Charleston teachers honored for work
5 are finalists for Teacher of Year
Charleston County school officials announced on Wednesday the five finalists for the district's Teacher of the Year.
The nominees are: Gwendolyn Benton at Morningside Middle, Edie Cusack at Cario Middle, Betty McKenzie at Laurel Hill Primary, Erica Roberts at C.E. Williams Middle and David Wingard at Mitchell Elementary.
Five community judges will interview the finalists and choose the winner, who will be named at an April 24 banquet and will receive a one-year lease on a Volvo.
Each of the finalists was Teacher of the Year at his or her school. Forty-four nominees from across the county were narrowed to 10 semifinalists, then five finalists.
Benton earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and has taught reading in Charleston schools for two years.
She's created an independent study curriculum to prepare high school basketball players for college, founded a teen scholarship pageant and serves on the board of directors of a home for abused or abandoned young women.
Cusack is a graduate of the College of Charleston and has taught students with mental disabilities in Charleston schools for 10 years.
The National Board Certified teacher also serves on the school's PTA board and as the Student Council advisor.
McKenzie earned her bachelor's degree from Lander College, her master's degree from the College of Charleston and has been an elementary school teacher in Charleston schools for 13 years.
The National Board Certified teacher has served on her school's leadership team and been a mentor for college students.
Roberts is a graduate of the College of Charleston and has taught social studies and reading in Charleston schools for three years.
She sponsors her school's Student Council, has been a volunteer mentor for Communities in Schools and developed an outdoor club for at-risk seventh- and eighth-grade girls.
Wingard is a graduate of the College of Charleston and has been an elementary school teacher in Charleston schools for seven years.
He's the chairperson of Mitchell's School Improvement Council, and he's the REACH Sailing Program director for Mitchell.
Reach Diette Courrégé at 937-5546 or dcourrege@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
belovedbliff (anonymous) says...
You'll never convince me that a teacher who has been with the district for ONLY two years deserves to be the one of the five finalist for district's teacher of the year. Good thing her husband works for the district, too.
March 20, 2008 at 6:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
professional_blk_woman (anonymous) says...
Belovedbliff wrote: "You'll never convince me that a teacher who has been with the district for ONLY two years deserves to be the one of the five finalist for district's teacher of the year."
What does the number of years that a teacher has been teaching in Charleston County have to do with how good of a teacher that person is? There are plenty of GOOD teachers out there, but we must commend the individuals with qualities that separate the good from the great. Rather than the negative comments, people, why not praise the professionals who go into the classroom each day and do their damndest to really TEACH despite the crap (from students, administrators, and parents) that gets thrown their way each day!
March 21, 2008 at 12:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
belovedbliff (anonymous) says...
Professional_blk_woman, my point about years of teaching is a statement of correlation. I work in the district where I have seen outstanding teachers for ten years+ who have never made it into the top five (and didn't this year). So, it begs the question: How does a teacher who has done exemplary work for the district for two years get over several who have done exemplary work for five, 8, ten years and exemplary work consistently?
So, are you willing to tell me that it would not be problematic if the National Teacher of the Year was somebody who had taught one year? (This is not the case with Benton, just making a point).
Wouldn't you (and others) be scratching the head saying,"how can you be National Teacher of the Year after only teaching one year?"
Wouldn't you be puzzled in a principal of a school had only one year of teaching experience?
So, yes, experience should matter greatly in these kinds of accolades. Benton may be doing great things in her two years for the district, but in no way, can they parallel what others have done for ten years+. I know this firsthand.
And regarding "rather than the negative comments..," I think a negative comment on my part would have been sharing what I know about Benton matter-of-factly--with regards to her teaching.
March 21, 2008 at 6:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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