Teacher of the Year Finalists
Joy Cahow
Endeavor ES
Number of years in education: 22
Number of years in OCPS: 22
Favorite school tradition:
Meet the Teacher. I love the start of a new school year when students and teachers are excited to meet each other and everything is fresh and new.
What is your why?
My students inspire me with their resiliency and effort to overcome the challenges in their lives. The curiosity and pursuit of knowledge that they have will one day change the world and I am blessed to be a part of that.
What piece of work advice would you share with other teachers?
The connection that you have with your students will help them feel safe, valued, and cared for and create room for your students to flourish in the classroom. Create a community of learners that care for one another and your students will overwhelm you with their talents and capacity to achieve.
Someone with your talents could work anywhere. Why OCPS?
I spent my entire k-12 education in Orange County. As an aspiring teacher myself, my amazing teachers supported and encouraged me to become like them. I love that I have an opportunity to help the students in Orange County achieve their dreams by believing in their potential just like my teachers did for me. Orange County Public Schools provided me the space and time to develop into the teacher I am today.
What one classroom story would you share to encourage a future teacher?
A few years ago, I had a student move into my class halfway through the year feeling defeated and incapable of learning or belonging because others knew him for his behavior. He had no friends, a very challenging set of circumstances at home, and even as a third grader, could not read or do basic arithmetic. However, my students and I welcomed him into our classroom and included him in the community we built. I focused on what he could do and worked with him at an intensive level so that by the end of the year, he made significant learning gains and began to flourish in the classroom. Though he did not pass the state assessment, he felt more confident as a student, experienced what it was like to be part of a community, and had the hope that he could learn re-instilled in him. This story reminds me that no matter their past or how others perceive them, every student can learn if given the chance.
Francisco Cardoza
Village Park ES
Number of years in education: 5
Number of years in OCPS: 2
Favorite school tradition:
Domus Sapientia Mondays. On Sapi Mondays all staff members that are a part of our house meet by the car loop, or walker area and greet our scholars with music and hyped-up energy!
What is your why?
“The power of yet” inspires me daily as an educator. We grasp some concepts quicker than others, but the beauty is that we are allowed to retry until we achieve our goal. I see this in action when lessons don’t go as planned. Instead of giving up, I tackle what didn't go well and try again so that students can be successful next time. Being a native Spanish speaker, I can say my former teachers never gave up on me. Even though they didn't speak Spanish they would say, “You don't know English, yet, but you will,” or, “You don't know how to multiply two-digit numbers, yet, but let's practice it.” Those words made a strong impression on me and inspired me daily. Educators NEVER gave up on me. Now I get to be that person to our scholars today.
What piece of work advice would you share with other teachers?
Be authentic and don't try to be someone you are not. You have landed a job because your school interviewer/admin sees something in you that will help shape your school for the best. We always tell students to be themselves and trust themselves and we must preach what we teach. We must model by example and let students know that having similarities is awesome but being different is amazing!
What one classroom story would you share to encourage a future teacher?
During my second-year teaching in Indiana, I welcomed a new student from Mexico mid-year. He had one of the brightest smiles I had ever seen! He was so helpful, kind, and respectful. I quickly built a relationship with him and got to know him. I learned he was a seasonal student and would come to the states each harvest season and he would attend a US school while his parents worked. There was just one thing he struggled with and that was speaking/understanding English. There were classmates he could talk with to get clarification and of course talk with me in Spanish and better explain things to him. He would hardly participate and so I started incorporating visuals and even more hand modeling to help him understand what we were doing in the moment. I would call on him and he would reply with, "No English, sorry. Is bad." This is where part of my why, "the power of yet," came out and I always responded with, ”You don't speak much English, YET, but we will continue to practice and get better." Together and with the help of our class we translated his response, which was correct, into English and that gave him a boost of confidence. At the end of a lesson, I shared a little phrase with ALL my students and told them we should not be afraid to make mistakes because we learn from them. Mr. Cardoza makes them all the time!
Kerry Hastings
Tangelo Park ES
Number of years in education: 18
Number of years in OCPS: 13
Favorite school tradition:
My favorite school tradition is the Talent Show. It allows students to be showcased and highlight what makes them feel special besides just academics.
What piece of work advice would you share with other teachers?
Patience will always be a virtue, as strategies do not always go according to plan. As educators, we have one of the most important responsibilities in our society - to have a positive impact on the student body, not just academically, but emotionally as well.
Someone with your talents could work anywhere. Why OCPS?
When my children first attended school in the OCPS system, I immediately became involved through volunteering at the school. From assisting with reading to the children, to coordinating the talent show, the school became more of a family than an institution, as I got to know the students and staff personally. As my children continued to grow, I became active with numerous OCPS schools as a substitute teacher, and eventually became a full-time teacher, which seemed like a natural and seamless transition, for a personal relationship with OCPS had developed and has continued to develop and flourish to this day.
What's one classroom story would you share to encourage a future teacher?
Last year I started a Book Club, and Tangelo Park participated in the Battle of the Books competition for the first time. The club, which consisted of about 20 students, met weekly to read and discuss the Sunshine State books. We had friendly competition among the group, and from there I chose 6 students to represent the school in the Battle. When it came time for the competition, the team was so excited and worked so well together as a group. I was so impressed with their collaboration, and the excitement during the battle was through the roof! Just seeing the excitement that was instilled about reading is contagious, and the students can't wait to participate again this year!
Jessica Sarduy
Blankner School
Number of years in education: 12
Number of years in OCPS: 12
Favorite school tradition:
My favorite school tradition is Innovation Night. We have a culminating event where the students take part in STEAM activities and showcase their work.
What is your why?
I have always wanted to be a part of the change that makes our world a better place and to inspire others to be a part of that change as well. Teachers must be constant learners and when we find something that inspires us or excites us, we must have the resilience to imagine what we can do with that newfound inspiration as we bring it to our students.
What piece of work advice would you share with other teachers?
I would encourage teachers to build a community of support. Rely on other teachers, volunteers, peer students, and community partners to help you in your classroom. The more support that you have, the more opportunities your students will receive.
Someone with your talents could work anywhere. Why OCPS?
Orange County was where we decided to raise our children because it offered so many choices for educational paths and opportunities. Once my own kids began attending school, I started subbing. I picked up many long-term sub jobs and got to know the administration and teachers and the rest is history. I was asked to come on board as a full-time OCPS teacher. I am proud to be a part of the educational community that has offered so many opportunities to my own children and I am excited to expand these opportunities to other children through my STEAM classroom.
What one classroom story would you share to encourage a future teacher?
I enjoy teaching by using project-based learning and non-traditional opportunities. Last year’s culminating activity saw each student wearing a STEAM shirt that contained a QR code that showcased their individual projects. Students proudly wore their shirts to show-off all their hard work. I would encourage all future educators to take the world that children are born into, where technology, science, and innovation are rapidly changing and advancing every day, and continuously challenge yourself to master those skill sets to bring to your students.
Melissa Williams
Washington Shores ES
Number of years in education: 16
Number of years in OCPS: 16
Favorite school tradition:
The Book Character Parade where students get to dress up as a character and showcase their favorite book.
What is your why?
Children are our future, and I get to teach the future.
What piece of work advice would you share with other teachers?
Begin by learning your students. Learn their likes and dislikes, things that make them happy and sad. Making a connection with each child makes a difference to them, their families, and the learning that will occur. I would encourage other teachers to attend to the needs of the whole child.
Someone with your talents could work anywhere. Why OCPS?
Central Florida is an area I've grown to love since college. I have made many connections and have taught in different areas, which has given me different experiences. My accomplishments have been here in OCPS and I love being able to share what I have learned with others.
What one classroom story would you share to encourage a future teacher?
I have taught many students of all levels within my 16 years of teaching, and each year my students work on a project. One year, I had a student who received accommodations and needed encouragement throughout each school day to be successful. When I assigned this project to the class, I had no idea the impact that it would have on him. He not only completed the requirements of the project but went above and beyond without the extra encouragement. For the first time, he had no problem standing in front of his peers and sharing the knowledge that he learned. That was and will always be a core memory for me.