Volusia Teacher of the week is William Strickland
February 9th, 2008, 2:31 am Hobby Shops
Reason for teaching: Working with children and trying to make a difference. Greatest moment as a teacher: Taking over my first class in November 2003 and being elected Teacher of the Year by my peers. I was very excited and very nervous taking over a class in November, the middle of the school year. I was concerned about the bond between myself and my students, and they weren’t comfortable with me, or I them, for the first week or so. That soon changed. One girl I remember in particular did not have a dad in her life, and she often wore the same clothes for several days, and never ate breakfast. It was obvious that the family had happened on some bad luck. She had no jacket for the winter, and wore only a T-shirt on cold days. We got her a coat right away, and I had breakfast snacks available for her every morning. The teacher who had the class before me was a supremely kind and thoughtful person, and I just picked up where she left off. We did many things for this student and many others, above and beyond teaching. I hear that she is doing well. Rather than teaching, simply caring would be a better description for what teachers do. After having this student in my class, I realized that I could not be in a better place to make a difference, and wondered why it took me so long to get here. Most embarrassing moment: Being elected Teacher of the Year by my peers. I don’t entirely like the spotlight. The simple fact is that I don’t enjoy being the center of attention unless I’m teaching 8- to 9-year-old children. I’m pretty sure there are people out there who have done some miraculous things, and they should be given the recognition and attention their accomplishments demand. Being voted Teacher of the Year at my school and becoming National Board Certified were certainly great accomplishments for me in 2007, and I’m very appreciative. Least favorite part of teaching: Excessive and redundant paperwork and standardized testing that limits teaching. I feel that standardized testing is necessary but must be modified. Good teachers find ways around the constrictions of “teaching to the test,” but it should not be that way. Instead of teaching very small amounts of a lot of things, we should be able to go more in-depth into a subject for a deeper understanding. We should concentrate on a few things that students are really interested in. Teachers can do this, but it requires extensive and creative planning and sacrifice of personal time as well as some very innovative scheduling. This should not be the way we need to teach. The system should work for us, not against us. I love science and manage to work science into my curriculum through math, reading, writing and lab experiments. Who do you admire most and why? The persons I admire most are my Mom, Patricia E. Strickland, and my Dad, William A. Strickland. Dad worked two jobs most of his life to support his family, and both sacrificed a great deal to give the best to their children. God bless them both. Favorite movies: Casablanca, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Pay It Forward Last book you read?: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling Hobbies: Reading; bicycling, walking and swimming with my two dogs, Caesar and Max. Caesar is a golden retriever, and Max is a chow-Labrador retriever mix recently rescued from the Halifax Humane Society. Max was scheduled to be put down, and I picked him up. He has worked out great, and I recommend the Humane Society for pet adoption. I’ve had Caesar since he was 6 weeks old, and he’s now 10. I’ve been to Ponce Inlet with the dogs. They love it. If you weren’t a teacher what career would you chose and why? I might be a social worker, but I can’t imagine doing anything but teaching. Was there a special teacher that you remember? I remember my eighth-grade English teacher Mrs. Marber at West Junior High School in Brockton, Mass. She knew everything (or so it seemed) and was good enough to have us discover the answers on our own. William Strickland was nominated by Friendship Elementary School principal Maria Martoral. Volusia public and private school teachers will be profiled throughout the year. E-mail Eileen Marie Simoneau at vteachspot@mac.com or call her at 386-561-7356 or fax 386-851-7918. Include your name, phone number and a reason why you would like to see this teacher profiled. EILEEN MARIE SIMONEAU/SPECIAL TO THE SENTINEL
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