Miller-Manchester Mentor Teacher Award

Introducing Scott Gallagher

This year will be Scott’s 25^th year of teaching, with 23 of them in the Mukilteo School District. Scott graduated from Western Washington University in 1995, with a bachelor’s degree in history/social studies education. He earned a Master’s in technology education from Lesley University in 2004. He started at Mt. Vernon High School, but quickly moved to Mariner High School in 1997. He has been at Olympic View Middle School since 2005. He did my student-teaching at Ferndale High School with two fantastic mentor teachers.

Scott: “Their differing styles taught me that there is more than one way to be successful in the classroom. I have mentored several student-teaching interns over the years, but I feel the best experiences are when I team with another teacher. I get to stay 100 percent engaged with half of my classes and the intern gets to see two different teaching styles that (I think) are both successful. I have always appreciated working with student-teachers and feel like I am helping the next group of young teachers. I keep in contact with many of the interns I have worked with, and I love to see what great teachers they have become. I also appreciate working with Cathy Hayes from WSU. She is a wealth of teaching experience and a fun person to work with.”

Introducing Erik von Gohren

Erik was born and raised in Yakima, Washington.  Later he graduated from Eastern Washington University and began my career teaching in the Mukilteo School District, where he has remained for 20 years.  He has mentored many WSU students and has found through personal experience that WSU produces the best teachers.

Philosophy:

“The reason I became a teacher and mentor is to learn each and every day.”

Introducing Rena Mincks

Rena Mincks has taught for 32 years. She earned both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees from Eastern Washington University and her Doctorate from Washington State University. She has had numerous Practicum Students and Student Teachers from WSU. She earned the National Board Certification and was a facilitator assisting other teachers in attaining their Certification. Rena currently is a Field Supervisor for Washington State University.

Introducing Sharon Foster

First-grade teacher wins outstanding mentor award

By C. Brandon Chapman – College of Education

Washington State University will award a first-grade teacher from Daybreak Primary School in Battle Ground, Wash. for her outstanding mentoring.

The WSU College of Education will give Sharon Foster the award as part of its yearly Scholarship and Excellence program, which takes place on homecoming weekend in Pullman. This year it falls on Sept. 29.

The Miller/Manchester Outstanding Mentor Award honors teachers who are heavily involved with WSU Students during the student teaching or practicum experiences. It generally is given to someone who has done this work over an extended number of years.

Or, as Foster said, while she’s certainly humbled to be honored for this, it’s just part of her duty to give back.

“As an agent of change, I believe I encourage by modeling a growth mindset,” she said. “I work on being very transparent in my teaching and remind my student candidates that they too will get braver at making and learning from their mistakes and challenges.”

Foster’s friends and colleagues said it’s a lesson that the preservice teachers all take to heart.

“Not only has Sharon supported dozens of teacher candidates over the years, she recognizes the importance of integrating these teacher candidates into the classroom community early in the year, meeting with them before the school year even begins,” said Matt Kauffman, principal of Daybreak Primary School. “As the year progresses, Sharon and her teacher candidates use one another as resources and are often seen working as a team, with students, to support classroom goals and activities. As a result of Sharon’s dedication and efforts the teacher candidates always leave their experience well prepared for establishing an initial classroom of their own.”

If the proof is in the pudding, WSU Vancouver field supervisor Barbara Baird said one look at the students under Foster’s tutelage makes it very clear that there’s been a positive impact.

“The teacher candidates under Sharon’s mentorship have been successful and hardworking teachers in their new position,” she said. “Sharon has given great service to our WSU Vancouver programs and students.”

Perhaps that is because Foster doesn’t see the students as merely a project.

“My class and I get just as much from the teacher candidates as they get from us,” she said. “We are on the same team. We are all educators.”

Introducing Amy Bearden

Amy Bearden is a kindergarten teacher in the Tri-Cities and is a natural leader. She is extremely organized and thrives on mentoring and coaching young adults and teachers. There is rarely a semester that goes by that Amy doesn’t have one of our practicum students or student teachers in her classroom. The College of Education has heard nothing but positive praise about Amy and the incredible job she does mentoring our students. Without a doubt, she has mentored more students for WSU than any other teacher in the Tri-Cities.

Amy must be energetic and creative and remarkable to be able to host our students, work on her Professional Certification, and deliver quality instruction all in the same year! I have the utmost respect for her as a teacher and what she does in her classroom and for the teaching profession.