As I shared in an earlier blog, the theme for my school this year is “One Team, One Dream”. While the teachers and students have certainly embraced this theme, my favorite aspect of it has come from my administration with the creation of the faculty MVP recognition. Throughout my tenure as the State Teacher of the Year, there was much discussion on elevating the teaching profession. One way to elevate it is through the acknowledgement of the incredible work that is taking place in the classrooms.
The entire school meets every day for a morning meeting. The MVP recognitions occur twice a week during this time. The recognition begins with a special speech by our principal, Mrs. Lelia Parker. During her speech, Mrs. Parker shares reasons why the person is a valuable asset to our school community. This is followed by the faculty/staff member answering several questions:
- What do you love most about working at Woodlake?
- Who was your favorite teacher in school? Why?
- Why did you decide to become a teacher?
The answers to these questions have been fun for all to hear. Ms. Anderson, who had attended my school when it was the middle school, shared little bits of history of our school while answering her questions. Ms. Holloway told the students that she comes from a family of teachers, while Ms. Gorrondona explained how she became passionate about teaching her students the joy of writing.
While I love seeing my coworkers being honored for their dedication, I’ve also realized that this recognition serves another important purpose. It helps each child see that being a teacher is a valuable and honorable profession. It is a profession where your impact will be felt for years to come. Without a doubt, this wonderful recognition is encouraging our little pelicans to be future educators.
Although I believe that each coworker is deserving of recognition, I must say that the “MVP Recognition” by our administration is the “Play of the Year”.
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