so you wanna be TOY...

So you want to be teacher of the year, huh? Got a chip on your shoulder because you have yet to get the TOY nomination? As the 2008/2009 Teacher of the Year, let me give you some wonderful advice.

Ask yourself, why do you want Teacher of the Year? Do you want to be Teacher of the Year because you get a snazzy award, board signed certificate, and two seconds on the stage with the prestigious superintendent? Do you want to be Teacher of the Year because you get to vamp up your resume? Do you want to be Teacher of the Year because you get bragging rights?

If you answered yes to any of those questions give up now.

There is no way on God's green earth I deserved Teacher of the Year last year. I did want the bragging rights. (I wanted that man who said I was too young to have a valid opinion to think something of me and my teaching abilities!) I was lazy. I'd had my kids the previous year, I knew them, so I didn't have to work as hard as I should have. My centers weren't what they should've been and I didn't do my guided reading groups as often as I should've. I am pretty sure I didn't work as hard as some other teachers on campus did.

For example:

I think the 2008/2009 Teacher of the Year should have been our math specialist. Anyone who manages to help grade levels achieve 50% commended on TAKS while also coming up with an incredibly enticing theme "Math Rocks" to get the kids about math facts deserves it. Selflessly she made

If not Saenz, Martinez (my PIC) should've been the 2008/2009 Teacher of the Year. I stole Wednesday afternoon tutoring from her. She was always at the school working to make sure every kid was reaching their potential. Selflessly, she'd listen to other teachers, ask for help, and stay crazy late to get her kiddos to where they need to be.

Or Garcia, my teamleader, should've been the 2008/2009 Teacher of the Year. Sure, she was the 2007/2008 TOY, but she deserved it back to back. Even though she was the teamleader, she'd ask the younger teachers for help and advice. She'd listen when we'd suggest new ideas. Most importantly she guided us all effortlessly and selflessly.

There's this commonality between the people who deserve to be Teacher of the Year, they are all selfless. None of the teachers who truly deserved the award were worried about what others thought of them or about losing their free time. The people I think deserved to be Teacher of the Year thought more of kids than of themselves. Whether it meant loving the nearly unlovable student or disciplining the entirely too lovable student they did it. They worked with the impossible with a smile on their faces. They oozed creativity. Seriously, Martinez danced to "Too Legit" while Garcia learned all the moves to "Thriller" if that isn't creative I don't know what is. They took constructive criticism and grew from it. They were selfless.

I appreciate a teacher who realizes that being a teacher is more than being professionally dressed, academically capable, and creatively prepared. I appreciate when a teacher realizes their job is about forgetting their feelings and themselves for 9 months and working like mad for the better-ment of twenty-something children who's lives they will touch everyday.

That's how you get Teacher of the Year. I'm getting my nominations ready now. ;o)