Vanessa Howard, a third-grade teacher and instructional coach at Johnson-Wabash Elementary School, was named 2013 Teacher of the Year in the Ferguson-Florissant School District.
She wished she could have shared this accomplishment with her own first teacher, her mother, Lillie Johnson, who died in 1997. It was her mother who encouraged Howard to pursue a career in education.
“I felt overwhelmed,” she said of the recognition. “When you’re doing something that you really love to do, you don’t expect to be rewarded.”
In the classroom, she pushes her students to think independently but believes they learn best from each other. She actively engages her students by incorporating collaborative learning strategies such as “Think-Pair-Share,” in which students work together to solve a problem.
“It’s like being a salesperson for education,” she said. “Sometimes they don’t want it, but I have to sell it. I have to come up with ways to engage them and get them excited about learning.”
At the beginning of the school year, she assesses each student’s learning style and tailors the curriculum to meet each of their needs. She remarked that each class is different; for example, last year’s class was predominately male and comprised of kinesthetic learners. She opted to move the classroom to the playground because, she said, they needed to move.
“When we would be working on our times tables,” she said, “I would let them shoot hoops by twos.”
Art McCoy, Ferguson-Florissant School District superintendent, applauds her ability and effort to meet students where they are.
“Ms. Howard’s teaching style is based on differentiation,” McCoy said, “providing individualized educational programming that includes the use of technology and collaborative learning that meets the specific academic and social needs of her students.”
Robin Witherspoon, principal of Johnson-Wabash Elementary, describes Howard as a master teacher who goes above and beyond for her fellow teachers as well. In her capacity as an instructional coach, she provides resources to improve the performance of other classroom teachers and models to them effective lessons. She also conducts MAP testing strategy workshops for students in third through sixth grades.
“I create mock tests and conduct data team meetings where we as a team analyze data to provide effective instruction,” Howard said of her additional duties.
Teaching other teachers, according to the principal, is a critical aspect of improving academic achievement.
“Teacher behaviors must change to improve student achievement,” Witherspoon said. “Students require that we be engaging and creative as we inspire our students to become high-level thinkers.”
Howard began her career with the St. Louis Public School District and then transitioned to her first teaching positions in Ferguson-Florissant at Cool Valley and Bermuda elementary schools. She has taught at Johnson-Wabash since 2004 and has served the district for 14 years.
Fully accredited by the state of Missouri, the Ferguson-Florissant School District operates 17 elementary schools, three middle schools, three high schools and an alternative school.
“Mr. Johnson is a role model to students, parents and fellow staff through his work ethic and commitment to excellence in all he does,” said McCoy.
Howard said she has always worked with children in some form or another, yet had no idea she wanted to be a teacher. Before entering the profession, she was a young, stay-at-home mother of two who regularly volunteered at her children’s preschool. She also served as a babysitter and tutor and was active with the Lively Stone Church children’s choir.
It wasn’t until age 26 that she enrolled at Harris-Stowe State University, where she obtained a bachelor’s in early childhood education. At the University of Missouri – St. Louis, she earned a master’s in early childhood education. She is also certified as an education specialist in elementary administration.
“I kind of came into teaching late,” she said. “But, I’m glad I found my niche in life.”
There were many people who helped her advance to Teacher of the Year caliber, she said.
“I stand on the shoulders of some great people,” she said. “It takes a whole village not only to raise a child but to teach a teacher.”
