Six are chosen as county's 2002 Teachers of the Year

By Lynn Hotaling

Six educators, one from each county school, were nominated last spring by their peers for the honor. Judges will bestow the countywide title based on candidate-compiled portfolios and judges' interviews held Aug. 5.

This year's individual school Teachers of the Year are Pam Douthitt, Cullowhee Valley; Eddie Greer, Smoky Mountain High; Bethany Hawkins, Scotts Creek; Gail McMahan, Fairview; Pat Profitt, Smokey Mountain Elementary; and Sandi Rogers, Blue Ridge.

A committee consisting of last year's school winners and several area education professionals select Jackson County's winner, who will then move on to state competition. Central Carolina Bank sponsors the annual award, and Peggy Wike, community schools and media director for Jackson County Schools, coordinates the competition.

Information about school winners, which was taken both from their portfolios and interviews with judges, follows.

Pam Douthitt

Cullowhee Valley

A first-grade teacher, Douthitt has taught at Cullowhee Valley for the past four years. Her previous experience includes teaching on the Cherokee Indian Reservation as well as in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Douthitt earned both her undergraduate and master's degrees from Western Carolina University.

Her parents were most influential in her decision to become a teacher, Douthitt said, because they both supported and valued education. An aunt who was a teacher also helped determine Douthitt's career choice.

"(My aunt) was always a very caring and competent family member - she was someone who I admired and looked to for a role model," Douthitt said.

In summing up her educational philosophy, Douthitt says she works to create a sense of community in her classroom.

"During the first month of school I can see this community coming together with each child realizing that they play an important role in the class," Douthitt said. "This sense of community must be developed before optimum learning can occur."

Her philosophy of teaching also involves a partnership with the community, because parents are a "vital link" in a child's education, she said.

Douthitt's efforts to strengthen the teaching profession center around her work with student teachers and interns, as well as through her mentoring of new teachers. Another way she tries to work on behalf of educators is to speak positively about her career choice.

"The community needs to know they have competent teachers in their schools who enjoy being there," Douthitt said. "We are facing a teacher shortage in the next few years, and young people need to see teaching as a job they would like to have instead of one they want to avoid."

Douthitt believes the greatest challenge facing students today is "how rapidly our world is changing," especially in the area of technology.

Eddie Greer

Smoky Mountain High

Greer, named Smoky Mountain High School's Teacher of the Year, is in his 26th year in education and currently teaches construction technology. He holds two undergraduate degrees from WCU and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1966 until 1970. A licensed contractor as well as a teacher, Greer supervised SMHS construction technology students in building a 3,400-square-foot house in Locust Creek community.

Greer made the decision to shift to a teaching career while working in industry after leaving the Air Force.

"Over the span of many years, I have been lucky to be in a position in which I could share with many students and individuals some of the knowledge I have experienced," Greer said.

Greer's teaching philosophy revolves around the concept of lifelong learning.

"Lifelong learners are the most productive and happy people," Greer said. "It is these people who give back to their community and families, making life better for everyone."

In addition to being lifelong learners, Greer said teachers should be "dedicated professionals who like kids."

In order to strengthen the teaching profession, Greer said traditional methods of choosing teachers need to be modified. More lateral entry teachers would bring in "new blood, new methods and new solutions," he said.

Schools also need a return to the basics and need to reduce or eliminate remediation programs at the high school levels and shift these programs into the early years when students can be helped the most, Greer said.

The greatest challenge facing students today, according to Greer, is "to fit in and be productive" in a world that's changing rapidly.

"Sometimes I think it's overwhelming to them," Greer said.

Bethany Hawkins

Scotts Creek

Scotts Creek's Teacher of the Year earned her bachelor's degree in home economics from Mars Hill College. She is beginning her eighth year as keyboarding and business technology teacher at Scotts Creek and has 15 years total teaching experience, including several years at Blue Ridge.

Hawkins attributes her decision to become a teacher to childhood interest as well her experience tutoring other students at Mars Hill.

"I realized then that teaching was what I wanted to do," Hawkins said. "Teaching was and still is who I am."

Hawkins's philosophy of teaching revolves around making a difference for children.

"Making a positive difference for each of my students is of utmost importance," she said. "I believe that I can make a difference for children by being committed, possessing a knowledge of appropriate practices, providing a positive learning environment and reflecting upon my teaching experiences."

The best way to strengthen the teaching profession, Hawkins said, is to continually strive to be a better teacher. Equally important is to offer support and encouragement to beginning teachers.

"We are experiencing a time when many new teachers are leaving the teaching profession and hundreds of positions are left open each year," Hawkins said. "That is why I believe I must uphold the profession by providing support for novice teachers."

The most significant challenge facing students today, Hawkins said, is the obstacles some children must overcome to get an education.

"I can't imagine coming to school with some of the hardships these kids face," she said.

Gail McMahan

Fairview

McMahan, Fairview's Teacher of the Year, is beginning her 26th year as a first-grade teacher at the K-8 school. She holds a bachelor's degree from WCU.

Family members are the main reason she chose a teaching career, McMahan said. Her parents encouraged her to go to college, two of her aunts were teachers and a younger sister gave McMahan a chance to sharpen her teaching skills at an early age.

McMahan's philosophy of teaching includes believing that children learn through action, experimentation, exploring and social interaction, and that "hands-on" materials are important.

"Doing brings understanding, and understanding brings learning," McMahan said.

One way teachers can strengthen their profession is by sharing news of the positives associated with public schools.

"Teachers need to talk about the good things happening in our schools. We need to display student work and applaud or celebrate achievements," she said. Another way veteran teachers can help is by lending a helping hand to new teachers, McMahan said.

The veteran educator described accountability as the greatest challenge facing today's students.

"There's so much pressure," McMahan said. "We're pushing them to grow up. Sometimes I think kids aren't allowed to be children."

Pat Proffitt

Smokey Mountain Elem.

A second-grade teacher at Smokey Mountain for the past 15 years, Proffitt began her career with Jackson County Schools 24 years ago as a kindergarten teacher at Qualla, which was consolidated with Log Cabin to form SMES. She taught kindergarten at SMES for three years before switching to second grade. Proffitt received both her bachelor's and master's degrees from WCU.

Proffitt attributes her choice of a career to her grandmother Mary Cowan.

"I knew from a very young age I wanted to grow up and portray the teacher my grandmother exemplified," Proffitt said.

With regard to her philosophy of teaching, Proffitt said she believes every student wants to learn and has a need to discover.

"(Students) want to do a good job but faulty processes often keep them from being successful," Proffitt said. "I find teaching very rewarding when I know I have given students the opportunity to reach their fullest potential."

In order to help strengthen her profession, Proffitt said she sets high standards for herself so she can do her best in the classroom.

"If I demonstrate Œquality' teaching in the classroom, I am sending a message to my students and their parents that I care about what I am doing," Proffitt said. "Satisfied students and parents can be the profession's strongest allies and advocates within the community."

Proffitt also mentioned mentoring beginning teachers as a way of helping to bolster the teaching profession.

Testing is the biggest challenge faced by today's students, Proffitt said.

"Kids are under tremendous pressure," she said. "I hope we're not valuing testing at the expense of teaching kids to love learning."

Sandi Rogers

Blue Ridge

A Blue Ridge academically gifted teacher since 1998, Rogers is in her 35th year of teaching. She taught both in Georgia and Transylvania County before joining Jackson County Schools.

A former Communities in Schools coordinator for Transylvania County, Rogers said she accepted her position at Blue Ridge out of a desire to return to the classroom and daily contact with students.

She earned her bachelor's degree at Shorter College in Rome, Ga.

Rogers began college as a business major but switched to education when she realized a business career was not the right goal for her. A number of her own teachers who were good role models influenced that choice, she said.

Rogers's philosophy of teaching is based on hands-on learning.

"I believe that learning is easier when it's more relevant," she said. "I provide my students with many opportunities for hands-on learning."

Strengthening the teaching profession can best be accomplished by providing more mentors for beginning teachers "so they don't get burned out at such a young age and leave us," Rogers said.

The biggest challenge students face is to "prepare themselves for what's out there - what jobs are available and being willing to move to where the jobs are," Rogers said.

Rogers did not participate in Jackson County's Teacher of the Year portfolio/interview process due to a death in her family. She was interviewed by telephone for this report.

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