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If you have not gone onto an Inland Empire campus during school hours, you ought to call and ask for a tour at the next opportunity. Life before adulthood echoes through the halls, whether it is in kindergarten where words and numbers take shape; in the middle schools where adolescence forms; or at the high schools where labs and dreams bubble to the surface. Someone has to conduct all of these experiments on educational growth. That someone is the teacher providing knowledge, inspiration, friendship. At least, that is how the great ones work - as unquestioned mentors. This year, as in the past, we asked public school districts and private schools to nominate their best and brightest. Our results are culled from dozens of nominations. We look for a spark in what we receive. We ask, would we want this teacher to instruct our children? And is their impact so profound that we could never forget what they taught? The 10 teachers profiled here are a subjective selection, true, but they are an objective reflection of the best of the best. Dave Goodward Arthur Sheppard Nancy Andrzejczak Jerri Higinbotham Jared Derksen Debbie Eyer Jo-Anne Kingstone Matthew Maeda Sally Griffin Todd Lamph Dave Goodward KIMBARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN SAN BERNARDINO Position: Environmental education teacher, grades K-6 Residence: Grand Terrace Family: Wife Margaret; daughter Jenna, 18, and son Gavin, 15 Do you know any elementary school kids who like to be out in the fresh air and close to nature? OK, that was a foolish question. Dave Goodward is the kind of teacher who can give them that pleasure and see to it that they learn something at the same time. Goodward runs the Kimbark Environmental Education Program, a special magnet program, at Kimbark Elementary School. He introduces his students to animals, plants and a variety of instruments and activities, as well as passing along to them his own enthusiasm for exploration and all natural things. Key to Goodward's success? Getting his young charges out of the classroom and into the field as often as he can. These adventures include, for the sixth-graders, a three-day excursion to the Catalina Marine Institute to learn about California's marine life and ecology. Fifth-grade students learn about the local mountains through a four-day adventure at the Thousand Pines Mountain School. Fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-graders also make three nature trail trips a year to learn about the local environment. "The San Bernardino County Museum actually owns the land," says Goodward, "but they let us go use it as an outdoor laboratory." For safety considerations, activities for the younger kindergarten through third grade kids don't usually include the nature trail. "For all of the kids, we spend a lot of time in the garden," says Goodward. "We've been putting in native plants for several years now, just a little bit at a time, to help teach the kids about the Southern California environment. That has a lot to do with adaptation which is a third-grade science standard." A teacher like Dave Goodward can turn a seemingly mundane activity into an enjoyable learning experience. He says that everybody loves going out to the vegetable garden. "Whenever we do garden stuff," he says, "it's always easy to work in science lessons." For example, steaming a freshly harvested crop of broccoli led to a creative science lesson for the younger kids. Goodward hopes that the students who pass through his program will grow up, look up in the hills and see more than just a bunch of bushes. "If they've been here and have planted some of those bushes and have seen how incredible their adaptations are, and how tough these plants are, and how some of them are used by wildlife to survive, and some have been used by people for fiber or for food," he hopes they will appreciate that "bunch of bushes" as a complex, living ecosystem. - By Michael Medley Nancy Andrzejczak LAKE ELSINORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Position: Special assignment for the district serving as the director for Project R.A.I.S.E. (Reading and Arts Integrated for Student Excellence) Residence: Wildomar Family: Husband Zenon; daughters April, 26, and Merrilee, 21 A picture is worth more than a thousand words to Nancy Andrzejczak. In fact, it's worth thousands of new words in a child's vocabulary, plus increased comprehension, writing ability, and an overall improvement academically. Along with two other Lake Elsinore teachers, Andrzejczak founded R.A.I.S.E. (Reading and Arts Integrated for Student Excellence). Currently on special assignment for the Lake Elsinore Unified School District, she serves as the director of the R.A.I.S.E. program that is funded by a $1 million federal grant. "Her pursuit of nearly $2 million in grants for our district has allowed teachers the opportunity for professional development training in the arts," says R.A.I.S.E. co-founder Monique Poldberg. "She is truly a teacher making a difference." "We were one out of 11 sites in the nation who received this grant, so it's like winning the lottery, both in terms of the excitement we feel and our chances of getting it," explains Andrzejczak, the grant proposal's author. About 250 of the district's K-8 teachers were trained last year to implement R.A.I.S.E. This year as part of her research, Andrzejczak interviews students about their artwork. It's a give-and-take process of questions and analysis on both sides. Listening as each child reads the story that goes with their painting, more details surface such as the life of an octopus or otter that might be living in the ocean or the clouds that sweep across the sky like a broom. There's definitely more going on in the painting than just bright colors. "Teachers are clamoring to be trained, so that tells me it's working," says Andrzejczak, with 26 years in the educational field. Second-grader Jared Crowder's painting of a vivid sunset by the ocean is something any parent would proudly hang on the refrigerator. But, when he begins talking about what is going on in his pictures, a whole new world opens up. One filled with expressive and grownup words and images like twilight, lemon-colored suns, melting moons, and bumpy grass. In another painting set after dusk, he explains that most of "the bats are flying away from the cave because it is nighttime and they're going out to feed while the moon reflects on the clouds." "This one is a baby bat and it's flying toward the cave because it's probably scared," says Crowder, pointing out the difference in the angle of the wings showing the direction of flight. "There are strong studies that show children who are capable of making strong mental images do better academically than those who don't," says Andrzejczak. "Our theory is that using arts-based strategies, which includes all the arts such as visual, music, theater and dance, will raise a student's academic performance." Whether teaching or working on special assignment, Andrzejczak devotes time and energy to helping students reach the state level in California History Day for the last 10 years. Four of her teams continued on to the national level. Her dedication to the annual competition earned her the California State History Day Teacher of the Year award in 2002. - By Ruth Planey Jared Derksen RANCHO CUCAMONGA HIGH SCHOOL Position: Math teacher Residence: Redlands Family: Wife Jennifer; children Blake, 6, Victoria, 4, and Jacob, 1 Imagine what it would be like walking into class one day and instead of being greeted by your regular teacher you were welcomed by the likes of Albert Einstein. It might be a bit of a shock to some students, but for Jared Derksen's pupils, it's something they're used to. Derksen teaches math at Rancho Cucamonga High School - Algebra 1, calculus, and advanced placement statistics - so dressing as a historic figure occasionally helps him drive home the point that mathematics are an important part of a good education. Derksen has been teaching for 12 years, beginning in the middle schools. He had always wanted to teach juniors and seniors. There was an opening at RCHS for someone in the higher-level courses, giving him an opportunity to teach calculus and other classes he enjoys. He also is responsible for starting the school's AP statistics class, which has grown in popularity over the past five years, expanding from 25 students to nearly 70 this year. Derksen is pleased that so many students have decided to take this class. "Stats is a requirement for so many majors. The trick is convincing students to do math their senior year, even though it is not required," says Derksen. "I am proud of the program because it has not only attracted some of the 'typical' AP kids who are heading for UCs and the like and take numerous AP classes, it has also attracted 'regular college-prep' kids who may be headed to Chaffey JC or (Cal State San Bernardino) and this may be their only AP class." In order to make a seemingly dry subject like math come to life for his students, Derksen will tell stories about history's great mathematicians, helping his class realize that math was discovered by humans who were real people interested in solving problems. On one wall of his classroom he has pictures of mathematicians that he will refer to from time to time. "Before each test starts, I always tell the class, 'Don't forget, the great mathematicians of all time look over you, counting on you to carry on their proud tradition - do not disappoint them!' After awhile, if I forget, students will ask me to say it! Students also will ask (admittedly, to try and get out doing work) for another story." In order to keep his skills and ideas original, Derksen participates in the Inland Area Math Project (IAMP) and the Park City Math Institute (PCMI) which is held at Princeton University. These are enrichment programs that offer new teaching methods, allowing members to collaborate with other teachers. Derksen enjoyed PCMI because part of the institute explored learning new math just for the fun of it. "Involvement with projects like the IAMP keeps me fresh and motivated," says Derksen. "I live for new ideas. Every spring I'm planning what I'm going to do different next year. Reading, collaborating and going to conference helps me to get a new perspective and a fresh muse whispering in my ear. A teacher that is content might as well be dead. "Students will follow the level of the teacher's enthusiasm. Creating a class atmosphere where students can think and work and ask questions is just as important as the subject itself." - By Julie Engelhardt Jo-Anne Kingstone THE WEBB SCHOOLS IN CLAREMONT Position: Associate dean, English teacher (grades 9-12), soccer and track coach Residence: Claremont (on campus) Family: Husband James; daughter Sarah, 13, and son Ben, 12 Working at a boarding school like The Webb Schools in Claremont offers a teacher a never-ending source of opportunities to pass along learning and work with young people. That suits Jo-Anne Kingstone just fine. "Your teaching obviously has to extend beyond the classroom," she says, "and it's not really an option for us to walk away." Kingstone explains that all of the teachers at Webb are coaches, they all do residential duty in the dormitories with their students, they even eat together in the dining hall with the students. She considers all of these to be teaching environments. "Even in my administrative role," she says, "I work very closely with kids on a day-to-day basis, and every time someone walks into my office, I see it as a teaching opportunity. In some ways, if you are a teacher who loves to teach, this is kind of a paradise for that because you are constantly in a position to work with young people." Developing and enhancing the leadership skills of the young women who attend Webb is very important to Kingstone. In addition to her teaching and administrative duties, she assembles a series of special programs, one of which is the Day of Women. This is an event where women from various professions and stations in life speak to and interact with the girls at Webb. "I make contact with women," she says, "some of them are local, some of them are parents." One of the speakers at this year's event was Sue Weber Brown, a police officer from Butte County who works with drug-endangered children. Kingstone says, "Basically, I gather these women together who have interesting stories. Not a career day so much, but women who have something to say, something to share about their personal stories, how they've overcome difficulty, how they've managed to keep strong and how they helped other women." Being a Perry Award winner also helps her in this endeavor. "My goal with the Perry Award is to get more knowledge so that I can do a better job here." She has been visiting other schools, including girls' schools, to gather more information about "how women lead, how young women lead, how they communicate with each other." A situation that she finds most satisfying is seeing some of the school's girls dealing with a certain problem interact with some of the boys who have been dealing with the same problem and, despite their differing views of and approaches to it, work together to a common solution. When students graduate from Webb, Kingstone hopes they remember teachers who have become friends and mentors. She also hopes that "they learn how to have good relationships with adults, and I think that's so, so important when we're in a world where sometimes the adult can be the enemy, because the adult is the one demanding certain behavior, or demanding a certain kind of performance. I think in this environment, the kids learn to have a meaningful relationship with adults, and how to ask for help, how to ask for guidance, how to give and how to lead." - By Michael Medley Sally Griffin RAMONA HIGH SCHOOL IN RIVERSIDE Position: AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) counselor Residence: Riverside Family: Husband Willis "Griff" Griffin; grown children Shelly and Dirk, and two grandchildren Some high school students wait a year or two before entering college. Sally Griffin waited 21 years. At 39 years of age, she was a successful entrepreneur, working in partnership with others at various business endeavors. She defined herself as having "plenty of street smarts but no book smarts." The majority of Sally's employees were in the same boat, working labor jobs for minimum wage. Her warm personality endeared her to the staff and her self-driven nature rubbed off on many who would "want more out of life." After years of encouraging her employees to better themselves, one day she decided to take her own advice. At age 39, Griffin entered Riverside Community College with the goal of pursuing a major in business administration. It didn't take her long to recognize a passion for history; she inherently knew she could teach others to share her enthusiasm. She switched her major to history and education, and later, while a student teacher, added economics and business to her credential plate. This long road led Griffin to the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program at Ramona High School, which she considers her greatest accomplishment. AVID is a four-year program that prompts underrepresented students to attend college by leading, guiding and encouraging them on the road to high school graduation. Grades are important, but the overriding factor is self-determination and the desire to be in the program. More than 200 students are interviewed each year. During her seven-year tenure as a coordinator, the program has grown from 26 to more than 400 students. "It is the largest program in the world and easily the most successful," reports Griffin with a great deal of pride. The long-term success of the AVID program speaks for itself. "Each one in last year's graduating class of 79 seniors was accepted at four-year colleges and universities all over the country. In addition to their acceptance, these students were able to secure more than $610,000 in grants and scholarships. That speaks not only for their GPAs but their personal profiles and student citizenships, as well." Griffin also defines herself as a rare breed. "I like teenagers; I connect with them. I consider myself one of the lucky teachers who has the opportunity to work with the kids every year during their high school education. From the time they enter as freshmen until their senior year, I groom them, prepare them and get them excited about college. There is no greater joy than watching a student go from being a lukewarm high school student to one who is anxious for college." Her students feel the same way. Most recently, two of Griffin's success stories returned to their alma mater to speak with AVID students. Marco Ramirez, now a student at Pepperdine University and Orlando Morales, currently attending UC Berkeley, gave testimony about the importance of a college education. Each was able to share real-life college experiences and encourage those who had doubts about their own abilities. Griffin credits the AVID program with giving both Marco and Orlando the incentive and desire to go to college. Both came from low-income families where few finished high school, let alone attended college. "They will make a social change in their communities and serve as future leaders and role models," Griffin says with a smile. The same entrepreneurial spirit that enabled Griffin to succeed in business has made her equally successful with teens who yearn for acceptance, encouragement and the incentive to strive for excellence. She is making a difference in the lives of students with every class, and this difference will have long-lasting effects on future generations. - By Sherri Gomez Arthur Sheppard SAN JACINTO HIGH SCHOOL Position: Teaches Tiger Academy class Residence: San Jacinto Family: Wife Christina; daughters Desiree, 12, and Aurora, 10 Thanks to a dedicated teacher like Arthur Sheppard, San Jacinto High School may see fewer dropouts and more students graduate and earn diplomas. He teaches the school's Tiger Academy class, a self-contained program designed to meet the needs of incoming freshmen who had already been held back once or twice in their scholastic careers and are considered a risk for dropping out. Sheppard, who returned for his second round at San Jacinto High last August to teach this class, gives Principal Santos Campos and Assistant Principal Mary Boucher credit for its development. "The research shows that ninth grade is the age at which kids primarily make the decision to drop out," he says, "and Ms. Boucher wrote a program where we should try to retain these kids. So we put them in this academy where our goal was to accelerate them. Instead of graduating in four years, since a lot of them were already a year behind, we want them to graduate in three years." Sheppard describes three basic components of the Tiger Academy program. The first component is online classes from a Nebraska program called Class.com Inc. "Right now," he says, "they are taking online classes in health and they are taking a study skills class." Secondly, the program targets the low reading skills of many of the kids. "Ms. Boucher identified a reading program that accelerates readers called Reading 180," Sheppard says. "They are immersed in a reading and writing program for two hours a day." The third component is Sheppard himself. "I am their English and algebra teacher." The main difference between the Tiger Academy and more typical high school teaching helps Sheppard make the connection to reach these kids. "I've always taught in high school, where I'd see kids for 45 or 50 minutes a day, and then not see them for 24 hours," he says. "But with these kids, I see them all day, so I know them really, really well. I've never had an experience like that before." He believes that the loss of the teacher-student connection in middle and high schools is one of the factors that may lead some kids to drop out. "If they're having a bad day or a home problem, I'm the person who knows about it and can deal with them on a personal level. I know their problems and their strengths. I know all their strengths so I can direct my energy to them on a really individual level." Sheppard hopes that everyone can see the potential. "My experience as a long-term teacher is that kids you don't expect to succeed can and do succeed. They come back to you years later and are great successes. You can't look at a kid and say, 'This one's not going to amount to anything' or 'this one's going to be super great.' If you work with them and never give up on them, you just might be surprised at how well they turn out." - By Michael Medley Jerri Higinbotham JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN CORONA Position: Special education teacher Residence: Corona Family: Husband Larry; son Eric, 12 Jerri Higinbotham knew from a very early age that she wanted to become a teacher. She was greatly influenced by her third-grade teacher, plus she enjoyed playing school and would stay after class to help her teachers with their work. Her high school art instructor also was an inspiration, and for a time Higinbotham considered becoming an art teacher or art therapist. But her career path led her toward becoming a special education teacher. It proved to be a wise decision, for last year she was named one of three Teachers of the Year for the Corona/Norco School District and one of two for the county of Riverside. Higinbotham has been working with children with special needs for 16 of the 18 years she has been a teacher. She currently teaches a combination class of fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-graders who have mild to moderate learning disabilities. One student has traumatic brain injury, which Higinbotham explains would be similar to someone who has had a mild stroke. She also has had children in her class with Down syndrome, mental retardation, difficulties with language and speech, and cerebral palsy. Even though these children struggle with learning, her expectations of them are no different from someone who teaches regular education. "I expect my kids to learn and achieve," she says, "and although they might do it at a little bit of a slower pace, and their ceiling may not be as high because of their I.Q., they still excel and I have high standards for them." Higinbotham says that she enjoys working with special needs students because of the connection. Also, she often has received feedback from other professionals who are impressed by her skills. "Other teachers would say things such as, 'Wow, I've never seen that much verbalization from that kid, or that he's really built a great relationship with you.'" When students enter her class for the first time, Higinbotham strives to help them have successful experiences and to build up their self-esteem, encouraging them to become more independent with their learning. "I see a change in their attitude toward school, plus their peer relationships change for the better. Their attitude as a whole changes, which makes for a positive experience." One of Higinbotham's goals is to make certain that she and her students are not isolated from the rest of the school and school functions. "I don't want to be seen as separate from the staff, so I've been my own advocate and my students' advocate, involving them in whatever I can. We have a track team and I am one of the coaches for that, and I have been the science fair coordinator as well. I make sure that my kids are involved with that, too." Higinbotham's interest in track comes from her own personal experiences as a long distance runner. Over the years, she has competed in 5K runs, marathons, and, most recently, triathlons. Not only is she a co-track coach at her school, but she is also an assistant cross-country coach at Corona High School. One of her biggest joys is seeing students who have graduated from her class. It is an opportunity to see how they have developed over the years. "My students are all very special to me, and they all leave their mark. I am so happy that I can be a part of their lives, even if it's just for a short while. I want them to all lead fulfilling, successful lives." - By Julie Engelhardt Debbie Eyer LANDMARK MIDDLE SCHOOL IN MORENO VALLEY Position: Teaches three concert bands, one jazz band, one beginning band and two Dixie bands Residence: Moreno Valley Family: Single; one dog, two cats and 225 children Landmark Middle School in Moreno Valley is proud that one of its teachers was recently proclaimed Teacher of the Year. Debbie Eyer, a band teacher, has been selected by the Phi Delta Kappa Education Association from among hundreds of nominees throughout the state who exemplify the highest level of commitment to the future of today's youth. Eyer, who has been at Landmark since its opening 12 years ago, has been called a one-of-a-kind music teacher because of her strong influence on her band students and the school's overall music program. According to fellow educators and top administrators at Landmark, her passion for music is contagious. Students strive to give 110 percent - during practices and performances alike - because of the love and appreciation of music that Eyer has instilled in them. "Young people are hungry for creative ways to express themselves. If more students had access to music classes, I believe there would be less discipline problems," Eyers says. As a youth, Eyers admits that she was not focused and did not have direction in her life until she discovered music. Playing the trumpet, Eyer adds, gave her the chance to unleash all the energy she built up while sitting in class. Her major instrument is still the trumpet, but she enjoys playing all instruments. She loves all types of music, particularly classical and traditional jazz. "Music empowers me to express myself in a positive way," Eyers says. "This is what I want to pass on to my students." But music to Eyer is more than fun. She is convinced it is directly tied to one's academic performance. "Music is math, music is reading, music is science, music is history, and music is physical," Eyer says. "How many other single subjects can make that claim?" In keeping with her reputation of dedication to music and education, Eyer also has been known to give of her personal time to prepare students for competitions, recognizing that the extra time can make a difference in the student's final performance. "You not only teach music, you teach students to take pride in what they are doing and the desire to give their very best, regardless of what that level is." Eyer also believes that each student who wants to play should be able to. Jim Dutton, Landmark Middle School principal, is proud of Eyer's efforts and achievements. "Ms. Eyer feels strongly that one's financial situation should not inhibit one's interest or participation in music. She often purchases instruments for students who cannot afford to purchase or rent them. This goes above and beyond the call of duty and it has a resounding result on the lives of the students and families that she touches," Dutton says. Eyer epitomizes Dutton's description of going above and beyond, and it has become a credo for her life. "I am extremely busy with my kids and I place a very high priority in their performance schedule, both during school and with extracurricular activities. It makes me extremely proud when the community asks for any of my bands to play." - By Sherri Gomez Matthew Maeda SAN GORGONIO HIGH SCHOOL IN SAN BERNARDINO Position: Trigonometry and calculus teacher Residence: East Highlands Family: Wife Kristina; daughter Kaylee, 9, son Kevin, 6, and daughter Melanie, 5 Matt Maeda graduated from San Gorgonio High School in 1985 and was his class valedictorian. He now teaches at San Gorgonio and works to instill in his students his own goals of high academic standards and commitment to success. There were a lot of adjustments to be made when he began teaching here. Among them was getting used to the idea of addressing some of his own former teachers by their first names. He got himself through those new-kid-on-the-block difficulties by immersing himself in school activities. In addition to his classroom work, he began coaching girls' soccer and boys' baseball, both at the junior varsity level. "When you can be involved with the kids outside the classroom and show an interest in them outside the classroom," he says, "it helps them perform in the classroom, and helps you understand what they are going through." Watching his students grow socially, as well as academically, is one of the things that Maeda really enjoys about teaching in high school. "These kids go through a tremendous amount of social pressure," he says, "and this is where they really develop their personalities and how they are going to handle problems in the future as adults." He believes he and his colleagues are doing a lot more than teaching math and science. "We're teaching them how to be productive young citizens in the future." He tries to approach teaching in the classroom and coaching on the field in the same way. "I've seen many effective teachers, and the really effective teachers are coaches in the classroom. They're strict and they're firm, but they understand the students' needs, basically like a coach would. I think being a coach has made me a better teacher and, likewise, being a teacher has made me a better coach." Maeda also teaches AP calculus at San Gorgonio and his students have one of the highest passage rates for the national advanced placement test. He feels that there is plenty of credit to be shared for that success among the students, his fellow teachers, and school administrators. "You're only as good as the people you work with." Regarding the teachers who send students to his AP program he notes, "They work very hard at their jobs and, the last three or four years, the kids that I've been getting in calculus are very well prepared. The kids come in and they're ready to go and learn and, because those teachers had high standards, when they get to me and see my high standards and expectations, it doesn't scare them. Kids will achieve however high or low you set your bar. If you set it higher, they'll achieve higher; if you set it low, you've almost predestined them to fail. We've proved that regardless of where we're teaching, whether it's San Bernardino or Beverly Hills, these kids can pass the AP calculus test just like anyone else. It's been a great experience. I've really enjoyed it." That pleasure is something that he hopes his students discover as well. "The most important thing that they do when they choose a career is they need to choose something they're good at, but also something that they'll have fun doing, that they enjoy." - By Michael Medley Todd Lamph TOMAS RIVERA MIDDLE SCHOOL IN PERRIS Position: AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) and seventh-grade reading teacher Residence: Riverside Family: Wife Brenda; daughters Samantha,14, and Emili, 11 On Wednesdays, Todd Lamph's middle school classroom takes on the air of a college-level debate. About 40 seventh- and eighth-grade students eagerly voice their strongly held, insightful and informed opinions during the weekly session of philosophical chairs in Lamph's AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) class. Topics like corporal punishment or deporting illegal immigrants are probing and tough questions and many times very personal ones to face at 8 a.m., but the students are up to the challenge. "The goal is to not let them know which side I'm on," explains Lamph, who often plays the devil's advocate. At Tomas Rivera Middle School in Perris, AVID is doing exactly what it was designed to do - prepare the overlooked majority of students for success in college. Besides participating in philosophical classes, pupils are tutored in math by UC Riverside students and taught how to take good notes. They must maintain their GPA and are held accountable for their schoolwork. Lamph acts as the coordinator with the AVID students® other teachers. During weekly counseling sessions with every student, he reviews their progress in each class. Since almost 90 percent of the AVID students across the country go on to college, he'd like to see the program implemented schoolwide. Currently he teaches the school's only two AVID classes. With personal experience gleaned from raising two daughters ages 11 and 14, a past career as a group counselor at Riverside Juvenile Hall, and 15 years in the classroom, Lamph knows how to grab a student®s attention and hold it. "He's like our school parent," says Rebecca Delatorre, a seventh-grade AVID student. "He's caring and wants the best for us. He's always there to help." "Teaching is more than capitalization and grammar," says Lamph, who was the school and district teacher of the year 2001-2002. He currently assists veteran teachers. "Some need a hug and to know you care about them. It's rewarding when you see a light in their eyes and you know you®re reaching a kid." The 41-year-old Riverside resident is soft-spoken but animated as he reads a chapter from "The Midwife's Apprentice" to students in his seventh-grade reading lab. He relates the medieval novel to their lives, asking if they®ve ever been really hungry or so thirsty they®d drink from a muddy ditch like the heroine in the novel. Asking how the students would feel in a similar situation causes them to look at their lives and evaluate decisions they've made. "Teaching is a life lesson," says Lamph. "I'm a Christian and I think my faith has made me a better teacher. The heavenly father gives me the strength to do this." - By Ruth Planey |
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