Educator Awards Spotlight: Becky Adderson
Becky Adderson is the NEWESD 101 Regional Teacher of the Year and is an 8th Grade Special Education Teacher & Co-Teacher at Lincoln Middle School in Pullman School District
We’re sharing the wisdom of our incredible regional and state Teachers and Classified School Employees of the Year, in their own words.
What advice would you give someone who is just beginning their career in education?
The best learning you receive is in the classroom. Your teaching programs taught you how society expects teaching to be; the classroom teaches you what teaching really is. Breath, take it one step at a time. Find role models of your professional aspiration, people in your building, and learn from them. Remember to take the time off when you need to. It will be your instinct to work throughout the year as hard as you can, remember that burnout is real. Allow yourself grace and time. If you are not at your full ability, then you cannot give your all.
What one change in education are you most excited for when we reach our post-COVID reality?
I get excited post COVID knowing that if anything, this experience has taught us that having students together and in the building is not only best practice, but is also best for our student’s social/emotional and mental health. This means inclusion is going to be a continued discussion and best practice for all students. The technology that was created during our COVID experience, these new platforms, procedures, and new ways of teaching/learning helped students who struggle exponentially. I cannot wait to see what we do with these new platforms in the future to expand on our students’ learning and growth.
What was something that surprised you about working in education?
In education, there is no end to learning. When I went into my first job, I was under the impression that I knew what I needed to know. I could not have been more wrong. Robert John Meehan states “As a teacher you have to be committed to learning for a lifetime first before you can lead your students down that path”. This could not be more accurate. To be successful, I must continually be learning from my own PD to what the students teach me every day to ensure that I can be the best teacher I can be.
What is one local, state, or national education issue that you think more people should be thinking/talking about?
Despite attempts to improve professional programs and address motivation in teaching, we have not been able to fully curb the dropping rates of credential teachers. Insufficient behavior teachings in education programs paired with an increase of in number of responsibilities above and beyond instruction are the biggest contributing factors. We are not providing our young teachers with the necessary training to understand and combat extensive behavior difficulties in the classroom save for those geared toward special education. Undergraduate programs for general education teachers minimal instruction regarding behavioral strategies, and those that do focus predominantly on basic classroom management strategies.
What do you wish more people knew about your job?
I have the best job ever. It is also one of the hardest. As Sped and Co-Teacher, I get to work both sides of the fence: students with disabilities and main streamed students. I get to witness the thrill of learning and growth while overcoming obstacles. I also have a job that requires a lot of work outside of the school day and can be exhausting. However, I get to watch new social awareness dawn and I get to observe my students as they begin to sprout into mature young adults with dream and aspirations. Every day is worth it.
Learn more about the Teacher and Classified School Employees of the Year on the Educator Awards website.
