Kansas Master Teachers | ESU Bulletin

The 2010 Kansas Master Teachers were honored were honored yesterday in a day full of activites for their contributions to education.

They winners are Eleanor Browning, special education reading coach at Mary Herbert Educational Center, Kathy Doussa, first grade teacher at Northwest Elementary School in Dodge City, Michael Dunlap journalism teacher at Blue Valley West High School in Overland Park,Lou Ann Getz, clinical instructor at Anthony & Eisenhower Middle Schools in Manhattan, Sheila A. Lewis, instructor at Tecumseh North Elementary School in Topeka, Andrea Sayler-Siefkes, science teacher at St. John High School in St. Johns, and Kassie Shook, first grade teacher at Sunflower Elementary in Lawrence.

The winners were selected from more than 90 candidates who were nominated by their schools or colleagues.

“We have a selection committee consisting of professors and faculty from different areas,” said Lori Mann, professor of Elementary teacher education.”We set up standards according to the (Kansas National Education Association)statement and webelieve we select someone who represents his or her professions, meanwhile, those candidates must have more than five years teaching experience to be nominated.”Mann said.

The Kansas Master Teacher award was established in 1953. The award is presented annually to the teachers who best exemplifies thegood qualities of inspirational people working in schools to help change lives for the better and who devote lifelong time making important and worthwhile contributions toeducation.

As part of Kansas Master Teacher Award, a seminar on teaching reading was held at Visser Hall 330, Jones Conference Center. Kansas Master Teachers Award winners gathered together to share good practice and excellent experience.

Browning, graduated from Emporia State University, has been teaching for 46 years.

“For me, the best rewarding thing is to help the kids to be the best they can be.” Browning said.

Doussa has been teaching for over 13 years

“I hope my classroom can become a second family for the students to learn something new,”Doussa said. She earned areading specialist endorsement from ESU in 2002.

Over Dunlap’s 20 years, he appreciates his everyday connections with his students.

“It offers me a chance to connect with them and get to know the individual, and that is really my favorite part of teaching,” he said.

Lou Ann Getz has been teaching for almost 30 years. She believes in recognition, relevance and relationship building with her students.

“When you make connection with individual kids and bring your love to the kids,”Getz said. “You know you are making a difference.”

Sheila Lewis has been teaching at Tecumseh North Elementary School since she graduated.

“I think a lot of kids need us to listen to them with patience and I am always keeping that in mind during my classes,”Lewis said.

Andrea Sayler-Siefkes said there was always one more thing to do as a teacher.

“When you saw a student was growing and getting better understanding and to be more comprehensive, it is time to encourage them to plan to the next step and goal,” Sayler-Siefkes said.“For me, all those little moments has already rewarded me.”

Kassie Shook has been teaching for 15 years. She emphasizes the importance of building the relationship with kids and cherishing the friendship with your peers.

“We want to show teachers how important they are and to be recognized with tremendous honor.” Mann Said.

DarlaMallein, associate professor of social sciences, has been organizing the Kansas Master Teacher Seminar for the past ten years.

“You can hearfrom seven top teachers in Kansas, to share their experiences and give their advice, which is helpful to shape students into the best teachers,”Mallein said. “I think it is a chance for our young students to be inspired because teaching contains a lot of hard work. I hope after today, they could find their motivation and a positive power to make a difference,” It is not just about your success in the classroom, but also you need to get involved in the professional organization, get involved in the community, and impact the students.”

The seminar attracted more than 100 people and family members of the award winners to attend.

“I think it is interesting because these teachers have been teaching for a long time, their experience and information gathering here will be so helpful for the further teachers,” said Bristi Snow, senior elementary education major.“I think it is very rewarding for teachers to be master teachers. Cause they have a lot of good experience to give us, and we can walk away with these ideas of how things go and to be progressive teachers.”

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Shawnee Heights Middle School teacher Brenda Escalante jokes with fellow teacher and Master Teacher award winner Barbra Cole during a meet and greet for the Kansas Master Teachers awards ceremony Wednesday night in the Memorial Union Kanza Room. Cole has been teaching for 18 years./PHOTO BY KELLEN JENKINS

Seven teachers were honored as Kansas Master Teachers in a series of events that took place throughout the day Wednesday.

“The winners have been chosen and they are on campus for the day,” said Lori Mann, assistant professor of elementary teacher education. “We really recognize them and do nice things for them.”

Sarah Meadows, graduate of Emporia State who has been teaching for 35 years, is the Numeracy Coach at Scott Computer Technology Magnet Elementary School in Topeka, Kan.

“It’s really exciting to come back and see all the changes,” Meadows said. “I really do believe this school prepared me wonderfully to be a teacher. I feel like those of us who win do it in recognition of all those who have helped us become good teachers.”

Barbara McCalla has been teaching for 37 years and currently teaches third grade at Garfield Elementary School in Augusta, Kan.

Jeline Harclerode is a CONNECT teacher at Emporia Middle School. She has been teaching for 24 years. Harclerode received her master’s degree from ESU.

Beverly Furlong is a kindergarten teacher at Sunflower Elementary School in Gardner, Kan. She is a graduate of ESU and has been teaching for 23 years.

“All the teachers I teach with that have a background from Emporia are phenomenal teachers,” Furlong said. “The student teachers we get that come from Emporia are very talented. I think Emporia is a premier university for teachers to attend.”

Barbara Cole is an art teacher at Shawnee Heights Middle School. She has been teaching for 15 years.

Christy Boerner has been teaching for 31 years. She currently teaches kindergarten at Central Elementary School in Wamego, Kan.

Ken Bingman has been teaching for 46 years. He currently teaches biology at Blue Valley West High School in Overland Park, Kan.

The day, officially titled Kansas Master Teacher Day, began with a tour of the National Teacher’s Hall of Fame, located in Visser Hall, and the one-room schoolhouse on the edge of campus. The Master Teachers also had the opportunity to eat lunch at ESU President Michael Lane’s house.

A seminar to meet the new Master Teachers was held at 2:30 p.m. in Visser Hall. The teachers were present to answer questions from the audience and the moderator, Darla Mallein, assistant professor of social sciences. Mallein has been moderating the Master Teacher Seminar for over nine years.

“I want to make sure that everyone gets an equal opportunity to speak,” Mallein said. “Not only have I been moderating these for nine or ten years, but I’ve been coming to these since the early 1990s.”

More than 100 students, faculty, friends and family members of the award winners were present at the seminar.

The Master Teachers each answered one question that was submitted by the moderator. Questions ranged from topics about what first year teachers should know to how each Master Teacher felt about No Child Left Behind.

“How do I feel about No Child Left Behind?” Furlong said. “No Child Left Behind. No Teacher Left Standing. There are some really positive things about it but when turns from doing best practices in education to doing test practice, Houston we have a problem.”

At 5:15 p.m., a pre-dinner social was held in the Kanza Room upstairs in the union. Family members and friends gathered to look at the nomination portfolios the submitted by the winners.

The winners of this year’s award were chosen from more than 30 candidates who were nominated by their schools or themselves.

“They can nominate themselves, although most don’t,” Mann said. “Most are nominated by their school districts.

To be eligible, teachers must work in a teaching or administrative position for more than five years.

A committee comprised of representatives from major organizations across Kansas chooses the final winners.

Ashley Peaches/The Bulletin