S." After a brief explanation of the language arts curriculum that M. would learn, S. barraged me with questions about the things he remembered doing when he was in my sixth-grade class. (Don’t you know I was surprised and thrilled that S. would remember so many details about his sixth-grade year?) He asked whether M. would be doing some of the same novel studies and projects. My answer to him was, "Yes and No."

Attorneys say that they practice law, and doctors practice medicine. I guess I practice teaching. In teaching, "practice" to me means that one is constantly working toward improvement. Even though I would be considered a veteran teacher, I believe that I am still practicing. Each new group of students brings with it certain collective backgrounds and challenges. What was appropriate for a group of students five years ago, or even three years ago, might not be effective today. For that reason, while I have my favorite novel units like Save Queen of Sheba or writing assignments like the character analysis, I have to tailor them to each year’s crop of kids and their interests, learning styles, and background knowledge.

One way that I strive to improve my instruction is to incorporate reading strategies from my CRISS training. I want my students to learn how to use a variety of strategies and be able to choose them and use them independently.

Training that I received at two AVID Summer Institutes has prepared me to help my students develop the skills needed for inquiry and collaboration. As I learn more about learning, I can pass that knowledge on to my students so that they can become independent learners.

Working closely with my content team affords me access to the knowledge, experience, and styles of other professionals from whom I can continue to learn and whom I can emulate. I’m a visual learner. I am not creative—at least I didn’t think so, until I worked with an artistic, kinesthetic team member who has greatly influenced my lesson design. Now I am better equipped to meet the learning-style needs of my kinesthetic learners, who definitely outnumber my visual learners.

I’m not the same teacher for M. that I was for S. I can’t be. M. and his classmates need something different from me than S. and his classmates did. So while M. has done things similar to those that his dad did, I must develop the lessons to meet the needs of M. and his "generation."

Two years ago I made a positive change in my teaching methods. This change was made as a result of a Project CRISS seminar that I attended.

I have seen children eagerly using the flexible graphic organizers and creating individual concept maps for non-fiction texts. It has been a wonderful experience to see children progress from "below-level" to "on-level" academic performance.

"What are we collecting on this trip?" was the common question my husband and children have always asked as we left for vacation. One year we visited Washington D.C., and I came back with an entire box of goodies for my classroom!

The social studies unit about America came alive with pictures and discussions of the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Capitol building, and Arlington National Cemetery. The children’s usual comment about The White House picture was, "You look so different!" (It had been taken 10 years before!)

This past year, however, one student made a comment that brought tears to my eyes. As I showed the class pictures of the Vietnam Memorial Wall, they could feel my emotion as I briefly explained the reason for this monument. This was a part of history that I remembered happening.

When it was time for questions, one of my students raised her hand and genuinely said, "My mom and dad were part of that war. They left Vietnam on a boat to come to America. Some days they did not have any food, but, Mrs. Angle, they were so happy to come to America! I’m proud to be an American." This seven-year-old child summed up my lesson for the class, "America is a wonderful place to live and we should always show our pride."

When I was a little girl, I dreamed of someday becoming a famous actress performing on Broadway and on the silver screen. I took dance, piano, and voice lessons and even became part of the high school drama club. My mother faithfully took me to those lessons, and my dad gave me a great appreciation for the arts, nature, and humor. Never did I dream that I would use all of these experiences to become a successful early-childhood educator.

Most young children come to school full of energy and ready to have fun, while others need help breaking out of their shell to explore the world around them. I teach with a "Multiple Intelligences" thematic approach, so students can become curious scientists, adventure-seekers, and Broadway artists. Every two or three weeks, we begin a production with meaningful large-group activities supported by centers that reinforce concepts through music, movement, problem-solving, language acquisition, nature, and artistic creativity.

Students’ products are displayed to form a backdrop for a warm and friendly theater where they feel welcome. As the director of this stage production, I can help students learn, grow, and become risk-takers in a way that suits their individuality. When the production comes to a close, the students and I sing, dance, and share things we have learned together.

I may not be on Broadway or filling the silver screen, but every day I have the chance to shape a child’s life in a positive way. That opportunity is worth more than winning an Oscar…it is a dream come true.

After all these years I can still vividly see and hear her instructing us, a sixth-grade class with 35 impressionable students intimately connected because of a teacher’s incomparably contagious enthusiasm. Mrs. Gibson was, indeed, the consummate educator, and there is much I remember that she gave us.

She inflamed our young intellects with carefully-prepared questions that required us to think both critically and creatively. The purpose of discussion was not to assess knowledge on the subject matter but to probe knowledge or experience with the subject matter. She imbued us with a passion for learning and then did one thing more—she modeled how to make meaningful connections with others through her commitments, attention, time, and attitudes toward them.

When I was called to teaching, I understood the enormous responsibility that was mine and resolved to draw inspiration from Mrs. Gibson’s lessons. After "A." arrived in my math class, I knew I needed some of Mrs. Gibson’s teaching magic to reach the little boy who was behind.

A single mother was rearing him and his brother, and they spoke only Spanish at home. He was from out of state and told me he did not understand what he called "Texas math." In a ten-year-old’s words, A. explained that he was not used to analyzing a problem or defending his reasoning. I began tutoring him at recess, and with gentle coaxing and humor A. became a convert to our district’s problem-solving model. Before long, his grade had risen to a B, and oh, we were so ecstatic!

Then the news came. One afternoon during lunch, A. told me he was moving, and in his dark eyes, I witnessed sadness. I assured him I would miss him dearly, and after a long pause he poured out his profound frustration. "You know, my other teachers weren’t fair to me. They didn’t make me learn like you do, and now I have to leave."

As we walked back to the classroom for another tutoring session, I asked A. what he wanted out of life. Without hesitation he responded, "I want my education so I can get a job and have a nice house." Then A. smiled his typically big smile and confidently announced, "And don’t worry, I will!"

It has been said that each of us is a product of our experiences. Because I believe, as Mrs. Gibson did, that what children do while in the process of becoming can determine what they become, I follow her lead in teaching the children first and the subject second, hoping that our relationships serve as a catalyst for tomorrow’s success stories.

It has always been my belief that any child who comes to me can learn and that I can teach that child to believe in himself. When my students arrive on the first day of school, I ask them to give me their hearts, souls and minds. In turn, I promise to give them everything I have to help them become successful in the classroom. I don’t just teach a class, I teach each child. I get to know my students as individuals. I know what they can do and what they can’t do.

Mr. Elmer Wuensche, my former principal, used to say, "Karl, teach the kids. Don’t just teach the subject." I took that to heart.

A former teacher, Sister Nery Pacheco taught me to take the time to get to know each child. She showed me how to fill in the gaps that children have and to push them above and beyond their potential. Nery unequivocally believed that every child was teachable. I learned that first-hand, because she worked with me day-in and day-out—including Saturdays and Sundays! She encouraged me daily. What a mentor!

In my own classroom I challenge students to give me their best. I firmly believe in small-group and individual instruction. I constantly build my children’s vocabularies to increase comprehension and to help them improve the description in their writing. Students remember information more efficiently if they learn it through music, jazz, chants, story telling, role-playing, and creating games.

In conclusion, having a joy-filled environment is most important in my classroom. Having spirit is also a must. These two qualities always make learning possible and anything attainable.

It all started for me when Mrs. Copeland would let me stay after school with her on Friday afternoons to clean her overhead projector. Boy, did I think that was something! Mrs. Shirley Copeland was my 5^th-grade math teacher. She was a special teacher in my life, and it was her inspiration that ultimately led me to pursue teaching as a career. Mrs. Copeland instilled in me the enthusiasm that I have as a teacher today.

Mrs. Copeland provided her students with a safe environment where every child could take risks. She made math fun and challenging for everyone. She looked for the strengths in each of her students and worked on their weaknesses to ensure success for all her students. She identified each of her students’ learning styles and varied her classroom instruction accordingly. We learned all kinds of math riddles and helpful math hints.

Little did I know that 11 years later, I would be teaching the same math riddles she taught me and my classmates in my 6^th- and 7^th-grade math classes. One of the most important things Mrs. Copeland did for her students was stay after school to tutor them in math. Sometimes I would stay after school just to be with Mrs. Copeland and to help her by peer tutoring.

As a classroom teacher and the at-risk helping teacher, I hope that I provide students with the same supportive environment that Mrs. Copeland provided for me. I hope the enthusiasm she had for teaching math is the same enthusiasm I bring to the students I work with. Mrs. Copeland was a definite inspiration to me both personally and professionally.

"D." was a junior-high-aged student when I first met him. He’d had cerebral palsy since birth, which had left him with a spastic body that was only able to make exaggerated movements. Although his limited control over his physical movements left him with no way to communicate verbally, it did not take me long to realize that D. was very bright, funny, and courageous and that he had a lot to say. The only thing holding him back was his body.

The year before I met him, he had been introduced to the concept of communicating by using a complex voice-output computerized system. A whole new world of communication was opened for him. All D. had to do was learn how to use the device effectively. Even with the device, his attempts to communicate were slow and laborious, because his only way of activating the letters and messages on the computer was by using a light that was placed on his baseball cap. The computer would accept this light beam when it remained in a specific location for an extended period of time.

Most of his peers were uncomfortable talking with him or did not have the patience to wait for him to speak, since much of the message had to be spelled out; therefore, they either looked away when they saw him or just said, "Hi!" and walked on by.

One day D. told me how much this hurt him to be ignored and treated as though he were not a real person, much less a friend. D. asked me to help him give a speech to his classmates during each period. In this presentation he would explain a little about cerebral palsy and the reasons it left him with the inability to talk or walk. This would explain the reason for his wheelchair and his voice output device.

D. would also tell his peers that he had the same feelings and thoughts as all of the other students, but that he was just "stuck in a body that did not work right." D. would relate that he would like the other students to treat him the same as they treated each other.

The next day I helped him to program this message into his voice output device and made arrangements with each of his teachers for D. to talk to the students in his classes. It was amazing to see the influence his talk had on the other students. They began to look on him and treat him as a peer instead of just someone with impairments.

D. was not the only one affected by this transition. I am certain that it influenced the way his peers viewed others with impairments for the rest of their lives. D. went on to high school with a group of true friends, only to make new friends along the way.

In high school D. discovered a talent within himself that even he did not know existed. He had been blessed with a talent for design, and he accomplished the drafting tasks via his voice-output device. In fact, he won multiple drafting competitions throughout the entire state as he competed against other students who did not have disabilities.

I have recently been honored to provide D. with a written recommendation for employment. Getting to know D. has influenced me to specialize in the area of assistive technology in an effort to provide other non-verbal students an opportunity to express themselves and to discover their own hidden talents.

On the first day of school each August, I find myself in front of 22 four-year-olds. Most of them are crying. It is the first time many of them have been away from Mom, and most of them do not speak English. It is my job to prepare them for kindergarten. As I look out at their little faces, I see one thing: total fear!

On the last day of school each May, I find myself standing in front of the same 22 children. All of them are smiling. They are now fluent English speakers and have all of the skills necessary to be successful next year in kindergarten. As I look out at their little faces, I see one thing: total confidence!

That is why I love being a pre-K teacher. The satisfaction and joy that comes from witnessing this transformation each year are incredible. Yes, it is a slow process. But each day, I see children who are a little more comfortable being at school, a little more confident in themselves, and a little more willing to share their ideas with others. They are learning to respect individual differences among cultures and to get along with their peers. These skills are critical to future success both in school and in life.

Looking back, I could have chosen other professions with better salaries, perks, hours, benefits, etc. But no other job would be as rewarding as being a teacher. It is not just my job. It is who I am.

Learning should be fun! The most effective teacher I have ever known, Pearl Phillips, demonstrated that truth to me before I came to Cy-Fair. Math was her passion, and she shared it with her students like an evangelist. She was aware that this same zeal for math was not shared by most 5^th-graders, so she converted them with challenging lessons and her dynamic personality.

Pearl’s class was exciting because of the outrageous antics she performed to keep the children engaged. I once saw her do the splits in the middle of a lesson—just to ensure that everyone was listening! At the end of one class, instead of simply choosing students to collect the folders, she bellowed out in an urgent voice, "This plane is about to land! I need two stewardesses who are very reliable and not afraid to collect the folders!" The room fell absolutely silent. Then, suddenly, a shy little girl (who had not spoken three words all year) jumped up with her hand in the air and said, "Hi! I’m Hope! Fly me!" I’ll never forget the new confidence in that little voice, inspired by Pearl.

When I came to Lamkin, I was anxious to duplicate that same playful spontaneity in my own classes. But I taught art to classes the size of small armies, which demanded structure! It seems that in 1977 the term "large group" was interpreted literally by the district. One day, as I lined up 91 children (yes, 91) for a class change, they began to get noisy. I mentally called on Pearl for inspiration.

What would she do to calm the troops? I knew I couldn’t do the splits. So, in a hopeful voice, I began, "This plane is about to land…" As if on cue, 91 nine-year-olds in unison raised their arms to wing positions and began sputtering the noises of jet engines! This was clearly not the objective, but it was fun!

That was 23 years ago. I am still at Lamkin having fun—now with very astute HORIZONS students, who are almost as quirky as I am. Fun can take so many forms: writing, inventing, problem-solving, experimenting, creating, or dramatizing. I don’t land airplanes anymore, but I’ve become a pretty fair shot with my squirt bottle, which gets attention with a smile! I’m fortunate to have a supportive principal and assistant principal, who appreciate a sense of humor, and talented colleagues, who balance our team. I’m also blessed to learn from children who make me laugh and smile every single day.

A historian once said, "A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." This responsibility is awesome when combined with the knowledge that parents have entrusted us with their most precious possessions.

My hope is that my students come to realize that learning is an enjoyable, lifelong journey. My reward comes when a thoughtful parent writes to me and begins with "Teachers rarely get the credit they deserve—know that there are parents out there who have seen the incredible impact you have had on the lives of your students." But I am even more touched to receive a copy of a former student’s junior high school essay naming me as the person who had the greatest impact on him, all because I made learning fun.

One of the wonderful things about teaching is that with each new group of students, different challenges present themselves. In my years of experience, I have taught nearly every grade and worked with ability levels from the gifted and talented to co-teach. Finding what motivates and helps a child succeed is not limited to ability or grade-level.

Last year, in my co-teach class, I encountered one of my most difficult challenges. "Chris" was one of my students with special needs. He read two years below level, struggled with severe dyslexia, and nearly shut down when he had to write. He was a highly successful math student and a great problem-solver, even though he needed oral assistance with reading. Despite his difficulties, he was probably one of the brightest math students I’ve ever had in class.

His behavior in math class was the best; however, in language arts I felt as if I had a different child. He couldn’t sit still, and he often crouched with his feet on the chair. Office referrals became more frequent as his off-task behavior and defiant attitude escalated.

When I decided to do a poetry unit, culminating in the production of a hard-cover book, I worried about how Chris was going to handle it. I decided to use his great sense of humor to introduce him to poetry. I found all the amusing poetry books I could find and began sharing them with him.

I began to feel a glimmer of hope. He was definitely interested. Chris also discovered that poetry didn’t have to be lengthy to be good. This approach helped Chris with his writing block, because each time he wrote he only had to produce small amounts. When all the writing was completed, Chris realized that he had written his very own book of poetry. His sense of pride was evident as he proudly shared his poems with the students and our parents.

The best part was yet to come. Chris got so hooked on poetry that it was the only type of book he purchased at the book fair. He often read his poetry books during our reading time, and his mother shared with me that every night they had to read poetry together. Chris was no longer getting office referrals. He was interested in school. His feeling of success carried over in many other ways. Not to my surprise, he won an end-of-the-year math award.

Recently, we made our annual 5^th-grade trip to middle school. Walking down the hall, I heard my name being called repeatedly from a classroom. I stepped back to look. There was Chris, waving to me with the biggest, broadest smile I’d ever seen. I could feel my heart smile back.

I feel so honored and amazed to have been chosen as Wilson’s "Spotlight" teacher for this year. Having the opportunity to teach such wonderful students and to work with such a caring and dedicated faculty is a blessing. While I was thinking about what I would write—what has influenced me or helped me learn and grow as a teacher—so many things ran through my mind. In the 18 years that I have been in the classroom, there have been wonderful role models all around me in the form of administrators, fellow teachers, parents, and, of course, the students themselves.

However, two specific people keep recurring in my memory as being invaluable teachers. They are the ones who have given of themselves in so many ways.

hearing countless practice lessons, then having to answer repeated questions, such as, "What did you like about it?" or "What part helped you learn particular skills?"

trying out new activities just to see how they work

composing and singing silly little songs to teach phonemic awareness

making samples for "centers" activities

giving up personal belongings, just to make that one lesson or center valuable and meaningful.

In addition, they have often become the subjects of modeled writing lessons or the characters in social-skills lessons. (Of course, some of these times were without their knowledge.)

They have helped me understand how parents might feel when sitting across from me in a parent/teacher conference. They have helped me to know and appreciate the differences among my students.

One of them helped me to understand why maybe that student in my class can’t sit still and has trouble finishing his work and staying on task. The other helped me see the need for going the extra mile and providing that challenge to make an activity more interesting.

So, as I revisit my teaching years, I feel grateful to these special people—my own personal children—for helping me see things with a different perspective.

Thinking back over the years, I have realized that knowledge for knowledge’s sake is meaningless. A seed, on its own, does not make a plant—a seed must be nourished and tended to experience growth. My belief in my students is essential to their success in school as well as in life.

When I think about the teacher I am today, I give credit to the students with special needs who were included in my classroom. Initially, they lacked the self-confidence to complete work independently, but through my praising continually and checking back frequently, they began making baby steps towards becoming independent learners. In addition, my modeling compassion and concern for others helped the rest of the class to support the struggling students, further enabling them to succeed in my class.

The environment I maintain in my classroom is one that fosters a love of learning, as students are actively engaged in the learning process. The students are motivated, since they have some control over their learning. I use independent learning stations that incorporate a variety of modalities. Learning is initiated and reinforced through songs, chants, and physical responses—strategies which match the way our brains like to learn.

Over the years I have received a number of special letters from parents and former students, telling me about their success stories. I realize I am a planter of many seeds. Sometimes I get to see the seeds blossom during the year. Other times, the seeds take many years to sprout. I am thankful to have kept in touch with so many of my former students, and I feel blessed to have been a "planter of seeds" in their lives.

Mr. Latshaw, a small but powerful man with unruly, steel-gray hair and eyebrows, began to speak—not in English, but entirely in fluent French! I froze with the fear of failure. Why had I taken that French placement test? Why hadn’t I chosen to take French 101? For weeks I studied French with the passion of someone whose life depended upon it. I froze every time I entered the class, fearing the frequent torture of being called on in class.

One day as I was stiffly leaving the room after class, Mr. Latshaw boomed in English, "Mademoiselle Molloy, please stay for a few minutes." I turned and walked back into the classroom, fearing the worst. Instead, he smiled and said, "Your high school French teacher must have been a good one. You are my star student."

Was he lying because he sensed my fear? Was he sincere? I didn’t care. His words that day changed my life. My self-esteem and confidence soared, and French became my favorite course that semester. Mr. Latshaw is my favorite teacher for many reasons, but the primary reason is that he turned my life around and showed me the importance of encouraging words and actions.

As a teacher, I have always tried to remember the lesson learned when I was a freshman in college. I have students every year who lack confidence for a variety of reasons and whose lack of confidence breeds failure. I set high goals for my students, but I try to balance these high expectations by empowering students to succeed through believing in them and letting them know it.

Kind words and a smile still work magic in turning a young person's day—or life—around.

Today’s student needs an invitation to learn. I feel that the positive, student-centered environment in my classroom offers that invitation.

All the students in my classes achieve a sense of belonging to our "Trekker" team, and I emphasize how Trekkers can trek to success. I give out Trekker Tickets, and the students can use these tickets at the Trekker Tribe store. Each day, we emphasize a Trekker skill, such as team-building or being responsible, respectful, or kind.

Another way I maintain a student-centered approach is through instilling a sense of ownership in the students by assigning them job roles.

The Sage helps with class activities and gives out Trekker tickets to students who begin the class responsibly.

The Friend at the End helps the class end responsibly by giving out Trekker tickets to students who are exhibiting a Trekker skill of the day.

The Supply Monitor is responsible for the colored pencil containers and books at the beginning and end of the period.

Every week, I pick students for these jobs, and I never skip a name. In this way, my best students and my most challenging students all have a sense that they are an equal part of our class.

I also applaud students’ successes and their efforts to learn by picking a Trekker Trailblazer of the week. The Trailblazer spins a spinner, gets a paper doll to decorate, and receives applause for his or her efforts. The decorated figure is placed on our trail to success.

In these ways, and in many others, I constantly invite students to be active learners in a student-centered environment.

The class meeting that morning began the same as any other, but it turned out to be dramatically different. The students and I sat in a circle on the floor as we shared compliments. As I glanced down at the next item on the agenda, I was a little worried.

"J." had included his concerns about a problem he was having with some of his classmates making fun of him. I wasn't sure how the class would react. Until that moment we had dealt with problems such as too much homework, friends bickering on the playground, and books being accidentally knocked off tables. All of these topics, though very important issues in the lives of fourth graders, suddenly seemed routine. Nothing like J.’s concern had been discussed in our group before.

What an awesome experience it turned out to be! I observed a circle full of problem-solvers and risk-takers. Some who spoke up for J. were the last ones I would have expected to do so. People were putting themselves in his place, and I witnessed a remarkable amount of growth in each person involved. It truly made all the time and energy spent in class meetings worthwhile.

I began this year wanting to provide my students with an opportunity to have a voice in the classroom. During my student teaching experience, I had observed the outstanding effect of class meetings, and I knew this approach would work best for me.

I jumped in feet first on the very first day of school, working through the format of class meetings, demonstrating problem-solving strategies, and role-playing. Throughout this year, the meetings have taken off to heights greater than I ever expected.

I feel very deeply that I am not just a teacher of reading and writing, but a teacher of life skills. Learning is more meaningful once the children are given choices and the freedom to express their views. Their opinions are heard, accepted, and understood. Through class meetings, our classroom has become a warm and supportive environment.

I see my students becoming better leaders and more helpful toward those around them. J. now opens up and asks the class to help him with other problems. My students stand together to support J. on the playground and other places where he might be made fun of. They have learned the importance of treating others the way they wish to be treated. I believe this attitude causes a ripple effect, which makes a significant impact on the students’ attitudes toward their academic work.

When my students shared their feelings about class meetings, I heard words such as "safe, secure, important, fun, helpful, and feeling good about myself." As a teacher, these words were like gold in my hand. Another excited and vibrant student went so far as to say, "There are 23 counselors in this room."

In the 16 years that I have been teaching, I have tried many different methods of instruction. No matter what approach I have used, however, the driving force has always been the learning styles of my students.

I have taught students in third grade through fifth grade, and I have observed that the one thing that always matters most is their ability to choose how they learn. The objectives may have changed over time, but a child's independence in learning has not.

Literacy circles have become an integral part of my language arts class. Students love having the ability to choose the books they read. I have, from time to time, flexibly regrouped learners to achieve certain results, such as strengthening reading ability and building self-esteem. Using literature circles provides wonderful, student-centered activities that encourage and provide opportunities for my class to succeed. Crucial components of this process include discussing the text with others, asking and answering questions, and reflecting.

Because I assess and make adjustments continually, I am able to differentiate among the groups. Involving the parents in the discussion of the books is also a great asset for both the students and me.

My goal is to continue creating an environment that helps students to understand what they read, to gain experience in communicating their ideas with others, and to develop a love for reading.

From the time I was five years old, my parents had told me that I was going to be a teacher. Somehow, they knew.

I was the kind of student who thrived in school when I had the encouragement and praise of my teachers. I’ve had some really good teachers over the years. What I noticed about these teachers was the love they had for their students. Their sincerity stuck with me. I longed to be just like the teachers who believed in their students’ abilities and who nurtured their students by helping them to develop self-esteem and motivation.

Throughout my 18 years of teaching kindergarten, I have built on this knowledge that children learn best when we truly value them and believe in their efforts. I have had students come into my classroom with very limited skills and low self-esteem. Motivating students and giving them the self-confidence they need to take risks and try are what teaching is all about.

I believe children gain understanding when they know why they are learning. This awareness enables them to value their own learning, to internalize it, and to retain it. When I am teaching a skill in my classroom, I show the children how they can retain it by reciting it over and over again. I see their excitement as they use this strategy to memorize facts and details, and I see them apply it in other ways in the classroom, as when they are learning letters, letter sounds, sight-words, and other reading skills.

Kindergartners are so wonderful to teach because they are so excited about learning!

Society’s problems are increasingly becoming students’ problems. Poverty, drug abuse, child abuse, crime, fractured families—all these have become major handicaps hampering the education of our youth, and these factors have created the need for a job called "At-risk Coordinator" at several CFISD campuses.

Each year I am faced with a growing number of students who have needs that hinder their ability to learn. Who are these challenging students? I know each of you has met them in your classes.

As the At-risk Coordinator for Cook, I frequently ask myself, "How can I create an environment that will reach some of my most challenging students and help them achieve success in school?" In an attempt to create such an environment, I have modeled and encouraged others to use a variety of techniques, some of which are reflected in the student stories that follow.

It was "K.," a disruptive sixth grader, who wasn’t able to let five minutes pass without jumping out of her seat, hitting others, or making tough, rude remarks. Her hostile attitude clearly communicated that she didn’t care about her teacher or her education. She demanded to be the center of attention at all costs, and consequences didn’t seem to matter.

It was "L.," an unmotivated eighth grader who was more interested in her social life, boys, and putting on makeup than in being successful in school. She refused to complete assignments. For her, it was easier to talk and write notes than to work. She just accepted failure. L. had commonly been labeled as a student who was experiencing "learned helplessness." Year after year, she struggled in school, and she had given up. Her goal was to quit school at age 16. She had no self-esteem or self-confidence.

It was "R.," a student with limited English skills who often lived on the streets. He came from a single-parent home in which his mother had minimal influence on, or control over, his behavior. He was severely lacking in social skills. He had been in jail and on probation. Survival was his basic concern.

A common factor in these students’ backgrounds was that school had not been a positive experience for them. They had been labeled as "bad" kids, and they had accepted this label. These students lacked a caring role model, and they did not trust adults.

Because of the large number of students placed in at-risk situations, I knew it was imperative to design a more effective and innovative program to meet the needs of each individual student—and a "STAR" was born. "STAR" stands for "students in at-risk situations."

The first step in reaching these challenging students in the STAR program was to build an environment that created relationships and trust. The main ingredient that made this program successful was the intensive, individualized attention given to these high-risk children.

Back to our student examples:

"K." was immersed into the STAR environment with a community mentor, a STAR coach, and an individualized behavior plan. After great effort on the part of the adults working with her, K. established trust with her mentors and began to respond. K. left the sixth grade passing TAAS, receiving the Mayor’s award, and having developed self-confidence because she was a shining STAR.

L., through constant adult encouragement like positive notes, incentives for success, and Soccer Start, took the "I believe in me" approach to STARdom. She passed all of her classes her 8th grade year. She passed TAAS for the first time, raising her score over forty points. When L. saw her scores, she burst into tears of joy at her success.

R. is a shining example of the principle that "success breeds success." To compensate for his unfortunate family situation, I devised an individual intervention plan for R. to create opportunities for success. He responded best to proactive teachers who helped him achieve one small success at a time. Social skills, along with TAAS tutoring, helped improve R.’s self-esteem. He discovered that his teachers cared about him as an individual, and these caring role models helped him realize academic success for the first time in his life.

I feel passionately that the middle school years are critical years during which one’s value system, behavior code, and self-esteem are largely formed—for life. For some students, these years represent the last, best chance for success in life.

In my position as At-risk Coordinator, it is my responsibility to supervise Cook’s STAR program. A vital part of this program is keeping in mind what lies at the heart of our efforts. It’s K., L., R., and all the other students who are hoping for someone to make a difference. I feel honored to work with these students and to be a part of their lives.

Having taught kindergarten for eight years now, I feel I’ve been truly blessed to witness so many of my students’ personal accomplishments. All good teachers are aware that not every student comes with the exact same needs to be met, just as all good teachers know that not every need of their students is always academic. While all my students, past and present, are special to me, I am reminded of one little boy who overcame particularly difficult obstacles as he achieved success in my classroom.

K. was a child of poverty, drug abuse, and a broken family. Many days it was especially hard to engage him in our rituals of alphabet chants and counting days in school. As the other students were directed to their activities, I would sit K. on my lap, put my arms around him, and just hold him for a few moments. Once he felt safe, he was expected to finish his tasks and cooperate in centers with his classmates. I welcomed him as a role model for the other students who had not been to pre-kindergarten and were experiencing school for the first time.

K. flourished in my classroom and rose to the occasion whenever he was asked to be line leader, to demonstrate the proper way to hold one’s lunch tray, or to say a particular letter-sound of the alphabet. I know he left for first grade feeling confident, competent, and cared for. It was a privilege and honor to work with K. and to help in some small way to meet his needs.

I was truly blessed to grow up in a home where I never questioned whether my parents loved me or believed in me. My sister and I were expected to be home to eat at the dinner table with our parents every night until we reached high school, and the only excuse could be a sporting event we were involved in. My parents were always at my side to support, encourage, and guide me. Being from a small North Texas town of only 800, I assumed that was the norm.

It wasn’t until 1993, when I began my first year of teaching, that I realized how incredibly special my family was. During that tough, first year of teaching reluctant eighth grade readers, I learned that many of them were growing up in a very different environment than what I could ever relate to. However, my heart began to open up to each one of them, and I started to care a great deal about who they were.

All these kids, who had never been successful in a class and who constantly were sent to the office, began to settle down and produce work. I then realized that the key was to let them know they were truly appreciated and cared about. Everyone just needs to feel loved.

This has become my philosophy throughout my teaching career. My wonderful teaching partner, Tara Magallan, and I make it our highest priority to get involved with our kids personally by talking to them during advisory period, going to their sporting events, asking how a test went, or eating lunch with them. These activities allow us to get to know the students individually and to begin to care a great deal about each one. In turn, the students learn that the love we have for them is genuine. We are constantly checking to see if they have done their homework for math, finished their project for history, or studied for their test in science. We want our kids to know that their performance in all their classes is important to us.

I love to see the expressions on people’s faces when I tell them I teach 8^th-grade reluctant readers. (Many of you know this very look I am talking about.) My mother-in-law once asked me if there wasn’t any way my principal could give me a better group of kids, since I had taught at the same school for so many years. I had to explain to her that I wanted these kids. Someone needs to love them!

Opening your heart so wide gives you an opportunity to see many successes. These successes may not seem big to many, but for some of these students the ability to stay out of DMC for a whole six-weeks, pass math for the first time that year, or even make it to high school, seems like a miracle. These students become "my kids," and I remind them of that fact often.

I want the best for them, and I expect to get their best from them. I am disappointed often—and, oh, how it hurts—but that pain is always replaced with joy when I see that love can turn a student’s failures into successes.

I know that I have been successful in life because I have been loved and encouraged by my family and the supportive group of teachers I work with. As teachers, our backgrounds don’t have to be the same as our kids’; we just have to show them that we truly care about them.

When others ask me what I teach, I say, "First grade ESL." Inevitably I am then asked, "What is that?" So I tell them, "ESL is English as a Second Language. That means that most or all of my children speak English as their second language."

It is at this point that I get that look. It is sort of a cross between a confused and slightly incredulous look. Along with this look, I get the question, "Oh, but why would you want to teach that?" To that inquiry, I respond simply by saying: "ESL children are hungry for knowledge. They want so badly to learn what I have to teach. They are inquisitive, responsive, and receptive to all the information I have to instill within them. They genuinely care about what I have to say."

Then I continue, "I realize more and more that I am a defining factor in what these children take with them when they move on. Their love for the English language depends largely on how well I love the language. This is the very reason I enjoy coming to work each day. The enthusiasm for learning that my children have is infectious. They never cease to inspire and amaze me. I love my job. I love my children."

What else can I say?

As a student teacher, I had a lot to learn. While I was assigned to Mrs. Nellius for that six-week period, she took me under her wing and gently taught me the things that I needed to know and would eventually incorporate into my own teaching style. She was my role model in every sense of the word. She exemplified the "Portrait of a Teacher."

University education classes had not exposed me to all that I needed to know. Mrs. Nellius helped me in areas as varied as classroom discipline, rapport with students, and assessment of something as subjective as artwork. She would even spend her only conference period giving me mini-lessons in areas with which I was unfamiliar, so that the following day I could teach with confidence.

This woman whom I came to admire had a joy for life and a love for what she was doing that spilled over into the lives of everyone she met. She filled her students, including myself, with that same joy. My original plan had been to become a librarian, but Mrs. Nellius changed all that. Not only did I decide after those six weeks that I truly wanted to be a teacher, but I realized how much I still had to learn. Thus began the road of another life-long learner.

Mrs. Nellius decided to retire at the end of that school year. Since she encouraged me to apply for the position, I attribute my first teaching assignment to her. She was a wonderful role model, my mentor, and my friend.

Everything I needed to know about teaching I learned at my mother’s kitchen table. For 20 years my mother and her best friend—both teachers—met their "Kitchen Table College" over a pot of coffee. I was 12 or 13 when I began attending classes, listening in at first because they let me, later because I was interested. They opened each "class" with a review of the week’s successes and failures, moved to district issues, then to educational policy. They wove laughter, compassion, and a commitment to children and education throughout every class.

Each woman brought her strengths to the curriculum. From Mrs. Jowell I learned about enthusiasm and community involvement. Classes at the "KTC" were punctuated by peals of laughter. Mrs. Jowell always had a funny story, and she was usually the brunt of it. With a twinkle and a smile, she saw the lighter side of every situation. Attending football games, basketball games, volleyball matches, swim meets, choir concerts, and plays, she built a legendary commitment to the community. I learned that to really appreciate a child, you should step out of the classroom and into the gym for a game or into the auditorium for a performance.

Mrs. Jowell’s teaching partner at KTC was my mother, Peggy Hoover. I learned innovation—and tradition—from her. Shortly before her retirement, my mother enthusiastically embraced technology, piloting a computer lab in her Labay reading classes. She believed technology could unlock the reluctant reader, but never gave up her tried-and-true methods. Today she surfs the Internet, harasses politicians by e-mail, and connects with people all over the country. However, she uses the same phonics program to teach her grandchildren to read that she used over 30 years ago to teach her children to read—with the added computer tutorials, of course.

When I became a teacher in 1983, I brought my experiences to the table. The two best pieces of advice I received from my professors?

From Mrs. Jowell: "It’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission." I used that advice frequently as a novice teacher, and resort to it now, too, much to the dismay of my principal.

From my mother: "The Rule of 72." An issue is important, she said, if it will still be important when you are 72, or when the child is 72. This filter helps me determine what to stand up for and what to laugh about.

Today, when faced with a dilemma, I think back to that harvest gold/avocado green "classroom," and I ask myself what the professors at the Kitchen Table College would do. The answer: laugh, and then deal with it with courage, compassion, and common sense.

When I was a young child, my grandmother was a very positive role model in my life. She taught me to treat people the way I would like to be treated. These lessons about the core values of life have provided the foundation of who I am today. While teaching math, science, and social studies skills to my students, my goal is to instill the essential qualities that will help them to become productive, quality citizens.

As each school year begins, I attempt to create an environment where my students can learn and be successful. Key elements of that environment include the students’ understanding of the learning process and their comfort with me. If these are present, then I know that they can be successful.

Children must be guided daily in their learning experiences. One of the first things that I tell my students is that we are learning together, and that, though we should strive for perfection, no one is perfect. I tell them that they may make mistakes and that I could as well. But as we become friends and grow to know each other better, we will have mutual respect and treat others the way we would like to be treated.

I strive to be organized and prepared when my students enter my classroom. I encourage my students to complete their homework because it helps them to practice skills they have learned in class. I tell them that I also have homework. My homework is to prepare lessons and materials to teach them and to grade their work.

I love rewarding my students for staying on-task, following directions, and doing a great job in class. Sitting at the teacher’s desk, taking their shoes off in class, extra time to read with a friend, to name a few items from the "Privilege Menu," are exciting activities that put smiles on their faces.

As educated, responsible students they will be successful in this world. I am truly blessed to be a part of this experience.

For as long as I can remember, I have had an interest in making things. During my early teen years, I enjoyed making toys and various objects out of lumber and metal. I was elated when I enrolled in high school and saw that Wood Shop was included on my schedule. My first project was not very impressive, but it was the beginning of a great career.

My woodworking teacher was a caring person. Not only was he a great teacher, he taught his students character and the skills that are needed to be successful in the world in which we live.

My four years in high school were very productive. I did very well in all of my classes. All of my teachers were great, but Mr. Stewart was above the others. Mr. Stewart is one of the reasons that I went to college and majored in Industrial Education. He was a true role model to me.

I try to emulate the skills and knowledge that I acquired in my industrial arts classes and to pass them on to my students so that they can be the best that they can be. Teachers play an important role in the lives of their students.

Many years ago a young, shy girl was given the gift of a lifetime. The gift was a teacher/coach who instilled in the girl a desire to succeed and a confidence to meet the challenges life had to offer. She took a very untalented girl and inspired her to do her best.

I was that girl. This teacher made school come alive each day through her great story-telling skills. She could tell the best stories! She was forever searching for ways to entertain us by offering unique games for us to participate in. She encouraged us daily through positive words and creative dressing-room decorations. If something was not right, she made it right. She made everything we did a production.

Most of all, she took the time to show me that believing in myself was the key to achieving great things. When I was down, she would lift me up with a simple, "Chin up!"

Every day I sought her approval and longed to hear one of her lectures on the game of life. She always went the extra mile by giving us poems and stories of inspiration before games. She spent the extra time it took to plan trips for us to provide us growing opportunities.

She would do off-the-wall kinds of things like wearing bunny ears to signal the start of spring. She would do anything to get our attention, and then she would go straight to the business of teaching us a lesson about the topic of the day.

This teacher created some of my most treasured memories during my school days. These memories make me smile often as I am teaching and coaching. Her greatest gift, her belief in me, motivates me throughout my life and gives me the confidence to go out and try to make a difference in the lives of my students. She truly was, and still is, my "Koach."

Thanks, "Koach," for the greatest school days and the inspiration to live a happy and complete life that matters.

For the past 17 years I couldn’t have asked for a better role model and mentor than my principal at Ault Elementary, Jane Tipps. It is because of her nurturing and guidance that I have grown as a teacher. Through her example, I have learned to embrace many "truths" about teaching.

She helped me realize the importance of being a "team player." By helping each other and sharing our knowledge, we are helping the children that we serve. She helped me understand the importance of personal and professional growth. She taught me that it is crucial that we "connect" with our students on a personal level in order to reach them.

I believe that the most productive times in a person’s life are generally the direct result of encouragement from people that show respect for, love of, and faith in that person. She encouraged me to make my students feel comfortable enough and confident enough to be risk-takers, to be problem-solvers, to "think outside the box," and to love learning.

Finally, Jane’s example taught me always to follow the Golden Rule. I believe in treating parents with the same respect and compassion that I would like to be treated with if one of my own children were in trouble or "at-risk." I believe in treating my fellow teachers the way I would like to be treated. A positive attitude and a sharing spirit go a long way.

And, most of all, I try always to remember that the children are the "bottom line." I believe that we need to take care to nourish their hearts as well as their minds and treat them with love, patience, and compassion.

I would like to extend my undying gratitude to Jane Tipps for being my role model, my mentor, and my friend.

My first year of teaching, in South Bend, Indiana, found me next door to a person who, after 30 years, I still consider to be one of my best friends and a role model who helped me more than anyone to be the teacher I am today. His name is Carl Modlin.

Carl taught me to be firm, but fair with students. He showed me by example to be patient when students don’t understand after the first, second, or even third explanation. Carl never showed the frustration we all feel when the students fail to grasp the concept we spent so much effort preparing to teach.

I feel that my best quality is the patience I have with my students. I hope that by modeling that patience, some of it will rub off on my students. I wonder how many times during my teaching career that I have been confronted with a situation and have said to myself, "What would Carl do?"

Learn, love, and laugh—these three words best describe my approach to teaching my first graders.

Learn. Learning not only encompasses the academics but also the skills that will help each child become a confident adult. To help my students reach their potential, I create a classroom that promotes risk-taking and focuses on the positive self-esteem of each student. I try to create an environment where each child meets success every day. If the students feel good about themselves, the opportunities they encounter are endless.

Love. At the beginning of every school year, I tell my new first graders that I love them. They hear this every day. My classroom is full of hugs and words of encouragement. I believe that these words and feelings helped my class endure a horrible tragedy this year. My one hope is that my class will learn to accept and deal with differences they will encounter in their lifetime. We cried together and discussed how we would accept the difference in their classmate. I am amazed at the love and acceptance my class has shown their friend. I feel a sense of pride when I see the compassion and love for each other. I think the loving environment created in our classroom helped them overcome this obstacle.

Laugh. This one word is such an important part of life and teaching. I cannot think of a time when laughter is not a part of our school day.

I feel that if I continue to emphasize these three concepts to my students, I will help in creating confident, compassionate, loving individuals.

I could not have become a "Spotlight" teacher if it weren’t for the many great role models I’ve had throughout my life—role models who have inspired me always to care about and to believe in every child. It is an honor to receive such a recognition, but it seems funny to be acknowledged for doing something that I love so much.

Teaching at Owens has meant the world to me. My principal for eight years was Melissa. She taught me what dedication really is. Melissa is one of the most dedicated ladies I will ever have the opportunity to work with. It was to my advantage to work with such an inspiring leader.

My new principal, Laura, is also a role model of the caliber that every teacher should have. Her love of children is evident every day. She encourages us to give our best and to demonstrate a positive attitude toward our students. Laura provides us with an atmosphere that all parents would want their children to experience.

To teach at Owens is to be surrounded by some of the most talented and dedicated teachers I could ever have the honor to work with. There are far too many to go down the list, but the teachers and staff, both present and past, have touched my life in more ways than they will ever know.

Kelly is another co-worker who taught me what it is to give from the heart. Although she has moved on, Kelly still holds a very special place in my heart, and I admire all of her qualities. She taught me so much.

Ana, whom I was also given the opportunity to work with, has a heart of gold. Ana, you are an example to us all.

Marlene was also a great role model and showed me what was expected from a teacher. I will be grateful always.

Each year on the first day of school I tell my students that we are now a family. We talk about the respect that every person deserves no matter what his or her situation is. Because of the influence of my professional role models, I’ve been able to establish my goal as a teacher: make sure that every child feels comfortable in my classroom. Although we know that life is not always fair, I want my students to know that I will try to be as fair as I can.

In addition to such here-and-now role models, I think that every person remembers a special teacher that he or she treasures deeply. Because of these strong, positive memories, that teacher will continue to be a role model long after the teaching assignment is done. My special teacher was Mrs. Layton. I will never forget her name, and I will never forget how she always made me feel comfortable. She was so gentle and so kind, especially when other children made fun of my glasses or shoes. She always made things okay.

I have had many dear friends who have encouraged me when I was down. They encourage me to continue the job I’m doing, even sometimes when a situation seems hopeless. They are great listeners, another quality of wonderful role models. (Thanks to my encouragers—you know who you are.)

I was blessed to have had four brothers and five sisters. They, too, have been great examples in my life. I hold each of them dear to my heart. Many of their experiences have made me a stronger person. I could never explain the impact that each of them has made, but I assure you that their love of family, dedication to God, and unselfish attitudes have inspired me.

As you might imagine, it takes a great mother—and a lot of sacrifice—to rear 10 children. My mother often told me, "Malia I could never teach. I would not have the patience." And I would tell her I could never parent 10 children. Although she is no longer with us, she remains the perfect role model. I admired her so. She always made me feel so special, but actually she was the special one. My dad has helped me understand what commitment means. He was committed to us all.

I’m not sure that you will understand the next group of role models, but I assure you that these four people have "modeled" for me so many times. They are my own children. Their determination and faith are a witness to me every day, showing how precious life is and how we should make the most out of every moment. I could not be more proud of them. My daughter hopes to be a teacher someday, and I know that her compassion and love will make her the best. My sons show me each day what it means to give a hundred percent. They are always willing to give their best.

I would like to share the best role model of all, and that is my best friend, my husband Don. He has such a love for life, and he helps me each day to be the best person I can be. Don is a person who "walks his talk." His parents have also been an inspiration in my life. They did such a terrific job in parenting their son and teaching him to treat others with love and respect.

As is evident in this paper, it takes many role models to make us into the people we become. What we hope for is that most of our role models are positive ones, but there are no guarantees. We can only do the best job we know how.

I hope that who I am is a part of my classroom. I hope that my example will teach students to care about others (as well as themselves) and to become successful learners. I hope I teach them to learn from their failures and to persevere until they reach that success. I hope they always see me as someone who really cares about them. I am a teacher, like so very many others, who really cares about children and loves to see them grow.

All the glory goes to the greatest model of all, God. He strengthens me and encourages me each and every day.

What better example can I set than to demonstrate to my students and colleagues that I enjoy teaching, that I like math, and that I respect each of them as individuals? My challenge as a teacher and department chair is to inspire my students and colleagues to do their best.

I set high standards for my students. I teach them that through hard work and persistence, they, too, can achieve their goals. I teach students through positive reinforcement that no matter what level of math, no matter how challenging, success in math is attainable.

As a positive role model, I teach my students that I really feel they can be successful, and they believe me! Several of my students put into words precisely what I strive to teach:

"I think the class was challenging, which is good, because that’s the way all classes should be."

"I learned a lot more in this year of math that I found interesting, after losing interest in the subject at the beginning of high school."

"I liked the rocket lab activity. It gave me a visual image of the problems we worked in class."

"Remember me? I was your German foreign exchange student last year. I’m doing well back in Germany. I really didn’t like math before I came to the U.S., to Cy-Creek actually. Now I love it."

"You make this seem so easy."

One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching is watching the positive influence one child can have on another. It reminds you why you enjoy teaching and being around children.

In elementary math, one of the things we spend much of our time working on is how to be problem-solvers. The children are shown many strategies to help them simplify problems and understand what a long word problem is really asking of them.

I have had so many students who have done a wonderful job of following directions and showing me that they were really using these tactics. But one child stands out. I feel that every strategy that I had ever demonstrated to this child showed up on her papers. Her work was beautiful. She drew pictures to help her, highlighted important information, crossed out extra information, worked each problem several different ways, and checked her work. She even told me what was wrong with the wrong answers.

Her work paid off—she made a 100 on a difficult benchmark test. I was so proud of her, and I wanted her to be proud of herself. I praised her in class and asked her to share how using all of her strategies had helped her. I noticed other children at her table using the same strategies and doing their best to follow her example. I required all the students to show the strategies that they had used, but now many could see that there was a real benefit to using them.

When it was time for our next major test, another student followed the lead of this great role model. Most of the students used the strategies I had shown, but, again, one child did an amazing job. She was the last one to finish, and her test booklet was filled with pictures, work, diagrams, and charts. She had never spent so much time or put forth so much effort. She knew it would pay off, and she wanted me to grade it as soon as I could. She only missed three! She had improved her score (over the last test) more than any other student in my class. It was so amazing to see how proud she was of herself. I let her share with the others what she felt she had done differently on this test. What another great role model for the other students!

My 5^th-grade year had been filled with straight, silent rows, harsh words, and no shared laughter with the teacher. Her footsteps resounded on the wooden floor as she walked up and down the aisles; she was checking. Checking for homework, checking for late assignments, checking for those students who were brave enough to whisper to a neighbor. But she couldn’t keep a check on my attitude. I hated going to school, and I refused to do my work. I failed fifth grade.

I passed summer school, entered sixth grade on a trial basis, and fell in love with my new teacher, Mrs. Morales. What a positive impact she had on my life! I don’t remember being read to in the earlier grades, but Mrs. Morales read to us all the time. She was the first to instill in me a love for reading. She told us about a book-of-the-month club. Did I tell her how exciting it was to receive a book in the mail? I devoured the "Happy Hollisters" series, National Velvet, Around the World in Eighty Days, and many more. Sharing a love of books was only one aspect of her legacy to children.

Mrs. Morales’s big, friendly smile greeted us each morning, and she was always ready to laugh at our silly antics. If our class had worked especially well on a lesson, she would allow some free time. She never used this time to work at her desk. She joined us in playing eraser tag, telling jokes, or whatever else struck our fancy.

Every moment wasn’t filled with games. She taught a steady supply of math, science, geography, and grammar, the very same subjects I had refused to learn before. That year I always tried my very best, because I didn’t want to disappoint her. Math was especially difficult for me, and I dreaded the traditional relay races to work problems on the board. Mrs. Morales never made us race; we went to the board on a volunteer basis. Yes, I went to the board sometimes, but only after I was absolutely sure I could do the problem. She realized our need for private failure.

Mrs. Morales created a classroom that belonged to us, the children. We tended the plants growing on the window ledges, counted and recorded the number of plate lunches to be purchased, and decorated the bulletin boards. My turn to decorate arrived a few weeks before Valentine’s Day. Another girl and I carefully designed and pinned up the red hearts, white paper doilies, and pink letters with straight pins. No thumb tacks for us! We didn’t want anything to distract from our display. For many days after that, I found my eyes straying to the bulletin board. I didn’t need Mrs. Morales to tell me that we had done a good job; I knew it myself.

By the end of the year, I realized that school could be enjoyable if the teacher shared her passion for learning…if she took the time to laugh with the students…if she respected the fact that students want to please…if she instilled in them that there is pleasure in assuming responsibility and joy in giving a good work effort. If she did all these things, she just might influence a stubborn, unmotivated child to become a teacher who would remember and try to follow all of these if’s in her own career!

My journey begins in college; I was planning on teaching history and coaching. For one of my education classes, I was asked to observe an elementary school class, and I found myself out in the gym. I just could not stop smiling. This was the most fantastic place I had ever been. The teacher I observed, who later became my role model, constantly demonstrated and modeled positive physical activities for her students. Seeing children playing, having fun, and learning at the same time changed my educational goals, prompting me to pursue a career as an elementary physical educator.

As I began to build my own philosophy and program, I emulated the role models I have had throughout my life. I began to realize the importance of being a role model to my own students. I feel the cornerstone of a successful physical education program is to be a teacher who practices what he preaches. Throughout my years as a teacher, my number one goal has been to strive to meet the needs of all of my students—not only for their physical fitness, but also for their emotional health and self-esteem.

My leisure time is filled with activities that keep my body strong and healthy. I enjoy jumping rope, roller-blading, weight-lifting, volleyball, and golf. Through these hobbies I maintain an active lifestyle and a positive body image. If I am trying to teach my students how to be healthy, I must show them that it is also a priority in my life.

In my program I teach my students strategies and give them tools to lead healthful lifestyles. I teach them movements to build muscles and stretches to increase flexibility, and I provide them opportunities to experience a variety of activities that they can enjoy for a lifetime. I am constantly modeling activities for my students.

To spend six classes per day demonstrating push-ups, curl-ups, throwing, catching, jumping, and stretching takes someone in good physical condition. Students need to see their adult leaders being physically active and setting good examples. This ideal is what I try to achieve every day when I walk into our school.

Students need adults in their lives who can lead them and guide them to make positive choices and decisions. I believe it is our responsibility as teachers to build positive relationships with children and their families. These relationships set the foundation for students to become healthy adults. The journey does not end, but continues for a lifetime.

As a high school senior, I received course credits for working half-days as an aide in a Montessori school. During the experience, I had the opportunity to work with a certain young boy whom I will never forget.

"O." had been struggling in class and needed extra help. We began with learning to write his name. This poor child had the challenge of a long name with many circular-shaped letters. He and I worked everyday. At the end of two long weeks, he successfully wrote his name! After I had lavished all the praise he could handle, I sat back and realized he would be writing this name for the rest of his life and that I had helped. This was a very powerful and monumental event for the both of us.

I began to understand what a role teachers play in our lives. It was then I made the decision to become a kindergarten teacher. I chose to focus on the importance of building a strong foundation of learning from the beginning of a child’s education. All kindergarten teachers have the challenge not only to introduce students to academics but also to create responsible individuals.

I have always believed in approaching students in a positive way. I try to be a positive adult in their lives. I teach students the importance of respecting not only the teacher but also their peers. When problems arise in our class, we stop and call a class meeting. We turn down the lights and pass a lighted microphone around the circle. Each student has the opportunity to discuss causes of and possible solutions to the problem. Every student also has the chance to express a positive comment to a peer. Everyone leaves feeling good about himself, and we have solved the problem.

I want to share a bumper sticker I saw one day as I was driving down the road. On it was printed, "If you can read this sign, thank a teacher." Every one of us plays such an important part in children’s lives.

Finally, I want to thank my parents and all the teachers who provided the positive foundations in my own life.

"As the old man walked the beach at dawn, he noticed a young man ahead of him picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea. Finally catching up with the youth, he asked him why he was doing this. The answer was that the stranded starfish would die if left until the morning sun.

‘But the beach goes on for miles; there are millions of starfish,’ countered the other. ‘How can your effort make a difference?’

The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw it to safety in the waves.

‘It makes a difference to this one,’ he said."

This story has been the underlying theme of my teaching career. Choosing the field of preschool special education came easily to me. The difficult part was learning to become the kind of teacher needed by young children with disabilities.

After being in the field nearly 12 years, I can truly say that I’ve been a teacher AND a student. Every child is different, and each year brings new learning experiences for all of us. By continuing to attend workshops, researching on the Internet, and reading articles and books about disabilities and strategies, I have gained new knowledge. When applying this new knowledge in my classroom, my goal is to make a difference for the "starfish" who come to me to learn.

As I reflect over my 13 years of teaching, I see myself as a totally different teacher now than I was in my early years. The knowledge I’ve gained and the things I’ve experienced have made me into a teacher who feels truly blessed to be able to do what I enjoy doing.

The revelation that I am a lifelong learner hit me one day while I sat dumbfounded as one of my students told me, "Sit, Ms. Bruce, and let me show you how to do this." Early in my career, I had the attitude that I was the teacher, that they were the students, and that I knew more than they did about everything. It is so refreshing today to know and be able to admit that I learn something new every day—whether it be from my students, colleagues, or my children at home!

I have been fortunate to teach at three high schools in Louisiana, and I have gained valuable knowledge from all of them. My eight years at Cypress Falls have been truly rewarding. I am working with the best teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals I have ever encountered. I will be forever grateful to everyone who has given me support and guidance over the years. It is because of others and their knowledge that I feel that I am becoming a more complete person, both personally and professionally.

"Boys and girls, today we are learning about nouns. There are three kinds of nouns. Can you name them?" This scene, with me at the age of eight standing by a chalkboard, replays through my mind as I think about my childhood and the times I began practicing my teaching skills. Whenever possible, I would "dream" of being the teacher, and I would practice with my friends.

My dream became a reality in the summer of 1996 when I was assigned a classroom of my very own. From that moment on, a constant hunger for learning ensued. I would search for hours for the perfect professional books to guide and inform me. The stack next to my bed continued to grow and grow. The more I read, the more excited I became, and I couldn’t wait to go back into the class and put this new knowledge into play.

Last year, I was given the chance to continue my lifelong learning when I went through training to become a Literacy Collaborative Coordinator. This opportunity was the most challenging and rewarding time thus far in my career. I spent countless hours reading and reading and reading some more, and just when I thought I had to know it all, I realized that I didn’t know half of what I thought I did. The growth I experienced as a learner was phenomenal, and I often look back on the previous years and wonder how my students ever learned.

This year my learning continues with additional training. On the days I am out of the building, I always tell the boys and girls I am going to school. One day, while I was at training, my partner had our class write letters congratulating me on being named the "Spotlight" teacher.

The next day when I returned, one of our first-grade ESL students walked up to me and asked, "Where you were?" I replied, "I was gone to my school, so I can come back and be a better teacher." He looked at me with a puzzled expression and said, "But you already got the award."

That moment only reinforced for me that being a lifelong learner is a journey that continues regardless of how much you have already grown. This journey of learning is ongoing through the years, and there is never a finish line that would allow you to say, "I now know it all!"

Growing up in rural Alabama in the ‘60s and ‘70s had a direct effect on my teaching career. Unfortunately, I cannot say that my former teachers inspired me. Our class of roughly 40 students stayed together, with few exceptions, from 1^st through 12^th grade. Throughout elementary school, our class was viewed as "difficult." We drudged through our studies, never straying from the textbook, and we were bored. Of course we misbehaved.

Now, as I teach my fifth graders, I remember my own experiences. I try to teach every lesson so that the students personally connect. I constantly learn new information to add to science or social studies that will make the lessons interesting. I read children’s literature in order to recommend books to my students. I want my students to see that learning, school, and education aren’t dull or boring, and that when the desire to seek knowledge comes from within, it can be very rewarding. So, even though my teachers didn’t inspire me in the usual sense, I suppose they did help mold me into the teacher I’ve become.

And what of my graduating class? Only two students went on to complete college—my husband and I. Most everyone else soon married and went to work. While that in itself may not be so bad, I can’t help feeling that our public education failed us. I wonder what we could have become if our teachers had inspired us to embrace education and to seek knowledge for our own purposes. This is what I wish to share with the students I teach.

I am a lifelong learner! As an educator, I am always working to model this trait and to inspire my students to become lifelong learners also. Every time I present a lesson, or re-teach a skill, I try to find a way to make it come alive for my students. If they can make personal connections to what they are learning, they will be able to see the value of their learning. Learning is exciting, and by continually seeking to learn new things, people can lead exciting lives.

This thinking was the basis of our presenting the Family Geography Challenge last year. We encouraged families to do geography activities together once a week, for six weeks. To help, we provided them with a variety of ideas and challenged them to add their own to the list. The response was overwhelming. The families really enjoyed their activities and had a fun time learning together.

At the end of the challenge, our families shared the journals of their activities. It was so exciting to hear of the great things they did! Many parents and students thanked me for providing a challenge that motivated them to learn together.

If part of our identities are formed by our experiences and relationships, then I am an amazingly fortunate woman. I am surrounded by those who encourage me to do more and to investigate more deeply. Often, they don’t even realize their influence. My own sense of complacency and laziness gets its foundation rocked every day because of my relationships with family, friends, colleagues, administrators, and students.

My family has given me the comfort and safety in which to grow. My friends have traded books with me and have talked and talked and talked about absolutely everything. My colleagues have asked those difficult questions with which I’ve had to struggle—those dealing with curriculum, best practices, assessment, and motivation. My administrators have sent me to workshops and institutes and have trusted me implicitly in the classroom. My students have kept me honest and young. They might roll their eyes when I don’t catch one of their allusions, but by forcing me to look more deeply, I believe that they have taught me more than I have ever taught them.

My hope for my students is that I can provide them with all that those who inspire me provide—a comfortable environment, thought-provoking conversation, essential questions, and implicit trust. We learn together daily, and I’d be honored if I could help them make a little more sense of their journey.

Several years ago, a freshman in my homeroom class distinguished himself by being frequently tardy, causing occasional trouble, and eventually making an unfortunate choice that landed him a visit to the District’s Alternative Learning Center. When "A." returned to Jersey Village, he continued to have difficulties.

My role as learner began three years later when he became a student in my Precalculus class. I must admit that I was less than enthusiastic to have him as a student again. However, much to my surprise, A. had become an exceptional student. He was always prepared for class, and he contributed thought-provoking ideas to class discussions. He was a joy to teach and made an "A" on nearly every test.

One day the opportunity presented itself for me to compliment A. on what a fine young man he had become. His response was, "I was tired of being a punk." Then he said, "But you never treated me like a punk." I was very ashamed at myself for doubting this young man’s potential, and I was equally glad that I had kept those thoughts to myself. In that moment, I realized that a teacher should never, ever give up on any of his or her students.

Each year I am presented with challenging students, and I remember A. and his lesson for me. He taught me more about teaching than any college course or textbook ever had. By the way, today A. proudly serves his country in the United States Navy.

I realized on my first day of elementary school that I was destined to be a lifelong learner. I had the unique opportunity to attend a one-room schoolhouse in rural Nebraska from kindergarten through 2^nd grade. It was there I met the person who opened the door to learning for me, Mrs. Robinson.

She inspired me to learn all about the world and to savor new ideas daily. Each day in her classroom was a wonderful learning experience for me. In every lesson she motivated me to explore new subjects and use my imagination to the fullest. I couldn’t wait to get back to school the next day to be part of her learning environment. She made learning exciting and fun.

She encouraged me to have a true love of learning and a desire to explore the world around me. She also made me feel I had the imagination of Leonardo da Vinci and the creative abilities of a Pablo Picasso. She planted the seed within me to learn every day of my life.

I’ve taken up this quest of learning daily throughout my life. I’ve traveled and explored the world she opened to me when I was five years old. I wake up each day looking forward to learning something new.

Art education has been a perfect tool for me in motivating my students to explore the world around them, just as I did that first day of kindergarten. As a large-group art teacher, I have a goal of providing all my artists with a rich learning environment where they can imagine, create, and reflect on each lesson.

As I look out at all my aspiring Leonardos and Pablos at Adam Elementary, I strive for them to gain the love for learning about the world around them, just as I did from my amazing teacher on my first day of school.

This is the third time since that I have been privileged to be named "Spotlight" teacher, and I attribute my success to the undeniable influence of my mentor and earliest teacher, Annelisa Meyer Jones. She has been battling cancer for three years, so I deemed it appropriate to dedicate this award to her.

She made me a lifelong learner by modeling the philosophy, "I don't know, but I'll find out." In 1973 I didn't know if I had the ability to be a successful teacher, but I was determined to find out. Now, 28 years later, my personnel file is bursting with teaching certificates from three states and appraisals from eight buildings in five districts from Michigan to Texas.

Lifelong learning through teaching has included the following subjects: World, U.S., and Texas History; English 6-12; Reading 6-12; Economics, Psychology, and Street Law; Skills for Adolescence, A.A.S., and Teen Leadership; and Journalism I and II.

Other learning experiences for me include sponsorship of student groups (newspaper, yearbook, Student Council, and tennis club), serving on countless committees, and participating in local and federal grant writing. Along the way, job titles have varied with each assignment—Team Leader, Lead Mentor, Core Team Coordinator, Building Technology Trainer, Title I Coordinator, Reading Specialist, to name a few. I am most proud of bringing the at-risk program CORE to CFISD and training seven secondary staff teams.

I apologize, however, Ann Jones, that in a career which has spanned four decades, none of my former students has discovered the cure for cancer. They don't know yet, but they'll find out! My thanks goes to you, my mentor, earliest teacher, and mom.

A few years ago I was looking through our "Posted Notes" newsletter, and I noticed that CFISD had a call out for Instructional Excellence Grant applications. I was intrigued by the thought of writing a grant to purchase some books for my second-grade ESL students to take home and read to their parents.

I had never written a grant before, and I was a bit unprepared for what I was about to experience, but with the advice of several teachers I began completing the application. Once the application was submitted, I waited on pins and needles for weeks until the notification deadline.

Finally, the day arrived, and I was awarded the grant! I could hardly contain my excitement. I now had the grant-writing bug! Throughout the past few years, I have successfully written several other grants to fund the purchase of materials that have helped teachers work toward extending literacy instruction at Post.

I chose to write about my experience with grants in the "Team Player" section of "Spotlight" because grant writing truly takes a team effort. The effort begins at the top with the entity funding the grants. All but one of the grants I received were sponsored through the CFISD Instructional Excellence Grants, Staff Development Grants, or Toshiba Grants.

Our district supports innovative programs and provides funds for these programs to be implemented in our schools. Additionally, members of the support staff at the District level are always available to answer questions and give suggestions to insure smooth grant implementation.

The second group of team players is the administration at Post. These ladies work with me to brainstorm ideas, edit drafts, and implement the activities. They never tire of looking at the applications "just one more time," and for that I am eternally grateful.

Another vital player is our principal's secretary. She keeps track of the budgets, completes all the purchase orders, and checks in all the materials. The most important team members are the numerous teachers I have had the pleasure of working with while implementing the grants. These ladies always give of their time and energy to help select appropriate materials and see that the pro