TOP EDUCATORS PUT YOUNG MINDS FIRST 16 IN L.A. COUNTY NAMED TEACHERS OF YEAR.Byline: DANA BARTHOLOMEW Staff Writer UNIVERSAL CITY -- They can turn science into game shows, history into classroom theater and school into a stage for lifelong learning Lifelong learning is the concept that "It's never too soon or too late for learning", a philosophy that has taken root in a whole host of different organisations. Lifelong learning is attitudinal; that one can and should be open to new ideas, decisions, skills or behaviors. . They're the dynamos Dynamos may mean:
dust - fine powdery material such as dry earth or pollen that can be blown about in the air; "the furniture was covered with dust" vanishes into daily life. On Friday, 16 of the 80,000 educators in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County were named Teachers of the Year during the largest such contest in the state. Five of the winners hailed from San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. area schools. ``What you do will turn children's lives around,'' Darline P. Robles Robles is a common surname in the Spanish language meaning oaks, and may refer to:
``Thank you for making a difference in children's lives and the lives of their families. Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart.'' Dubbed dub 1 tr.v. dubbed, dub·bing, dubs 1. To tap lightly on the shoulder by way of conferring knighthood. 2. To honor with a new title or description. 3. the ``Sweet 16,'' the recipients were selected from 67 finalists. They will now compete in the state contest, with that recipient representing California at the national level. Among them is Jennifer Almer, who teaches second grade at Joaquin Miller Elementary School elementary school: see school. in Burbank, where she brings history to life through classroom re-enactments. ``We become the people we study,'' said Almer, 31, who recently taught her students about Ellis Island Ellis Island, island, c.27 acres (10.9 hectares), in Upper New York Bay, SW of Manhattan island. Government-controlled since 1808, it was long the site of an arsenal and a fort, but most famously served (1892–1954) as the chief immigration station of the United . ``We dress up. We have IQ tests, quarantines. We change our names. Some people make it through; others are deported. ``It's involvement, it's taking kids as they are and moving them as far as they can go. I don't believe in stupid kids. All kids have smarts.'' The top teachers spoke of leading children to want to learn, and of believing in those entrusted to their care. Of singing ``Zippity Doo-Dah'' before unlocking their classrooms and ``expecting great things will happen today'' -- and they do. Of half-eaten sandwiches, piles of ungraded papers, of lesson plans at home that can eat into time with family. In all, they spoke of the power of the teacher to help youngsters grow to lead rich and fulfilling lives. ``It's incredible,'' said Alan Sitomer, a Teacher of the Year from Lynwood. ``What we do really matters.'' Castaic Middle School teacher John B. de Lemos recalled leaving the profession to become a chiropractor chiropractor a practitioner in chiropractic. chiropractor A health professional trained in chiropractic; chiropractors do not perform surgery or prescribe drugs; of 50,000 licensed chiropractors in the US, many practice 'straight' chiropractic, ie but being drawn back to the passion of teaching. ``I'm accused of being a game-show host -- firing questions, keeping the kids on their toes, giving them motivational points,'' said de Lemos, 31, who makes a game out of his science and health classes. ``While I'm entertaining them, they don't realize that I'm sneaking in the science along with the fun.'' Ruth Kritz, who teaches computer tech and physical education at A.E. Wright Middle School in Calabasas, has engaged each and every student for 26 years in the classroom. ``I really believe in kids, truly,'' said Kritz, of West Hills. ``I believe that all kids can be successful. You have to feel what their passions are, what they love. Kids are our future, it's important they know that we believe in them.'' Laura Arrowsmith was seated in an 11th-grade history class studying the likes of Lewis and Clarke when she suddenly knew she would teach history. Today, the teacher at West Ranch High School West Ranch High School is a public high school in the community of Stevenson Ranch, Los Angeles County, California. Mr. Bob Vincent has been the school's principal ever since it opened in 2004. in Saugus aims to make teaching social studies and history fun -- and stress-free. ``I want my students to become civic-minded, knowledgeable, skilled readers, skilled writers,'' said Arrowsmith, of Saugus. ``By the time they are my age, they will have forgotten their history, but they will be solid readers, solid writers and good thinkers -- that will stay with them forever.'' When Dawna Countryman was in kindergarten in Los Angeles, family strife at home compelled her teacher to sometimes let her stay the night. And when her mother had to get on a bus at dawn, her second-grade teacher would make it a point to open her classroom early so that Dawna had a warm place to sit. In high school, it was her teachers who helped her get scholarships to camp and college. Now a fifth-grade teacher at Tesoro del Valle Elementary in Saugus, Countryman has become the same kind of advocate for her students. ``Connecting, motivating, expecting the best from my scholars,'' said Countryman, 41, of Saugus. ``I'm as involved in their learning as they are. ``It's validating because I make the same connection with my students that my teachers made with me.'' dana.bartholomew(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3730 CAPTION(S): 5 photos Photo: (1 -- color) JENNIFER ALMER Burbank USD USD In currencies, this is the abbreviation for the U.S. Dollar. Notes: The currency market, also known as the Foreign Exchange market, is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average volume of over US $1 trillion. (2 -- color) LAURA ARROWSMITH William S William, crown prince of Germany William or Frederick William, 1882–1951, crown prince of Germany, son of William II. In World War I he commanded (1914) an army on the Western Front and was nominal commander in the German attack . Hart USD (3 -- color) JOHN B. DE LEMOS Castaic USD (4 -- color) DAWNA COUNTRYMAN Saugus USD (5 -- color) RUTH KRITZ Las Virgenes USD |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion