Teacher of the Year uses storytelling to engage students

ARCH School students of Tony Mullen celebrate their teacher being named 2009 National Teacher of the Year. From left:Christian Blanche, 18, Erick Gardia,19, Mike Dattilo, 19, Dennis Ahneman,16, Steven Rodas,18, and Nacole Carey, 17. (Helen Neafsey/Staff Photographer)

Special educator Tony Mullen, who this week was named the 2009 National Teacher of the Year, uses humor and storytelling to engage his students with emotional and behavioral disabilities, they say. "He teaches like it's a movie, where you don't totally get [the plot] and he lets it build up. Then he'll say something at the end, and it'll all make sense," says Christian Blanche, 18. Greenwich Time (Conn.)