Teacher of the Year

Teacher of the Year is an amazing recognition, that I am truly grateful for.  😊 

Teachers in your school vote for one of their fellow teachers, and this year I was recognized as the Teacher of the Year for Cedar Creek Intermediate School.  It is an extreme honor when your teacher peers think you did something right. What you might not know is that as part of your recognition, you are entered in a 'contest' to be district, regional, state, etc. teacher of the year.  😕

The district gives you essay questions to answers....and well, here are my answers.  It was a great opportunity to reflect on the ten years I have been a teacher, and what I feel is most important about being a teacher and education in general. 😊

And of course, I think every post should have a picture, so there is me freezing to death in my classroom today.  One side of the hall is freezing, the other size is a sauna.  Pick your poison?! 😂

Biography (Third Person) (maximum 250 words)

Walking her oldest daughter, Cameron, to her kindergarten classroom, Amber Bright had strong hopes and desires for her daughter's educational career. Bright wanted her daughter to have the BEST teacher, a teacher that would love Cameron as much as she did, and a teacher who would instill in her a desire to learn. Bright wanted Cameron's teacher to be fun, happy, energetic, sympathetic, loving, inspiring, smart . . . the list could go on and on. When Bright looked around the halls, she saw all the young students filling the hallways, with their new clothes, supplies, lunch kits and back packs. It was then that Bright knew SHE could be their teacher, THAT teacher. Thus, began Bright's path to Texas A&M Corpus Christi where just a short time later, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies, graduating Summa Cum Laude. 

Bright has been a teacher for the past 10 years. She currently teaches fifth grade science and social studies at Cedar Creek Intermediate School near Bastrop, Texas. Bright loves teaching in her home state of Texas but has also enjoyed teaching in New Mexico and Alaska. In 2012, Bright was one of five teachers chosen to experience microgravity, and includes in her background overnight field trips with her students to Denali National Park and bringing in NASA Scientists to speak and inspire her students. She is THAT teacher!

Describe a content lesson or unit that defines you as a teacher.  How did you engage students of all backgrounds and abilities in the learning?  How did that learning influence your students? How are your beliefs about teaching demonstrated in this lesson or unit? (maximum 750 words)

If I could show you a picture right now, I would show you this one . . . my student and I are standing next to each other in our science classroom. I am wearing a purple shirt that I had received during a professional development with NASA, so the NASA meatball logo is displayed proudly on my left pocket. My student has a plate of refreshments in his hands and has the biggest smile on his face. Speaking of smiles, mine was pretty big as well. That day was a special day for our class because my student, Walter, and his classmates were going to share their research of a current NASA mission and then propose a mission to a similar body in space. He had decided the only way to properly do that (especially in Mrs. Bright's science class) was to wear his blue astronaut jumpsuit. It was epic; it was unexpected; and he got an A. 

 If there is one unit that defines me, it is Earth and Space. Robert Goddard said, "It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow." It is my job as a science teacher, to show students what has come before, and to instill in them the belief that what they dream will be reality. It is an amazing undertaking, and a rewarding one as you see each student in your class realize this to be the case. My grandmother rode in horse and buggy and then later in her life watched American astronauts walk on the surface of the Moon. Who is to say what is impossible? 

One of my favorite opportunities is for my students to participate in the Discovery Program. This has been an opportunity NASA has given to students and educators across the United States for several years. NASA provides a website students can easily navigate as they conduct their research. Each year I tweak the program and add different activities to truly engage my students, and the diverse needs of each group of students. In this lesson, student choice is forefront. Students choose a current NASA mission, research that mission, and then design and build a mission to a similar body in space. When students have completed their projects, they must present their projects to the taxpayers which include their parents. We bring snacks. We wear our Sunday best, and we dream. 

"My mission, known as Seeker, is not a spacecraft meant to orbit Mercury. It is a rover, and its mission is to land on Mercury, making it the first rover on Mercury's surface." -Allyson 

"In this essay, I will explain Deep Impact, a current NASA mission, and introduce Explorer PV, my mission to a comet." -Hannah 

"Unlike the Kepler Space Telescope who only searches for exoplanets in the Milky Way Galaxy, Exoexplorer searches for exoplanets in a different galaxy." -Elizabeth 

"Thank you for listening to my presentation, and I hope you support Velocity."- Walter 

I had a professor who asked us to imagine we did not know what a lemon was. She then described a lemon to us. It is yellow. It has a sour taste. It is round. But at this point, we really did not know what a lemon was. She then showed us a picture. Again, we had a better idea as to what a lemon was, but we still did not know. Next, she showed us a plastic lemon. It looked very much like a real lemon, but it was not. It was not until our professor pulled out a real lemon and let us taste it that we could fully appreciate and understand what it tasted like, what it felt like, what it looked like, what it truly was. Sometimes as teachers we think we can teach what a lemon is through our words alone. It is my desire however to spend each day sharing real lemons with my students. 

This is the way a teacher can truly make a difference, and have her students grasp the concepts being taught. My Earth and Space Unit puts real lemons (the grand spacecraft kind) in the hands of each of my students.

Describe a project or initiative you have been involved in which contributed to the improvement of overall school culture.  What was your role, how did you collaborate with others, and what is the status of this project today?  Please include evidence of student impact. (maximum 500 words)

Emerson said, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm," so whether it is writing our opinions about nuclear energy to share with the President or launching rockets behind the school. I try every day to bring the enthusiasm about a subject I truly LOVE! 

I was beaming about science earlier this school year during one of our PLC meetings, when I brought up the idea of teaching science and only science for one day. The idea was taken by our instructional coach to our principal, and together we were going to make it happen. 

My role was to head up Science Palooza which would be a culmination of our Science Fair, and a chance for students at our school to spend one of our early release days learning only science. I collaborated with our Science Fair Committee and our Math/Science Instructional Coach to make sure this day would be extra special. I called in favors with my favorite NASA scientist, Dr. Tess Caswell, who agreed to speak to our whole student body. I planned two different activities that would engage students. I made easy to follow lesson plans, instructional videos to accompany each lesson, showed teachers benefiting TEKS that would be covered, and obtained, with the help of some of my fellow science teachers, all the supplies onsite and virtual students would need. I made it easy for non-science teachers, to feel comfortable teaching science concepts. 

The first assignment, balloon rockets, challenged students to go to Mars. They had a cup, straw, balloon, tape, and a goal . . . to reach the Martian surface. The cheers (as they succeeded) and the jeers (when they knew they needed to redesign) were heard throughout the hallways of the school. It was amazing! 

The golden record assignment was inspired by the golden record attached to the Voyager spacecraft that launched in the 1970s. Voyager's mission was to explore the four outer planets, and then head out of our solar system where it is at today. One day, if intelligent life finds our spacecraft, they will also find the golden record. Students had the opportunity to write down what they would want other intelligent life to know about their home. This included their mom's good cooking, the beautiful Colorado River, and the very best friend they cannot imagine life without. Students were then shown what Carl Sagan and his committee in the 1970s put on the golden record. 

As we heard students explain how this was the best day ever and asking when we would have our next Science Palooza, I knew we had reached our goal! 

This contributed to the improvement of our overall school culture because enthusiasm is contagious, and when science teachers get to share their enthusiasm, reading teachers follow, math, etc. Our Reading Palooza was held in March, and Math Palooza is schedule for this month. We make a difference when we express our enthusiasm and watch that enthusiasm pass on to our students and school community!

How do you ensure that education transcends the classroom? Describe specific ways in which you deliberately connect your students with the community. Please include evidence of student impact. (maximum 500 words)

One of my most meaningful teaching days occurred when I was a health teacher in Alaska. After completing a unit on the dangers of alcohol and drugs, I had one student raise his hand. I called on him, and he began to change my life, as well as his peers. He was a special education student with severe learning disabilities, often his sentences and explanations were wordy, and tended to go off subject, but today it was different. He began by explaining that he was the way he was because his mother decided to drink and do drugs when she was pregnant with him. He explained how he would go into his closet at night, and pray that his mom and dad would choose him over the drugs. He warned his peers that they should never in any shape or form try drugs or drink alcohol. He begged his peers to not do what his parents had done. There were many tears shed that day, and as a middle school teacher, I was unsure how his fellow students might react. When he was finished with his story and his admonitions, the whole class erupted in applause. His face turned red with pride, and the acceptance and acknowledgement from his fellow classmates was surreal. 

So, how does education transcend the classroom? It transcends the classroom when you make connections to their lives and the lives of those around them. It transcends the classroom when students gain enthusiasm that is contagious. It transcends the classroom when you can in turn allow the students to be the ones who teach. 

That year health students and the National Junior Honor Society, which I sponsored, helped to promote Rock the Resilience. Rock the Resilience was an event organized to bring hope and awareness to abuse in all forms throughout our community. Many high schools and middle schools in our district had their bands and choirs perform at the event. Our NJHS performed in a flash mob in our cafeteria during lunch to help encourage their peers to attend. We made the local news for our efforts and brought more awareness to Erin's Law and Bree's Law. These laws are named in honor of Erin Merryn who is a champion of child abuse prevention, and Bree Moore who lost her life due to dating violence. 

My Principal, Mary Fulp, and I received the Resilient Resonator Award that night. It meant everything, but it should have gone to the young man sitting in my class that day that had unimaginable courage to share his story of resilience with us.

What do you consider to be a major public education issue today? Describe how you demonstrate being a lifelong learner, leader, and innovator about this issue, both in and outside of the classroom walls. (maximum 500 words)

It was exactly 8:30 AM. I was in my classroom during my planning period. Students were just beginning their first period class. It was still dark outside, and snow blanketed the ground. Suddenly, the room began to shake, I froze in the middle of my room. This Texas born teacher could not guess what was happening. Ceiling tiles started to fall to the ground, as well as books. My first thought was to stand in the doorway. The hallways went dark, and dust filled the air. We shook for a solid 60 seconds, and then silence. I hurried to the hallway to see Mr. Parson, who directed me to help with the evacuation of students. I ran to the stairs the dust in the air filling my lungs, just as I imagine smoke might do. I could barely see. I went to the second floor of the building, and room by room I told teachers to evacuate their students. As we left, the floor began to shake around us as aftershocks began. I will never forget, after the dust settled and most students had been picked up by their parents, going room by room to check to make sure all students were accounted for. This was my first experience of a natural disaster, an earthquake. Little did I know; the pandemic would follow the very next school year. 

The major public education issue we find ourselves in today, is how to educate students when natural disasters and pandemics hit an area. After the 7.1 Earthquake in Alaska, we were unable to return to school for almost three weeks due to damage to our school building. I have been a virtual teacher since March of last year when quarantine began. I have been in awe of my profession, especially in the state of Texas, as I have seen each teacher rise to the occasion and prepare themselves to educate the students in a way we have never tried before. 

I was able to share with K-12 Dive (an online educational resource), how our district built online learning buy-in and engagement. I was excited to share the resources our district gave to help teachers prepare for this new learning platform, through professional developments and other opportunities. 

I began to make instructional videos during the summer to be prepared for the unpredictable new school year. I have now made over 60 instructional videos that are posted on my very own YouTube channel. My most popular video has over 58,000 views, with viewers spanning the map from the United States to the Philippines. I also shared my expertise in engagement and technology with several videos designed for teachers to learn from and grab ideas. I was named the Virtual PLC Team Lead and held professional developments this school year at our intermediate campus. 

It has been an incredible journey to provide my virtual students instruction, who probably had similar feelings as this Texas teacher did, frozen in the middle of her Alaskan classroom as the ground shook. I have watched my students gain their footing and find success this school year.

If you were to advance to be the National Teacher of the Year, you would serve as a spokesperson and representative for all teachers and students. What would be your message? What would you communicate to your profession and to the public? (maximum 750 words)

On October 4, 1957 Sputnik crossed the night sky. Here it was the height of the cold war, a true wake-up call for the American people. Are we at a similar crossroads in history? Will America remain the innovators of the world? 

As a teacher, it is my job to motivate students to reach their fullest potential. Jobs that encompass science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are expected to grow faster than average for all other occupations. It is the future. Motivating students and society to support STEM education is very important to me, the future of my students, and our country. So, this is the age-old question, how do we do that? 

To conclude my class each day, students participate in a launch. Together we quote President John F. Kennedy when in the 1960s he challenged Americans, "We will go to the Moon, not because it is easy, but because it is hard." 

On the very first day of school, I have been known to put on a suit coat and in my best New England accent I recite excerpts from President Kennedy's speech at Rice University. I challenge students to do the hard things and to make goals for the current school year. We remind ourselves of those goals each time they leave my classroom as we repeat our launch. "You can do hard things!" 

Well, back in the 1960s, Americans who had been scared as they saw Sputnik cross the night sky were again reinvigorated in the cause of exploration, in the cause of education, especially the worth whiles of STEM. We got behind our scientists (those same scientists who had once been students in intermediate schools, in a classroom just like ours), and we rose to the challenge. We sent 12 Americans to the lunar surface. I am so excited to be a teacher currently, where it is my job to again motivate students to truly love learning, to love math and science, to truly have the desire to make a difference in the world. 

NASA gave us Curiosity in August of 2012. I stayed up until 12:30 AM to watch the impressive landing, and of course cried and cheered as Curiosity landed, and sent back those first pictures. At the press conference that same night, John Grozinger, a leading scientist for Curiosity said, "There is no greater inspiration for middle school children that are going to math, science and engineering than a mission to Mars. The number of hits on the website is unparalleled. The emphasis on the excitement that this generates is what we bestow upon our children." 

When I pause our learning to watch Starlink take off, and then together watch the Falcon rocket land on a barge, Space-X has given my students something that is unparalleled. 

Have you seen the robots made by Boston Dynamics? It is unparalleled. 

When NASA's Perseverance rover sends back the clearest pictures of the Martian surface, it is unparalleled. 

It is what we bestow on our students, our excitement, our enthusiasm that can only be contagious, and our hands on and engaging lessons, and maybe it will be one of our students whose footsteps will be imprinted on the Martian surface. 

Hanging in my classroom is a certificate. It was giving to me in 1988 to acknowledge my participation in the NASA Orbiter-Naming Program for Orbiter Vehicle 105 (the last space shuttle built). I received this award when I was in the sixth grade. My teacher, Mr. Philipsen, not only allowed us to participate in this activity, but he also taught us math and science. He let us build rockets! I do not remember what we did daily in his classroom. I do not remember a certain worksheet. I do not even remember a specific standard/concept he taught, but I do remember what I felt. I remember being in awe of our solar system. I remember the lifelong wonder he instilled in me. I remember the countless letters I wrote by hand to NASA. All because I had a teacher that dared me to love the things he did. 

I have been able to launch rockets in three different states with my own students. Each time I think of him, and I am so grateful he set me down a path that led me here. Now it is my turn to send my students on their very own path, whatever that might be, but one in which they remember how they felt that year that Mrs. Bright was their science teacher.