Outstanding NYC teachers are everywhere, but here are just a few

May 5, 12:47 PMNY Schools ExaminerKathleen Byrne

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“Mischievous Apple” by fernando.

It’s National Teacher Appreciation Day. Across the country hundreds of thousands of teachers will go to work today with the same passion and commitment that they always do. Today is the day parents and students show their passion and commitment to appreciating all the underpaid and overworked educators who have dedicated their lives to making the world a better place.

This year, several NYC teachers have been recognized for excellence. Here are just a few of them:

The New York Times honors teachers who have consistently gone above and beyond the call of duty to help students learn English and develop the skills to create successful new lives in the United States. The winner of the 2009 NYT English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESO L) Teacher of the Year Award is Ms. Tamara Kirson. She has worked at The City College of New York Adult Literacy Program for the past 10 years.

NYC Teaching Fellow Award for Classroom Excellence recipients are Eric Ashton, earth science teacher at Marta Valle Secondary School; Sine Bayer, special education teacher at Bronx High School for the Visual Arts; Megan Cahill, English teacher at Bushwick Leaders’ High School for Academic Excellence; Ashley Hodge, special education teacher at PS 186X: The Damrosch Day Treatment School; and Evan Weinberg, math and physics teacher at Herbert H Lehman High School.

New York Nicks star Allan Houston’s parents are both teachers, so he knows that teachers don’t get the recognition they deserve. These teachers were selected from more than 2,000 student essays written for Mr. Houston’s “My Teacher Is My Hero” contest. Ms. Caroline Mackey, a 4th grade teacher at P.S. 10 in Brooklyn and paraprofessional Elizabeth Connelly, who also works at P.S. 10, was nominated by a winning essay by 10-year-old Rivelino Lucas; sixth grader Samantha Lopez wrote an essay lauding Ms. Jennifer Frank, a teacher in Bronx’s M.S. 127; and Norman Thomas High School 11th grader Angeline Gomez wrote about her mentor and teacher, Ms. Barbara Wolk.

Finally, this teacher, “Mr. Eureka,” has not been honored by anyone, as far as I know, but his post yesterday on the UFT blog, Edwize, was so moving it brought tears to this otherwise unsentimental blogger’s eyes. I give "Mr. Eureka" my own Award to the Unknown Teacher, and it represents all the NYC teachers out there quietly making a difference. You must read the posting, Earning Respect, in the New Teacher Diaries.