Thanks a millionHundreds of Washington students tell of their most memorable teacher and why Earlier this month the playfield at Orondo Elementary School was pumping with adrenalin and music. But that isn't unusual in this one-school district just outside of East Wenatchee where creative lessons and lots of hard work often brew. "The kids have been training all year for a marathon so we're doing it," their teacher Robert Bowman said, coming in from running a lap with a group of students. It's assignments like the marathon that make learning memorable -- and Bowman's enthusiasm that makes the lessons meaningful. Bowman is one of four educators Washington students honored this year in the 13th annual WEA "A Teacher to Remember" essay contest. Other winning essays saluted Scott Krentel at the Central Valley School District; Danielle Osting, a fifth-grade teacher at Presidents Elementary School in Arlington; and Pam Green, ELL teacher at Juanita High School in Kirkland. All of these educators -- and hundreds more -- motivate, inspire and make learning come alive, students wrote in their essays to your Association. They are dedicated to their craft. They take time to make lessons understandable and, oftentimes, they're considered friends. And in many of the entries, students say their most memorable teacher knows how to have fun -- and when to forgive. The essay contest is open to students in grades three through 12. This year WEA added an English as a second language/English language learners category. The winning essays in all four categories are on the following pages. "The Bow," as his students prefer, runs with the best of them. "When I was little I heard a lot of his students saying nice things about him. Right now I am in his class I know the things I heard about him are true," fifth-grader Omar Hernandez wrote about his teacher. Bowman has worked with many of the school's students for several years because the school switched from a K-5 when he first began teaching 12 years ago to its present-day K-7. "I followed as the school moved up grades," Bowman said. "Looping is wonderful. We have small numbers here so we get to know kids intimately." Students say Bowman is enthusiastic, kind, generous, responsible and hardworking -- and those qualities tell them their teacher is serious about their learning. They also point out in nearly the same sentence that their teacher knows all about superheroes, action adventure and Xbox. And he plays the cello and has written books for middle-schoolers. Instead of lecturing, "… he makes going to class so much more enjoyable," seventh-grader Miguel Arreola wrote in his winning essay, adding "… his ability to teach a subject (in) a way that lets us learn at our own pace." Another seventh-grader, Lorena Mendoza, summed it up this way: "What I admire most about him is how he has so much enthusiasm towards everything, how he can make you feel better in a second, and how everyone near him enjoys it." Winner -- grade three to five Student: Bradley Graham, Third grade, University Elementary School, Spokane Valley
Teacher: Scott Krentel A teacher to remember is Scott Krentel. Mr. Krentel taught second grade. Mr. Krentel lives in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He always made me want to come to school because he taught me how to do math, science, and he helped me with spelling. These are the reasons why I enjoyed Mr. Krentel. The most important reason that I enjoyed having Mr. Krentel is that he helped me with math. He helped me with my addition facts. Once he brought in a bag of candy and we played a game and we got to eat candy in class! Finally, he helped me do my multiplication facts. We would play around the world for candy with multiplication facts. Now I love math because of him. The second reason why I enjoyed Mr. Krentel is that he helped me with science. We did a lot of experiments in science. We did space and air experiments. Now I love science. The third and final reason why I enjoyed having Mr. Krentel is that he helped me with my spelling. He helped me spell long words. One day he helped me spell Jupiter. He helped us with words that we don't see every day. Once he told us to just sound out the words. We all got one hundred percent. I love Mr. Krentel because he taught lots of things, but that is not the only reason why I love him. The reason why I love Mr. Krentel is that he is a good friend. The reason why I think Mr. Krentel is a good friend is not only because he taught me lots of things but also because he is kind, gentle, and generous. I love Mr. Krentel! Winner – grade six to eight Student: Caroline Rensel, Seventh grade, Post Middle School, Arlington Teacher: Danielle Osting, Presidents Elementary
On the first day of fifth grade, I entered Mrs. Osting's classroom. Rumors had been flying about the fifth-grade teachers, and everyone was nervous. However, I had never even heard of this teacher! Over time I learned to love and appreciate her. With hard work, interesting projects, and fun, Mrs. Osting taught us an abundance of things that I still use today. First, Mrs. Osting taught us to labor over learning. Every night we read and practiced math. There were rewards for this, like candy, but the biggest was that I became good at math. I can also recall toiling over books, doing work sheets on them. I got a three on the first one, and she said she knew I could do better. From then on, I tried to do better than my best. She also read to us, and then we could forget we were in a classroom and be magically transported to another place. Mrs. Osting always seemed proud of us; she was like a second mother. Additionally, we did fun, riveting projects and we hardly noticed we were learning. One project was the wax museum, where you presented someone from history that you admired. I chose Elizabeth Blackwell, but I really looked up to my teacher. We made model rockets, and I enjoy rockets as a hobby. It's satisfying to launch a miniature missile into sunlight and clouds. Thanks to my sensational teacher, I did that. We did art projects, including making strange masks. The masks were made using different kinds of beans. My wonderful instructor praised the uniqueness of mine, which eased the tedious work of gluing every bean. Learning was fun and rewarding, if you worked hard. Meanwhile, fun, recognition, and rewards for doing or behaving well were always present. Twice a year she'd get a big cake for everyone's birthday. I have never had a teacher who brought in cakes for her students. Extra recess was a treat every Friday if you behaved well. At first I was a bit lonely during these times, but I had fun talking to Mrs. Osting. For multiplication you would take a short test, and if you passed, you got to have pizza with Mrs. Osting. I was part of the first group to get this pleasure, and was delighted to stay in with the others who had this honor. Mrs. Osting was always nice to us, and these treats made being in her classroom a marvelous experience. Finally, Mrs. Osting was special because she always seemed to have a smile of encouragement. At the last assembly of sixth grade, I played the piano in front of the school, and saw her taking pictures and beaming at me. That really touched me. What makes a great teacher? Making you learn, rewarding, being creative. Mrs. Osting is all of these and more. When you can feel how much a person wants you to be successful, you are looking at an outstanding person who will change your life. Winner – grade nine to 12 Student: Jenny Serrato, 12th grade, Juanita High School, Kirkland Teacher: Pam Green
Mrs. Green, Juanita High School's ELL teacher, gives all her time and effort to her students, so they can overcome the barriers to learning English. Many of our school's teachers can be found at school long after the last student has gone home. Many give time during evenings and weekends for activities with their students. Mrs. Green does all of this and more. In one sense she overcomes her own daily barrier just to complete her mission. A cancer survivor, Mrs. Green knows the importance of saving energy and time for those things that are the most significant. Every day her interactions with her students show that her professional calling is her great joy. For her students the work she does opens a new world, so there is no doubt that her work has significance. We are lucky that she is willing to minimize her personal health concerns and focus on our learning needs. A typical day in Mrs. Green's classroom opens with before school visits from many students. I would be one of those students. We might ask for help with our English, tell her about discoveries we are making in the United States, share information and memories from the countries we have left behind, or simply stop by to say hello at the beginning of the day. Mrs. Green's room is a comfortable and welcoming place. During class time, Mrs. Green commands attention with her soft, gentle voice because her sincerity is authentic. Every student responds to her. She does not have to work at keeping order. Instead, she can have many activities and a variety of levels of study taking place in her room at once. She creates a positive place for learning and sharing. Whether a student has some English skills or none at all, it is possible to succeed and grow in Mrs. Green's class, even from the first day. She is willing to explain something 3, 4, or more times, if needed, and she will use any method necessary to help us understand words, concepts, and assignments. Often, she will have more advanced students help the beginners, or she will take on student assistants who are native English speakers to help the ELL students. She is such a good teacher trainer, that most of the student tutors who work in her class want to return semester after semester. Mrs. Green helps her students improve their English language skills, but she does not stop there. She wants us to experience education beyond what we might have been able to gain in our native countries. Most of her students are from countries where education is reserved for a select few and is very expensive. She invites college representatives to our class to help us plan for education and careers. She wants us to have the fullest possible experience of our new home. For me Mrs. Green is a guardian angel that helped me to reach success because of her time and dedication. If it weren't for her, I don't think I could be writing, speaking, or reading so much English. I owe her all my success, and I will never forget her friendly smile and her willingness to help me and my classmates. One of my high school highlights was the day I got to sing, Happy Birthday to Mrs. Green. We had a class party for her, and I sang to her in Spanish. All my devotion to her was in my singing, and her joyful tears let me know she understood how much she means to me. Mrs. Green honors the intent of your "Teacher to Remember" award every day. I am pleased to nominate her. Winner – ESL/ELL Student: Miguel Arreola, Seventh grade, Orondo School Teacher: Robert Bowman
The teacher that I will remember for the rest of my life will be Mr. Robert Bowman, the best teacher I have had in school and by far, the most enjoyable. One of the many reasons I will remember Mr. Bowman is because he always seems very happy. Even when he isn't very glad about something, he doesn't make the negative feelings be felt by other people. His positive feeling helps me to be happy and try harder; also his self-discipline helps me to not show that I'm stressed. Another reason he is the educator I will always remember, is because of his humor. He makes learning mathematics easier then learning it with some teacher that causes you to go to sleep in a long lecture, he makes going to class so much more enjoyable. Also I like his humor because, he has many stories, he tells us when he was a young boy most of them don't follow the rules. Even though all are very hilarious also they helps us not make the same mistake, as he did when he was our same age like do a 360 turn on the freeway at 60 miles per hour without crashing into other cars though if we try it may not be the same result. The next reason Mr. Bowman is and will always be the most memorable teacher in my life is his ability to teach a subject a way that lets us learn at our own pace. So we don't feel pressured about having to learn the subject. That way we can focus more about having time to learn it rather than worrying about it right away. Which helps me not being slow on a subject. These are some of the reasons Mr. Bowman will be the most memorable teacher for me, I said some of the reasons because I wouldn't have enough time to write them all down on paper. Share
your thoughts & ideas!
Reach WEA Editor Linda Woo at lwoo@WashingtonEA.org, via postal mail at WEA, PO Box 9100, Federal Way, WA 98063-9100; phone 253-765-7027 (or toll-free outside Seattle-Tacoma: 800-622-3393 ext. 7027); or fax 253-946-7612. We welcome story ideas, letters to the editor and suggestions for improving WE-Washington Education, or WEA Online.
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