Teachers First Winners
Teachers First goes to Cotopaxi teacher
At Cotopaxi Elementary, Debra Krizmanich has taught generations of kindergarten kids for the past 29 years. “Mrs. K" says the secret to her success is never teaching her class the same way twice.
"I think if you do the same thing over and over and over again you can become stale, and if you're stale I don't think you're doing the best that you can."
Teachers First: Debra Krizmanich
Third grade teacher translates confidence into success
Third grade teacher Stanley Adams believes that learning is a life-long activity. His classroom at Mountain View Elementary in Colorado Springs is a relaxed and open place for learning.
Adams strives to create a passion for learning in his students by building their confidence, letting them know that it's okay to make mistakes and encouraging them to ask questions when they don't understand.
Continuity is key to Madison Elementary teacher's success
Madison Elementary School Teacher Deana Rice knows kids have a ground to cover between kindergarten and their first C-SAP test in third grade. It’s one reason why our February Teachers First award recipient sticks with her students to help the grow.
Widefield teacher helps students with behavior problems
When a child is acting out in class, there isn't always a clear answer for their behavior. Talbott Elementary School teacher Tammy Allen specializes in helping students whose emotional and behavioral problems make it difficult for them to function in a normal classroom setting.
Kindergarten teacher keeps kids interest by not sitting still
During the course of a school year the development of kindergarten students is dramatic, and at Piñon Valley Elementary, it's teacher Stacey Huff's job to foster that change.
Our November Teachers First Award recipient says watching the kids progress through the year the most rewarding parts of her job.
Teachers First honors Abby Spillman
Abby Spillman, first grade teacher at Heritage Elementary school in Pueblo is this month's Teachers First teacher. For 32 years she's taught elementary school children. For the past 16 years she's molded 1st graders.
April's Teachers First recipient goes to large lengths to enhance her students learning
Tina Robertson is April's Teachers First Recipient.
Nominate Your Teachers
First grade teacher frequently taps her creativity to teach
The ease with which first graders can use their imaginations is so natural that it requires a special adult to channel that energy into constructive classroom education. Sue Amble is just such a person.
The first grade teacher at Divine Redeemer Catholic School in Colorado Springs relies on her creativity on a daily basis to capture her students collective imaginations.
For example, she assigns her students seats in seven separate groups that each named after a continent. The students are reminded of the subtle geography lesson each time they sit down.
In teaching American History, Amble erects a traditional Native American Wetu in the middle of class. She says it's worth the extra effort when she realizes how her lessons stick with her students.
"When kids come back in here in third and fourth grade they say, oh I was in Australia or I was in Antarctica or when are you going to put up the Wetu? Or that kind of thing. So, I know that they're remembering those fun things that we do."
The kids aren't the only ones who appreciate Mrs. Amble's creativity. Principal Jim Rigg says he and Amble's fellow teachers recognize something special in her."
The textbooks are good and they have their place, but it really takes a truly gifted teacher to move out of the textbook and make the class their own," Rigg said.
As a catholic school teacher, Amble says lessons in faith are just as important for her as the academics.
"Part of our job is to raise good human beings and I like that our, we're raising good young moral leaders who are going on and taking that into our community."
And because of her commitment to teaching the whole child Sue Amble is our May 2009 Teachers First award recipient.
