Keith R. Ballard
Kindergarten Music
Teacher
Montgomery Middle School
San Diego, CA
Biographical Information:
Keith R. Ballard teaches music at Montgomery Middle School in Sweetwater Union High School District in San Diego County. He holds a bachelor of art's degree from Arizona State University in Communications and Music Education. Mr. Ballard has initiated a Mariachi Music Program, an African Drum Ensemble, and an Island Steel Drum Band as he builds a bridge to the community with a 75 percent Latino population. Known as a no-nonsense teacher, he also is recognized for bringing out the best in his students - many of whom had never picked up an instrument before joining his class. The students have performed on national television and for basketball legend Magic Johnson, former President Bill Clinton, President George Bush, Governor Gray Davis, and Governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger. Performances brought standing ovations. Such positive reinforcement has brought with it an improvement in student attendance and a feeling of deep pride among his young musicians and their parents. Mr. Ballard is an active fundraiser and has succeeded in securing thousands of dollars in donated equipment. He has received numerous local and state awards.
Nancy Florez-Muro
Language Arts and Social Studies Teacher, Grades
6-8
Lake Center Middle School
Santa Fe Springs, CA
Biographical Information:
Nancy Florez-Muro teaches Language Arts and Social Studies at
Lake Center Middle School in the Little Lake City School District
in Santa Fe Springs. She started out as a certified public accountant,
but switched to teaching as her second career. Ms. Florez-Muro
usually stays at school until 5:30 p.m. Her energy serves as a
natural motivator for students. She has mastered a wide-range
of reading strategies that benefit not only the struggling reader,
but also the gifted learner. Ms. Florez-Muro believes that students
need to see the "bigger picture" of what they are learning. As
a result, she does not teach skills in isolation, but rather teaches
children how to apply skills to real-life situations. When presenting
a lesson she may emphasize a particular point, and then she allows
students an opportunity to discuss and clarify the point before
they report their findings to the whole class. Charts are often
used as teaching tools that explain a point she makes. When Ms.
Florez-Muro talks with parents, she gives them time to present
their views, clarifies any issues, and then begins to problem-solve.
Her teaching is research-based, whether she is focused on spelling,
writing, or reading comprehension. Her approach is always, "How
can we make this work?"
Nader I. Twal
Reading Literacy Teacher, Grades 9-12
Millikan High School
Long Beach, CA
Biographical Information:
Nader I. Twal teaches at Millikan High School in Long Beach Unified
School District in Long Beach. In his first year at the school,
he was assigned a diverse class of struggling readers. Because
of his intuitive talent, he was selected to write and teach a
course outline and pacing chart for a "Literacy Workshop" that
was eventually adopted district-wide. As a result of his instruction,
his students regularly show impressive growth. He volunteers his
time to write curriculum and work on an academy design for the
very large campus of 4200-plus students. Mr. Twal sees the need
for students to be a part of a small learning community and to
have an adult mentor. He took on a leadership role in designing
and implementing a peace academy with a focus on international
negotiations. Mr. Twal creates student-centered, standards-based
lessons. Daily lessons are spelled out on an overhead projector
along with accompanying objectives. Students work in groups and
serve as peer editors, peer coaches, and peer evaluators. He engages
them in reading where they learn to navigate through articles
in magazines, such as Time , and then they create their own articles.
Colleagues say he generates "electricity" and that he has the
attention of 100% of his students 100% of the time.
Kathleen Vasquez
English Teacher, Grades 9-12
Philip and Sala Burton Academic High School
San Francisco, CA
Biographical Information:
Kathleen Vasquez teaches English at Philip and Sala Burton Academic
High School at San Francisco Unified School District in San Francisco.
In a school where more than 20 languages are spoken, Ms. Vasquez
serves as department head for the English Department and the English
Learner Program. Under her leadership, the school implemented
double English classes for students in the ninth and tenth grades.
She encourages students by telling them that there is always hope
and that nothing will be accomplished if they give up. In 2001-02,
the school's Academic Performance Index grew by 69 points, going
from 570 to 639. Ms. Vasquez selects and organizes high-interest
subject matter. She models the teaching objective for students
and then allows them to participate. In a ninth grade reading
class where many students have low reading scores, she models
a think-aloud reading strategy. She selects a part of the text
and reads it aloud, stops, and discusses what went on in her head.
Then students practice the technique, after which they share their
questions with the whole class. They analyze the questions and
divide them into categories.
