Dec 2021-Jan 2022_Advisor

DECEMBER 2021 - JANUARY 2022 CEA ADVISOR 7

What are your hopes for the new year and your advice for fellow teachers? Rochelle Brown: Keep moving forward. As we continue to move into a still-unknown future, there are great challenges we must face. This year has been extremely challenging for many teachers, whether new or veteran educators. We must continue to support one another and use our voices to speak on behalf of our students and ourselves. We are professionals who bring such talent, innovation, creativity, and passion to our profession each day. We must never forget that we are the people who have the privilege of creating the future. Every person, in every profession, was taught by a teacher. I look forward to working with Kim King, the 2022 Connecticut Teacher of the Year, and other educators throughout the state as we continue to teach and inspire our students, and one another, every day. Meghan Hatch-Geary: We hear, rightfully so, a lot about how important it is for teachers to build relationships with students. My advice would be to also build relationships with teachers and other educators, both within your district and beyond. One of the things I’ve realized these last two years is how vast our network is and how many opportunities there are to learn, grow, and hone our craft. Teachers across our state are doing incredible things, and they have so much to share. It’s easy to get caught up in the work we do in our own schools and towns, but I’ve been enlightened, inspired, rejuvenated, encouraged, and surprised by what other educators are experiencing and by how they are innovating in districts much different from my own. There are also so many organizations doing critically important and exciting work that can support teachers no matter where they are in their careers. Take advantage of those opportunities! Make connections, ask questions, and widen your circle; we need each other, and we can do so much more together than we can on our own.

for appointing me to the curriculum writing team, and I am indebted to the many folks I worked with through the State Education Resource Center, the Connecticut legislature, and Central Connecticut State University as we wrote the course, developed professional learning for teachers, and promoted the importance of this historic curriculum across the state. What a privilege it has been to meet, learn from, and work with the many brilliant and dedicated people who made that curriculum possible. Certainly, one of the most memorable moments of my life came on the day I walked through the gates of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and shook hands with the “teacher in the White House,” First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. The 2020 and 2021 Teacher of the Year cohorts were never certain such a day would come, and I am so full of gratitude for every person who committed to ensuring that it did. Dr. Biden herself was adamant that the teachers be afforded such a time- honored tradition, and it was indeed an honor to be there, to sit on the South Lawn and listen to not only our country’s esteemed leaders but also the two National Teachers of the Year who have led us all throughout these tumultuous times with grace and strength and good humor. Tabatha Rosproy and Juliana Urtubay are champions of public education, and they are inspiring representatives of our profession. While I did not manage to sneak a photo with President Biden himself, I did find my way to his presidential podium. Standing there in the sun memorials on the National Mall from such a privileged position, I was reminded of how profoundly fortunate I have been, and of how important it is that I continue to advocate for all teachers and for a truly equitable education system that serves all students, because that is how we preserve and protect our democracy. that day, looking out at the Washington and Jefferson

Rochelle Brown and Meghan Hatch-Geary join forces to represent tens of thousands of excellent educators throughout Connecticut.

world. Student by student, you perform miracles every day”—will serve as a constant reminder of why I teach. Meghan Hatch-Geary: While COVID-19 interrupted and influenced my experience as Teacher of the Year, it also extended and enriched it. I feel immensely grateful for the two full years I’ve had to listen, learn, and lead. Thanks to the tremendous support of the State Department of Education, the Connecticut Teacher of the Year Council, their generous sponsors, the Council of Chief State School Officers, and my very own Region 16, I have been able to enjoy a multitude of both in-person and virtual events that have pushed my limits, enriched my life, and made me a better teacher. I was able to attend Induction Week at Google in California; Space Camp Educator Academy in Alabama; events at the White House and (virtually) Capitol Hill in Washington, DC; and a ceremony on the field at Fenway Park during a Red Sox game. I’ve been able to attend virtual conferences with

incredible presenters and speakers, like Ruby Bridges and Clint Smith. I’ve had the privilege of speaking to audiences at various organizations and learning more about how they serve education throughout our state. I’ve collaborated with members of the Connecticut Education Association in campaigns to help diversify the teacher workforce, ensure COVID health and safety measures, amplify teacher voice during the pandemic, and advocate for vaccinations for all school personnel. I have made videos with students to elevate their voices, been invited into classrooms to share my love of literature, and been encouraged to share my story and passions with the support of Teach Connecticut and Dalio Education. One of the things I am proudest of is being able to contribute to the development and promotion of the premier Black and Latino studies course that will be offered in every Connecticut high school starting next year. I am grateful to U.S. Secretary of Education and former Connecticut Education Commissioner Dr. Miguel Cardona

In spite of unexpected changes and challenges brought on by the COVID pandemic, the last two years have provided Connecticut Teachers of the Year Rochelle Brown (2021) and Meghan Hatch-Geary (2020) exciting opportunities to lead and learn. Among their many experiences were a chance to participate in Space Camp, meet with White House and Congressional officials, and celebrate Teachers of the Year from every part of the country.