This picture was taken at the Recognition of Award Winners and MRA Past President's Dinner at the MRA Conference, March 15, 2008.
From left to right: Sue Szczepanski (MRA Board Member), Suzanne Standerford (Teacher Educator Award Recipient), Karen Angeli (MRA Secondary Reading Teacher Award Recipient), and Erin Donovan (MRA Board Member).
Thank you for MRA Teacher Educator Award
Written by
N. Suzanne Standerford
March 2008
Lee Iacocca stated "Life is a team effort" in his recent book, Where Have All the Leaders Gone?Mr. Iacocca states that a good leader surrounds himself or herself with good people. I have been fortunate beyond measure in my life to be surrounded by good people who have nurtured and supported each step I that I take. This award is a recognition of "team" accomplishments and I thank my family, my students, my colleagues, and my mentors for being on my team.
As I complete my 37th year as an educator, my teaching practices continue to evolve with changing times and increasing demands. I've learned to teach online, to blog, to navigate the internet, and to answer emails at all hours of the day and night. I've learned that literacy instruction, just like life, goes through peaks and valleys as schools and teachers respond to the latest policy initiative or new idea.
To paraphrase Charles Dickens' opening in A Tale of Two Cities: It is both the best and the worst of times. We have tremendous possibilities and extremely complex, difficult challenges. However, as an educator, certain beliefs remain the core of my teaching. Deep understanding of big ideas and issues in the subjects we teach is necessary, but not sufficient. Continuously searching for better ways to reach all students is a requirement, not a choice. Perseverance to stay the course when one answer leads to three new questions is essential. Believing in the potential of each student and showing that you truly care about each individual is crucial. Trusting in yourself as a teacher and in your students as learners is paramount to all that we do.
The foundational beliefs that guide my work remain the same despite the changes and pendulum swings that I've seen. Teaching is intimate work between people. Teachers define their work anew each day as they greet those faces that enter the classroom door. Sometimes, long after students leave my classes, their faces appear again in my mind. I smile, shed a tear, or chuckle a bit. And, I know beyond a doubt why I continue to love being a teacher.
Thank you for this wonderful acknowledgment of the work that I do and of all those who participate in that work.
