Trumbull Schools Teacher Of The Year Named

TRUMBULL, CT — Robert Devine of Madison Middle School was named the Trumbull Public School 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year.

Devine spoke about keeping students engaged during learning in his acceptance speech, which you can read below.

"To all the new teachers out there, you chose a wonderful profession, and you now work in a great district. After thinking about the most important factors which influence teachers, three essential ideas stuck out. The first is the importance of collaboration. Teachers should never feel like they are alone. They should never be afraid to seek out a colleague to share ideas or ask a question. In turn, we, as teachers, should never resist the chance to lend a helping hand - be it to a new teacher or a 30 year veteran. The second idea is a seemingly very simple concept. I had a graduate school professor last year who, at least once per class, reminded us to just be nice to kids. Challenge them, but do not be afraid to listen to them. The third represents a challenge we face in teaching the twenty-first century learner.

Teachers face an enormous task today in keeping our classes “ahead of the curve”. In other words, how do we keep our students excited about being active learners without always relying on technology? Last year, one of my students began talking to me about how much homework she had that night. She then said “Can’t we just learn all of this stuff on YouTube these days?” There is absolutely no doubt - students have more resources today than ever before. As I begin each school year and plan each lesson, I always ask myself: “What can I do to not only teach the material, but to also make my students excited to come to my class?” In Trumbull, I feel we have established a culture which embodies these concepts."

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Image via Trumbull Public Schools