The Department of Education recently announced the selection of the five California Teachers of the Year for 2005, one of whom will represent California in consideration for the National Teacher of the Year.
The California State Lottery has been a long-time sponsor of the California Teachers of the Year program. Sponsorship of this event allows the Lottery to annually honor outstanding teachers, as well as promote the Lottery’s commitment to education in California.
California’s five outstanding teachers for 2005 are:
- Eric Burrows of Solvang who teaches advanced placement U.S. and European History at San Marcos High School in the city of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County;
- Kim Labinger of Los Angeles who teaches the fourth grade at Thomas A. Edison Elementary School in the city of Glendale, Los Angeles County;
- Stanley Murphy of Chula Vista who teaches social studies at San Diego High School in the city of San Diego, San Diego County.
- Alan Siegel of Kelseyville who teaches history, civics, and economics at the W.C. Carlé Continuation High School in the city of Lower Lake, Lake County; and
- Ray Williams of Huntington Beach who teaches the sixth grade at Steve Luther Elementary School in the city of La Palma, Orange County;
Stanley Murphy was also nominated as California’s representative in the National Teacher of the Year competition. The winner will be selected this year by a panel convened by the Council of Chief State School Officers. All candidates for the national title will be honored at a White House ceremony.
Background
The California Teachers of the Year program, which began in 1972, pays tribute to the state’s teaching work force, the growing complexity of challenges that confront California’s schools, and the need to promote collaboration and teamwork among teachers to meet those challenges.
California continues to face a critical teacher shortage and this program plays a pivotal role in drawing new people into the field. It honors the state's nearly 310,000 educators by identifying outstanding teachers through local, regional, and statewide recognition activities; selecting five people each year who will best represent California's teachers and symbolize the profession's contributions to quality education; and focusing public attention on noteworthy accomplishments of teachers.
The competition is open to public and private school educators who teach pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. County offices of education traditionally nominate winners of their regional Teacher of the Year competition. A state selection committee reviews the candidates' applications and conducts site visits to evaluate the teachers' rapport with students, classroom environment, presentation skills, use of appropriate teaching methods, and their ability to adjust to last minute changes, among other criteria. The State Superintendent then selects the awardees.
Quotes
Eric Burrows
In his application for California Teachers of the Year, Burrows said, "The purpose of school is for the child to develop a life-long love of learning, practice the skills to do so, and to gain the specific knowledge of the subject matter... It is often the most rewarding part of my day -- engaging with students in this pure act of learning."
Kim Labinger
In her application for California Teachers of the Year, Labinger said, "Education must involve teaching and learning more than mere facts. It must include a celebration of humanity, rooted in the past, expressed in the language of the present, and with the ability to imagine the future."
Stanley Murphy
Mr. Murphy was named Teacher of the Year and selected for the national competition because of his creation of a student and teacher exchange program with the Soviet Union, and his work as an agent for positive change and democratization. His students in San Diego are also learning valuable lessons in the power of teaching history and how it affects people all over the world.
Alan Siegel
In his application for California Teachers of the Year, Siegel said, "Helping large numbers of students out of disenfranchised lives, to see that they can be successful and get out of generational poverty is what I strive for now... I would regard my day-to-day effort as my greatest contribution and accomplishment in education."
Ray Williams
In his application for California Teachers of the Year, Williams said, "Discipline, structure, and communication are my keys to classroom success... To students, I must give them my best each day. It is my duty to support them in every possible way."
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