Six educators from Orange County, CA have recently been honored as the Teachers of the Year. Their surprise was made even more special with the presence of district officials, family, friends, and representatives from SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the sponsor of the annual gala. The Orange County Teachers of the Year Award Foundation gave each of them an apple trophy, a cash for $25,000, and an invitation to a reception in November at the Disneyland Hotel. They will also have the chance to compete for the title of California Teacher of the Year. The following educators are Orange County’s Outstanding Educators of this year:
Laura Blackie: San Joaquin Elementary School, Saddleback Valley Unified School District
Blackie, a teacher at a Title 1 school in a disadvantaged community, feels that she has the ability to help close the achievement gap. She works to motivate her students to want to learn, and gives examples of prominent figures such as astronaut José Hernández, who rose to success despite growing up as the son of migrant farm workers. Her teaching style has changed over time to become more interactive and include the use of technology. She also draws upon her own experience of learning a new language, and provides her students with tutoring at home during the summer to help them become proficient in Spanish.
Vivian Chang: Red Hill Elementary School, Tustin Unified School District
Chang had a tough upbringing, and now that she is a teacher, her main focus is to reach out to students who have faced difficulties. The classroom is not just a place for academics, and Chang had to work hard to become a teacher. As a child, she moved with her mother to South Korea, and then back to the U.S. a few years later. Her father had a stroke, causing Chang and her brother to become his caregivers. In order to support her family, she had to work three jobs while continuing her studies. These experiences have made her a sympathetic teacher, concentrating on the social and emotional needs of her students. To check if her students understood the lesson, Chang has them rate their understanding on a scale from 1 to 5. At the start of each school year, Chang and her students create a “classroom constitution” and display it in the classroom.
Kelli Elliott: Orange Coast College, Coast Community College District
Elliott is a teacher of biology and environmental science at the local college. She finds the job rewarding as it offers her the opportunity to work with students. However, she admits that it can be quite challenging since the students come from a wide range of backgrounds and ages. She explained that it can be tough to reach everyone in her larger classes. Elliott strives to be available to her students if they need extra help or start to fall behind. To further engage her students, she takes them on field trips to places such as the Mojave Desert, one of her personal favorites.
Francisco Sandoval: Orangethorpe Elementary School, Fullerton School District
Sandoval’s enthusiasm for racing is reflected in the teaching he does; he uses the sport to demonstrate mathematical concepts such as distance, speed, and time. Additionally, his language classes have students act as journalists to cover different races. After gaining interest in racing, he began to incorporate more tech-focused lessons, dividing the students into teams to look into the workings of the brake system, engine, and other car components. His ultimate ambition is to get his students to think more deeply and take their knowledge to the next level. This year, once state testing is finished, they plan to participate in a mousetrap car race that they have been working on.
Matthew Smith: Red Hill Lutheran School
Smith, the first teacher from a private school to win the award, is a teacher who takes initiative to fill any need he sees. Seven years ago, after noticing that none of the local schools had a robotics program, Smith proposed one to his principal and took the lead in designing the robotics lab and earning the necessary certification. Now the program is popular and highly sought after at Red Hill Lutheran. Smith also initiated a program to welcome new families and students to middle school, including a parents’ night, a summer “playdate”, a luncheon, and a buddy system. He is also a familiar face at his students’ extracurricular events, such as sports, performances, funerals, and graduations.
Leslie Whitaker: Esencia K-8, Capistrano Unified School District
In Ms. Whitaker’s classroom, music is an integral part of her teaching method. For the first half an hour of her class, instrumental music is played while she works with her students one-on-one or in small groups. They then sing a good morning song inspired by the famous ‘Singing in the Rain’. Music is also used when transitioning between subjects or to explain a lesson. The class ends with a song to emphasize good behaviors. Ms. Whitaker believes that instrumental music brings peace, singing brings joy, and singing together creates a sense of belongingness. These six teachers have all demonstrated their commitment to their students and their profession, making them worthy of the award of Outstanding Educator.
