Seminole County teacher of the week is Laura Dykstra
January 27th, 2008, 5:54 am Hobby Shops
Age: 44 Reason for becoming a teacher: I love to learn and teach people new ideas, strategies and concepts. Working with children is just a wonderful bonus! Some days I can’t believe I get paid to do what I do. Greatest moment as a teacher: I had a student that arrived to my classroom about five years ago unable to speak, who also experienced various physical, mental and behavioral issues. He was unable to sit in a chair, get along appropriately with his peers, eat with utensils or express himself verbally. He was often violent and was usually frustrated due to his failure to communicate his needs with his family, classmates and people in his community. I had the pleasure of working with him in my classroom for three years as he learned to communicate with his family, friends and others through an augmentative device. He was also able to sit and complete work at his level. He learned self-help skills to aid him in his independence, and he learned to work, play and grow in a classroom with his peers. My greatest moment as a teacher was when he was assessed at his three-year re-evaluation and his IQ jumped significantly, putting him in a language resource class with peers experiencing the same language issues. It was beyond my wildest dreams to see a child progress so considerably under my care as a teacher. Most embarrassing moment as a teacher: I was teaching a science lesson about hurricanes. One of the facts of a hurricane is that they are warm masses of air. I was a bit tongued-tied and inadvertently forgot the m in the word masses. I never blushed so much in my career as a teacher. Favorite aspects of being a teacher: Having a job that has such a positive impact on my community. Knowing that I can pour into the lives of children to help them build an academic foundation that will enable them to be productive citizens in our community and in our world. Least favorite part of teaching: The paperwork, the paperwork, the paperwork! Favorite movie: It’s a Wonderful Life. Last book you read: John Adams by David McCullough. Favorite hobbies: Cooking, reading, going to the movies, laughing with my friends and traveling. Family: My brother Bob; two sisters, Mary and Barbara; their husbands, Scott and Richard; and my nieces, Kari and Amber, who all live in the area. If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be and why? I would love to write and illustrate children’s books. Person you most admire and why: My mother, for encompassing all of the characteristics that I admired in her. She was funny, smart, hardworking, supportive, generous, warm, kind, loving and a sincere friend. Nominated by: Carol Ann Darnell. Full-time public and private school teachers in Seminole County are eligible for nomination. Nominators can be students or their parents, school staffers and friends, but not family members of the teacher. Information needed is the nominator’s name, phone number, the teacher’s name, school, grade they teach and a brief reason for their nomination. Nominations are limited to the first 40 received. To nominate a teacher, e-mail Tammie Wersinger at twersinger@orlandosentinel.com. PHOTO: Laura Dykstra
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