NBCTs among 5 selected for teaching hall of fame

This is my 6th year here in the US, my 6th year of teaching in DCPS. In my early years here, I was inspired and motivated by some of the most outstanding veteran teachers in my school at Jefferson MS to be the exceptional teacher that I can be. Teachers like my colleague, Dr. Alesia Slocoumb-Bradford whom I currently work with in a co-teaching environment, inspired me to become an accomplished teacher.

Dr. Alesia Slocumb-Bradford, is our seventh-grade pre-algebra teacher at Jefferson Middle School. She is a teacher for 23 years; she believes the most productive relationship between teachers and students is one where there is respect, communication, comfort and a shared sense of understanding of goals for students and teachers. For me, she is a master educator in the truest sense of the word: an excellent mentor, she plays the role of teacher, friend, guide, coach, and role model to us teachers in my school. Her teaching style shows precision - no random cuts, no random comments, she is very consistent with the routines and procedures from the beginning until the end of our class. With all of us Jefferson family, teachers and staff gathered at the "Classroom of the Future", Dr. Slocoumb was honored yesterday into the National Teachers Hall of Fame. I hugged her and whispered softly "You inspire me".

The honorees are Linda Evanchyk of Florida, Erlene Nelson of Pennsylvania, Warren Phillips of Massachusetts, Darrell Woods of Ohio and Alesia Slocumb-Bradford of Washington, D.C. "There are 12,000 teachers in the district of Philadelphia," said Nelson, a retired teacher and NBCT. "If every teacher dedicated themselves to save a child each year, we would save more than 12,000 students, and what an impact it would have on society." Philadelphia Daily News

Four out of the five teachers selected this year for induction into the National Teachers Hall of Fame are National Board Certified Teachers.

Right after her reception, I drove to another event for the 2009 National Board Certified Teachers hosted by the WTU and Central Office; I was one of the seven NBCT honorees.

As I was listening to the remarks of my colleague, I remember my grandmother who is a daughter of a World War II Lt. Colonel and one of the strongest leaders in the medical field back home in the Philippines. She told me, "Maria, always fight for your dreams, and remember if your dreams are big enough the problems don't really matter". There is a noble reason why I did not become a doctor like her, or the first lady cadet at the Philippine Military Academy, or an enterpreneur...it is my destiny to become an educator.