Valley educator in the running for Alaska Teacher of Year

PALMER -- After 32 years of teaching special education, Rita Davis is receiving a little recognition for her efforts.

Earlier this year she was named the Mat-Su Borough School District's teacher of the year and last week she was named one of the top five finalists for the Alaska Teacher of the Year award.

Now in her fourth decade teaching, Davis is not slowing down and has no plans to quit.

"I still love teaching," Davis said. "I can't believe I've been teaching as long as I have but I still love working with the kids."

Davis has taught special education all over the Valley, from kindergarten through 12th grade. Currently, she teaches at Swanson Elementary School, but her influence in Alaskan education reaches much farther than her classroom.

Davis served on a statewide committee that helped develop teacher standards for Alaska. The standards are meant to provide accountability, something Davis believes teachers owe the public.

"That's been a focus of mine," Davis said. "People have the idea that once a teacher is tenured no one ever evaluates them again -- that's just not true."

Apart from teaching special education, Davis also mentors and regularly assists her colleagues, teaching instructional skills and working with teachers who need help. Later this month she meets with Valley principals to train them how to best evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of teachers in their schools.

Davis also teaches a career class to high school students who are interested in working in education.

Despite all her work, however, Davis was still surprised to hear she was a statewide finalist for teacher of the year.

"We had a lengthy packet to fill out and you never know what they are looking for," Davis said. "I was really pleased to receive it."

The five finalists were selected by a statewide panel. Their next step is to prepare a packet, including a videotape, highlighting their instructional practices and philosophies.

Finalists are judged on teaching philosophy, experience, parental and community involvement, classroom teaching skill and educational issues they find important. Once the statewide winner is chosen, that person has a chance to complete with winners from other states for the national Teacher of the Year honor.

In all her years teaching special education, Davis said children today are not that different than when she started.

"We are more sophisticated at looking at learning styles and determining strengths and weaknesses but the kids haven't changed," Davis said. "One of the things that has changed is the dynamics of the home. Parents are much busier now. They still care about their kids but they don't always have the time or know-how to help them."

Despite the similarity of kids through the years, Davis approaches special education differently than she did years ago.

"Before, [special education students] were in separate classes and now they are in the general classes more," Davis said. "I still pull kids out for an hour or so to work with them but we work more with the general education teachers now. Before, I worked in my own classroom and did my own thing."

While Davis is excited to receive a little recognition for her work, she is not sitting around to enjoy it.

On Thursday, Davis was hard at work again, speaking to Mat-Su teachers during orientation week about how they could better collaborate with parents to enhance student education.