2019
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Christopher AlbrechtBrockport, NY | YEARS TAUGHT: 1995 - 2019Christopher believes that his job is to teach children, but his mission is to promote lifelong learning. His pedagogy contains six key student-centered pillars: Confidence is key to learning, but given the right environment students can learn to trust themselves to make good decisions; Creativity allows for the expansion of ideas; When students take risks, the rate of failure goes up, and there is nothing wrong with this; All students want to be accepted, but there are times when there are naysayers to ideas; Students and teachers that understand work ethic increase their rate of success; and teaching service-mindedness produces future active citizens.
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DR. DAVID BOSSOBERLIN, CT | YEARS TAUGHT: 1997 - PRESENTDavid believes that encouraging students to become more aware of the world around them, to realize and appreciate multiple sides to every story and every issue, and to begin to get a better sense of their potential as global citizens, are fundamental to a students’ education. He emphasizes that good teachers are driven by a sense of moral purpose, and they have a keen appreciation for the difference they can make in students’ lives. Many times, it is paying attention to the little things that will pay important relational dividends — and this can mean the world to some students.
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Richard KnoeppelLas Vegas, NV | Years Taught: 1991-PresentAs a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher, Richard firmly believes that he needs to provide students with the knowledge and skills they will need to thrive in the future. He wants to provide them with the ability to be successful in jobs and careers that haven’t even been thought of yet. He offers this advice to beginning teachers: “Always remember that you are just as important to your school and the children you teach as a veteran teacher is. Work hard, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You are going to make mistakes, but you will be a better teacher for having made them. Don’t focus on the things you can’t change; move forward with the things you can."
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Dr. Mary jo MurrayRiviera Beach, FL | Years Taught: 1970 - Present
Mary Jo agrees with the inspirational Christa McAuliffe when she says, “I touch the future. I teach.” Dr. Murray says that the teaching tools that she has honed are basic—break down skills, encourage appropriate practice with maximum participation, reward effort, praise abundantly, ask pertinent questions during discovery, show enthusiasm, acknowledge individual differences, and include everyone.
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Dyane SmokorowskiAndover, KS | Years Taught: 1997 - Present
Dyane believes that a teacher’s role is to love first and teach second and that teachers never stop learning alongside their students. Mrs. Smokorowski was recently told that her learning environment can be described in three words: joyful, relevant, and irresistible. She responded that those characteristics were what she wanted to experience when she was in school, and added “Yes, it almost feels a bit magical.”
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