Top 10 Teachers Know Learning Never Stops!

Yesterday, I had the pleasure and honor of meeting the top 10 finalists for Indiana’s 2017 Teacher of the Year.  Five former TOYs and I got to talk with these incredible teachers for 30 minutes each.  I feel so inspired.  It’s beyond exciting to think about the depth and breadth of great teachers in Indiana!  My favorite part was how each candidate brought such unique gifts and talents, passions and visions to their classrooms.  One of the judges kept saying as each candidate left, “I want my kids to have that teacher for science, for math, for language, etc…”  We decided she would have to move around quite a bit to be able to accomplish that task, because our winners were from all over the state!

The most common thread between all of them was their idea for effective professional development for teachers.  Every single one is a learner first and a teacher second.  Each one talked about how they learn from other teachers in their building and district every day.  While their classroom doors are open to all who wish to enter to learn from them, they make concerted efforts to join PLCs, facilitate meetings with team members, and “talk shop” with other great teachers every chance they get.  

Every. Single. One said, “I learn best from my colleagues.”

Talk about inspiring!  The positive impact that educators can have on students across the state exponentially increases when we share and learn from one other.  Common characteristics among all of the candidates included love, passion, vision, and this unquenchable desire to improve for the sake of their students.  How exciting it is to work down the hallway every day from teachers who can teach us something!  We can all learn from other educators across grade levels and subject areas, from school to school and district to district.  Teach! Indiana is thriving in counties all across our state!

Thank you to these amazing educators for coming to meet with us.  I know how incredibly nerve-wracking the experience can be.  Congratulations and thank you for representing your districts so well, and for inspiring the six of us to be better too.  When we seek to grow and learn and be better tomorrow than we are today for the love of our students and our profession, Indiana wins every time!

Top 10 2017 Indiana Teacher of the Year Finalists

Michelle Burress
Plainfield High School
Plainfield Community School Corporation
Subject:  English, Journalism, Photography

Bobbi Jo Carter
Frankfort High School
Community Schools of Frankfort
Subject:  English, Language Arts, English Learner Program

John Gensic
Penn High School
Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation
Subject:  Biology

Dennis Goins
Ben Davis High School and Area 31 Career Center
MSD of Wayne Township
Subject:  TV Broadcasting

Jarod Hammel
Huntington North High School
Huntington Community School Corporation
Subject:  Math

Chris Hill
Avon High School
Avon Community School Corporation
Subject:  Project Lead the Way, Engineering, Electronics

Mikayla Koharchik
Zionsville Middle School
Zionsville Community Schools
Subject:  Language Arts

Jessica Deckard Mann
Mishawaka High School
School City of Mishawaka
Subject:  English, Futures in Education

Jitka Nelson
Logansport Community High School
Logansport Community School Corporation
Subject:  English, Language Arts

Jennifer Jo Steed
Brownsburg High School
Brownsburg Community School Corporation
Subject:  German