Cavendish teacher is tops in Vermont
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Cavendish teacher Jennifer Harper receives flowers and a hug from her principal, George Thomson Tuesday. VYTO STARINSKAS / RUTLAND HERALD |
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By BRENDAN McKENNA Herald Staff - Published: September 21, 2005
CAVENDISH — The children's excited cheers were almost deafening at the Cavendish Town Elementary School as they heard the announcement that one of their teachers would be the 2006 Vermont teacher of the year.
Jennifer Harper, a math teacher by training and the fourth-grade teacher at the school, was selected for a year-long tenure advocating for and representing teachers around the state.
Wiping tears from her eyes, Harper spoke in an emotion-choked voice, accepting an award that she said could have gone to any of the teachers in her school.
"This will all take some getting used to," she said. "I want to thank all of my colleagues, students, friends and family who are here to celebrate today with me. This is one of the most exciting honors of my teaching career. It is a very great honor to be chosen to represent the outstanding teachers of Vermont."
As all teachers so honored are asked to do, Harper spoke at the ceremony announcing her award about an educational issue that she feels is important — student exercise and obesity.
"If kids aren't healthy, their learning suffers," she said. "The research shows that sedentary kids who eat high-sugar, high-fat diets have high anxiety levels and problems with hyperactivity."
Overweight children are also frequent targets of bullying and don't participate as much in sports and other activities, she added.
"When they don't build relationships, it just makes their situation worse," she said.
Harper said the fast pace of modern life also contributes to the problem, with children preferring to watch TV or play video games than to be outside exercising. She added that parents often have less time to prepare healthy dinners for their families.
"Many parents are stretched to the max, working two jobs to make ends meet," she said. "And kids are left to motivate themselves to do physical activities."
Although Harper said teachers and schools can have little influence on children's home lives, schools should encourage activity and teachers should provide positive role models.
"I'm fully aware that while we're trying to meet the academic requirements of No Child Left Behind … losing academic time for physical education seems impossible," she said. "But working with two occupational therapists last year gave me some great ideas of how to incorporate bursts of physical activity. … If students are healthy, physically and emotionally, it's sure to have an impact on their ability to learn."
Vermont Education Commissioner Richard Cate said he thought Harper's remarks on activity in education hit the mark.
"She's right on," he said. "I'll certainly seek her help as we talk about that issue in the coming year."
He added, "Every bit of research says that if students are not healthy they will not achieve well."
Karen Heath, the 2005 teacher of the year who is now a literacy coordinator for the Barre School District, said she met Harper through the interview and selection process for her successor.
"I saw her dedication," Heath said. "Her energy and her heart is in it, I could see that as we were speaking."
Harper lives in Ludlow and has racked up a string of academic and teaching achievements including the 2003 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
A Vermont teacher for 13 years, Harper also helped draft the statewide academic requirements for grades three through eight and has been asked by schools around the state to run workshops in mathematics instruction.
Michael Ceravole, chairman of the Cavendish School Board, said that Harper's performance over the seven years he's known her has been something to watch.
"It's really exciting," he said. "I'm very happy she received the award. I think she deserves it."
Contact Brendan McKenna at brendan.mckenna@rutlandherald.com.
Cavendish fourth-grade teacher Jennifer Harper gets a congratulatory hug from students Madison Huntley, 9, and Catherine Tyrrell, 10, as she lets her class out Tuesday. She received her Vermont teacher of the year award in the school gym earlier that day.
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