Educator Effectiveness

Teachers' Top Three from ESE — April 27, 2017

1. In the News: National Teacher of the Year
   For the first time ever, a Massachusetts teacher has been named the National Teacher of the Year! The Council of Chief State School Officers announced on April 20 that Sydney Chaffee, a humanities teacher at Codman Academy Charter Public School in Dorchester, is the 2017 National Teacher of the Year.

   Governor Charlie Baker, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, Commissioner Chester, City of Boston Chief of Education Rahn Dorsey, Codman Academy Head of School Thabiti Brown, Ms. Chaffee, and Codman graduate Latanya Simpson joined Huntington Theatre Company Managing Director Michael Maso on stage at the company's BU Theatre on April 21 for a celebration of Ms. Chaffee's recognition.

   Governor Baker said the event was like sharing the stage with a Michael Jordan or Larry Bird, while Ms. Simpson, who introduced Ms. Chaffee as her superhero, said, "Sydney was always the first person to reassure me… She said I had nothing but greatness to offer the world."

   For her part, Ms. Chaffee thanked her students, who she described as "brilliant, passionate, and honest."

   "You make me proud to be a teacher," she said.

   Ms. Chaffee is a current member of ESE's Teacher Advisory Cabinet (Heads up: Applications are open now for the 2017-18 school year!). In the fall, she contributed a piece to the September 15, 2016 Teachers' Top Three about the connection she and her students have with the Huntington Theatre Company.

   This week, Ms. Chaffee and the other 2017 state teachers of the year are in Washington, D.C. You can follow their adventures on Twitter at #NTOY17.

2. Did You Know?: Student Writing Exemplars Available
   To clearly demonstrate strong grade-level writing, ESE's Writing Standards in Action Project publishes annotated student writing exemplars that are available to download for use in the classroom or for professional development. The project continues to grow and welcomes new submissions of student work and additional educators interested in serving as reviewers. To learn more, read the latest Instructional Support Newsletter or contact Rachel Bradshaw.

3. Get Involved: Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Survey
   The Department is surveying teachers and administrators in order to gather feedback that will inform future sheltered English immersion projects and guidance. Each survey will ask the reader to share instructional planning processes and instructional practices that they commonly use or observe. The surveys are anonymous. The teacher survey is for SEI educators, coaches and specialists. (District and school leadership - please take the administrator survey.) Thank you for your input!