Missy believes, "there will always be joy in teaching."
Today we are joined by 2024 National Teacher of the Year Missy Testerman. Missy serves as at K-8 English as a second language specialist and program director for her school in rural Rogersville, Tennessee. In this episode, Missy reflects on her education career and offers words of inspiration and practical advice to nurture the joy in teaching. Plus, she shares tips on teacher mentoring, getting ready for the back-to-school season, and supporting multilingual learners.
Teachers in America profiles K–12 teachers across the country. Hear firsthand from the people who are shaping young lives in the classroom every day. If you or someone you know would be a good candidate for Teachers in America, please email us at shaped@hmhco.com.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I feel like good teachers have routines for
almost everything.
I think it's easier to startout more controlled and to
loosen up than to start outbeing everyone's best friend on
the very first day of school.
I can be their best friend inMay just as well as I can in
August, but I feel like I'mgoing to get a lot more done if
(00:21):
I don't start out in August asbeing their best friend, and
this one was hard for me.
You don't have to teacheverything in August.
I feel like sometimes I startedthe school year thinking that
it was an absolute sprint fromAugust to May, when the reality
is it's more like a long,sustained, purposeful marathon.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
From paper to pencil to Wi-Fi and AI.
Education is ever-evolving.
On this new season of Teachersin America, we'll keep you on
the forefront of what's new.
We connect with teachers and edleaders to talk trending topics
and real issues, bringing youinspiring ideas that will
influence the future of yourteaching.
Today, host Noelle Morris sitsdown with 2024 National Teacher
(01:04):
of the Year.
Today, host Noelle Morris sitsdown with 2024 National Teacher
of the Year, missy Testerman.
After 30 years of teachingfirst and second grade, missy
earned an endorsement to teachEnglish as a second language.
She then took on the role ofK-8 ESL specialist and program
director in her ruralAppalachian community.
In her new role, missy hashelped build bridges between
cultures and is a staunchadvocate for her students,
(01:24):
families and fellow teachers.
In this episode, missy drawsfrom her teaching experience to
bring you back to school.
Tips Plus, she shares how tosupport multilingual learners.
Now here's Noelle and Missy.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Welcome Missy Testerman to our Teachers in
America podcast and right out ofthe first minute.
Missy, I want to justcongratulate you for being named
2024 National Teacher of theYear.
How's it feeling?
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Thank you, I appreciate that Well, it has
been a whirlwind.
It has been a whirlwind sincethe announcement on April 3rd.
Since that time I've been tothe White House and met the
First Lady of the United Statesand the President of the United
States.
I am thrilled and honored andappreciative of the opportunity
(02:15):
to be the 2024 National Teacherof the Year.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
So what led to this accomplishment?
This will give our listeners achance to get to know you as a
teacher and a little bit aboutyour journey and how you got
nominated.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Okay, so a little bit of backstory and we'll just
start at the local level.
My school did not participatein the Tennessee Teacher of the
Year program until two years ago.
So the first year I was on theselection committee for that.
The next year I was nominatedand chosen to be my school's
(02:58):
representative for TennesseeTeacher of the Year and I made
it into being a finalist for thestate of Tennessee.
There were nine finalists andthen last August 2023, I was
named the Tennessee Teacher ofthe Year.
Once that happens and you areyour state or your territories
Teacher of the Year, you gothrough an application with
(03:21):
CCSSO, which is the Council ofChief State School Officers, and
you submit some essays and avideo and then they narrow that
down to four finalists.
I was announced as a finalistfor National Teacher of the Year
in January 2024.
In February, I went toWashington DC along with the
(03:43):
other three finalists, who wereJoe Nappi from New Jersey,
christy Todd from Georgia andKat Walker from Alaska.
We went to a two-day in-personinterview setting and then in
April 2024, I was named as the2024 National Teacher of the
Year named as the 2024 NationalTeacher of the Year.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Wow, so what are your students saying and what is
happening in your classroom andyour connection to your students
and community that led yourschool to select you as their
Teacher of the Year?
Speaker 1 (04:18):
My students have been incredibly supportive, although
I have one student.
When the four nationalfinalists were announced, the
state of Tennessee held a reallybig ceremony in my school where
it was announced in front ofthe entire school.
I teach in a pre-K througheight school in rural Tennessee.
(04:39):
We have around 650 students andmy school went crazy, of course
.
But after it was over, I wastalking to our state chief, our
state education commissioner,and I had one of my fourth
graders come up and she asked ifI were to be selected as the
national teacher of the year.
(05:00):
Did that mean that I would haveto leave our school?
And my heart kind of sank forjust a moment and I tried to,
you know, to talk through it andsaid that we'd talk about it
later but that, yes, if I waschosen, I would be gone but I
would come back.
So right in front of ourcommissioner, she says well, I
(05:20):
hope maybe you're just a loserso that you can stay here.
So she was already thinkingahead that she didn't want me to
leave.
And my children, my studentsthat I refer to as my children,
they are excited.
There is a little trepidation,though, just because I'm a
(05:42):
constant in their life, they'renot sure what it's going to look
like if I'm not there just not,you know, in terms of our
regular routine.
But I feel like I'm theircomfort.
If something goes wrong duringthe day, they'll come to my room
, much like you would, your momor your dad, you know, just
wanting reassurance.
(06:03):
But they are confident and theyare wonderful and they will be
just fine and well taken care of30 years into your career, you
decided oh, I'm going to get myESL certificate.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
What prompted?
Speaker 1 (06:20):
that I did teach 30 years in the general classroom,
that I did teach 30 years in thegeneral classroom.
Our school's ESL teacher wasone of my dearest school friends
and she came to me at thebeginning of the 21-22 school
year and she said don't tellanyone yet, but I'm going to
move at the end of the year.
(06:40):
My husband's taking a job inMiddle Tennessee and this woman
had built our ESL program beforewe had had a part-time ESL
teacher.
But when she came she built theprogram and just had it in
amazing shape.
But more importantly, shebecame our ESL family's resource
person.
(07:00):
She was more than their teacher.
She was like an advisor andinstantly when I found out she
was leaving, my heart sank, notjust for me because she was my
friend, but for those families.
I didn't know who wouldadvocate for them and who would
take care of them.
The very next day I got a groupemail from the Tennessee
(07:22):
Department of Education thatwent out to every teacher
currently teaching in the stateof Tennessee and it offered a
free pathway.
It's called the Grow your OwnProgram.
It offered a pathway to add anendorsement in a high need area
and that year it was math,english as a second language or
special education.
So I went to my director andasked that I be allowed to do
(07:46):
that.
Now, keep in mind, I'm notyoung, I was 50 at that time.
I'm a digital immigrant, not adigital native.
And the difference is thateverything was online.
But the state of Tennesseecovers all the costs of the
tuition, the materials.
They even pay for you to takethe praxis exam that will help
(08:07):
you gain licensure.
So I secretly enrolled no oneknew except my husband and my
director, and everything wasgoing great until the first
night that I had to post anassignment.
Now my daughter was a junior atthe University of Tennessee.
She has no idea this is goingon and they use all of these
(08:27):
digital platforms now to postassignments.
So I completed the assignment.
I was waiting for the window toopen to upload it and I
couldn't get the platform towork.
So at 1140 at night I calledher in a panic because it was
due before midnight and herfirst question is not sure I'll
help you.
Panic because it was due beforemidnight and her first question
is not sure I'll help you.
It was why are you onBlackboard?
(08:49):
I was like it doesn't matter,just help me.
So then I had to tell her andyou know, but I didn't want
anyone to know at that time,just because I'd been in the
general classroom so long and Istill wasn't entirely sure it
was the right thing to be doing.
(09:09):
But I completed the coursework,took the praxis and took over
doing this job at the end of theyear and I have not had one
regret.
I absolutely love teaching mystudents and engaging with their
families teaching my studentsand engaging with their families
.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
So I personally think your best friend told you first
on purpose, because sheprobably knew in your heart
you'd be thinking about how arewe going to keep this going.
So how serendipitous that yougot that email.
What were you the most not it'snot hesitant, but nervous about
(09:50):
connecting with your learnersversus how you had connected in
your general ed classroom?
Speaker 1 (09:58):
I was very fortunate.
I had taught almost everysingle student in our ESL
program who had come throughfirst or second grade.
When I was teaching first orsecond grade I was just the
teacher who had them every year.
So I was already very vested intheir families.
I considered their moms to bemy friends, so I wasn't really
(10:21):
hesitant about that.
My biggest hesitation wasdisappointing people in our
community who assumed that I wasgoing to be there to teach
their second grader, if thatmakes sense.
And so the whole year, you know, I would hear kids say I want
to be in your room, I want to bein your room next year, knowing
(10:42):
full well that I wasn't goingto be in my room next year.
So that was probably thebiggest thing and plus, at my
age making a change was a littlescary.
But I've always told everystudent I've ever taught, plus
my own children we have to belifelong learners.
We have to all continue tolearn things along the way.
(11:06):
But when it was time for me tobe the one actually practicing
that, it was a little bit harderto accept.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
How amazing that you took that opportunity.
What was the first thing youlearned about your learners?
That you didn't know about themwhen you taught them in general
ed, but that you were gettingto see combining what you'd done
in your certification to whatwas happening in real time.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
I suppose for me the biggest shock was just how much
they leaned on the ESL teacheras almost their school parent.
You know, when I was in thegeneral classroom I felt like I
took care of every need they had.
I was, you know, like they aretaken care of all day.
You know they always feelreassured.
(11:59):
So I was sort of shocked, youknow, when I would have those
little visitors.
Just, you know, I forgot myfield trip paper.
It's on my counter.
I'm bringing it tomorrow.
Do you think I'm in trouble?
I was really shocked at howmany of those little fires that
she had fought all day.
She never mentioned them, shenever made a big deal of them,
(12:22):
but a lot of what I do aretaking care of those small
things like that that come up.
Or occasionally.
You know, a couple of weeks agoI was in class and I got a
phone call from one of myparents and they need to return
to their home country becauseone of their grand the
grandfather is really sick butthe child's passport is getting
(12:45):
ready to expire.
The mom wasn't sure how to getan official copy of the birth
certificate.
So a lot of the things that Ido are not just teaching.
They're more of like communityadvocacy or resource type things
, knowing what's out there,what's available.
(13:05):
A lot of times I'll have thingslike I'll have a child come to
me and say I want to play sports, but I need a physical.
We don't know how to do that,and so a lot of times I call and
make doctor's appointments.
I go to doctor's appointments,sometimes if there's a language
barrier, so it's.
I was shocked by how manyduties like that that she did in
(13:28):
addition to teaching that shenever really talked about.
She just did them because theyneeded to be done and because
she cared enough about thestudents and their families to
do them.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
What did you do to build that trust?
Had that already been anautomatic expectation because of
the teacher before and then, Ithink?
A question I'd love to add intothere is what challenges have
you come across being anadvocate and support for
multilingual learners andimmigrant families, especially
(14:01):
in rural Tennessee, that's?
Speaker 1 (14:03):
a great question For the first part of that, the fact
that I had been their teacherin the past and in some families
I'd had multiple children.
You know they had three kids.
This was child number three, sowe had a good relationship.
I also think that the ESLteacher before me had laid that
foundation and she had let themknow she's going, mrs Sessman's
(14:25):
going to do all the things thatI did.
She is your resource, she isthe person to contact, and so I
think in my case the trust wasalready there.
Now, when I get a new family, ina lot of times it is a little
harder to build the trust justbecause these these a lot of
times these families have nothad someone they could trust.
(14:47):
Sometimes it takes me a littlelonger, but I just keep offering
the help or I do.
Sometimes I do thingsunsolicited that I know they
need and I think that helpsbuild the trust.
No-transcript that has beendifficult for me to deal with.
(15:30):
In the beginning I handled alot of those situations
incorrectly.
That doesn't solve anything.
I've learned that a lot of timesif I let things roll off my
back but still absolutelyadvocate for my students 100% of
the time, but that I don't takethose things personally toward
me.
That it makes it easier for thestudent most importantly, and
(15:53):
it makes it easier for me.
Luckily, the network of peoplewho teach multilingual learners
is amazing.
There's only one of me in myschool, but I know others in
other districts and they haveembraced me and become my
support system.
Within my own building I haveseveral people that I know, care
(16:17):
and love my students and theirfamilies just as much as I do,
and that's also very, veryreassuring.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Do you get to see your advocacy transition to
agency as you watch that childgo from second grade, fourth
grade to middle school?
Speaker 1 (16:39):
That's honestly the best part of all.
Last year I had an eighthgrader who did some on-the-spot
translation for me, meaning if Ihad a new family show up you
know there aren't manytranslators in Rogersville,
tennessee, to be honest, andfinding one takes time to
schedule and coordinate, and soif I have a family show up who
(17:01):
needs to register a first grader, I went to eighth grade, I
pulled her out and she did thetranslation for me.
But she told me something thathas stuck with me.
She said I felt so happy beingable to use my Spanish to help
those people and to help you,and so I feel like that gave her
(17:24):
another voice, that the factthat she is multilingual is an
asset that's going to be able tohelp people.
She's in high school now and Iran into her not long ago and
she told me a story of walkingby the office.
No one asked her to help.
She saw a family there who wastrying to register a student and
(17:44):
she just took it upon herselfto go up and ask them if they
needed help.
And then she helped, you know,walk them all the way through
the registration process.
She made friends with the newstudent and made sure that that
young lady you know, was takencare of throughout the day until
she, you know, kind of pickedup some friends and so forth.
(18:06):
But that may have been one of myabsolute proudest moments, just
to see that she saw that thethings that I do for my students
that they're able to do forother people there are so few
diverse cultures in my communitythat we don't have a sub
(18:27):
community for them, if thatmakes sense.
There's not a separate grocerystore they can go to that you'd
find in an urban area.
To go to church, my families go35, 40 minutes to find a church
service, and in their language.
So just to see her reach outand take that responsibility on
(18:49):
and to view her language assomething that can help other
people, just just in my heart somuch, so much good.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Hey teacher friends, if you're an HMH user, did you
know you have access toTeacher's Corner on Ed Included
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(19:19):
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I like to think about it asinspiration on demand.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
So, missy, what are you deciding, or what have you
decided is going to be yourplatform for the year, that you
are out speaking andrepresenting teachers across the
country are out speaking andrepresenting teachers across the
country.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
I feel like mental health will be part of it, but
the core of my advocacy for thisyear, what I would like to see
happen is I would like forAmerica's teachers to realize
that they are the experts in theclassrooms.
The policies that we have tofollow are made by people who
are not educational experts.
They don't spend time inclassrooms every day, but
(20:07):
teachers have to speak up aboutthe challenges that we have.
They also have to share thetriumphs.
I feel like teachers do a greatjob of sharing triumphs, and
I'm using myself as an example.
I always told about the greatthings that the kids did in my
classroom, because I was reallyproud of those.
What I wasn't always honestabout were the challenges and
(20:29):
the problems that I saw and whatI needed to have to help
support those students so thatthings could get better, and I
feel like that the time for thatis now.
We have to let others know whatour real challenges are, and we
have to be honest about themand what we need to take care of
those in order to move thingsforward for the good of our
(20:51):
students.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Earlier.
You know we spoke to SecretaryCardona and his ABCs.
You know agency, better workingconditions, competitive wages.
How would you help teachersunderstand what federal
(21:18):
government's looking to do andwhat's your advice to understand
policy in your state?
Because to be able to speak tothe challenges, wouldn't you
agree teachers need to bringthat back to policy and speak
directly to that.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Yes, I do.
I think a lot of timeseveryone's quick to blame the
federal government because it'sthe farthest away, but most of
the policies that mandate whatgo on in our classrooms are made
either at the local level,within your district, or at the
state level.
So I feel like a lot of thatadvocacy you are exactly right
it needs to be delivered tothose venues.
(21:59):
Secretary Cardona's agenda, soto speak, in terms of what he
would like to see happen ineducation across America is in
line with every teacher that Iknow.
These are things that teacherswant and teachers support.
So the disconnect comessomewhere between that and local
(22:20):
and state policy and a lot ofthat.
I don't think that anylegislature sets out necessarily
to punish schools or that yourlocal school board makes
decisions to be punitive.
I think that there arewell-intentioned attempts at
coming up with good policies,but when they don't have input
(22:43):
from teachers about the realityof what things look like or
what's going to happen,sometimes there are disastrous
consequences.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
What is something that a year from now, when you
come back to your classroom, howare you going to feel that you
had a successful year?
Like what's the top threethings you've put on here?
Like I am hoping these threethings will happen.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
I'm hoping number one , that teachers more teachers
find their voice and they beginto speak up and be honest about
our challenges.
Number two I hope that wecontinue to bring attention to
mental health so that we'remaking strides and improve
things, not just for the sake ofeducation but for the sake of
society, because our studentsare eventually going to leave
(23:35):
the school system.
They're going to be out insociety as a whole, and that's
something we need to remedy inorder to enable them to have a
good future.
I also think that we absolutelyhave to address the idea of
teacher retention and teacherrecruitment through raising and
elevating teacher pay to rivalthat of other professions and
(23:58):
elevating teacher pay to rivalthat of other professions.
Teachers who are just comingout of a teacher prep program
with a teaching degree earn, onaverage, 24% less than any other
professional field that collegestudents come out of.
So we have teachers who arecoming out of college prep
programs but they're takingother jobs because they can make
(24:19):
more money.
I was talking with the dean ofa college of education at an
institution in my state and hewas telling me how what he
considered to be the best andbrightest pre-service teacher in
their program had alreadyaccepted a job with a convention
center booking conferences andthings like that, because she
(24:41):
was going to start out making$65,000.
Teachers in my state who'vetaught 25, 30 years don't make
$65,000.
The reality is this we'll neversee that young lady, no matter
how talented she is, most likelyin a classroom.
So that is something that wehave to address.
You know, a lot of timesteachers teach a few years,
(25:03):
their children get older, theirfamily expenses change and then
they leave the classroom to takea job in another field to help
support their family.
So those are things if we'regoing to keep our best and
broadest and recruit our bestand broadest, we have to address
that.
That pay that's kind of theelephant in in the room.
Teaching is a passion.
I 100 percent believe that.
(25:24):
But as someone who is on thisside of life, you know I have
two kids who who have made itthrough college.
I have one going to grad school.
But the reality is that passionand loving your job don't
always take care of your familyand we have to address that.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Yeah, that's so fair.
I mean, it's fair to state soeloquently in the reality and
not see that the teacher whowent through college and have an
education degree realized I'vegot bills, I need to make a fair
living.
(26:03):
So it's back to school season.
I'm going to ask you what'syour advice for that year five
teacher, Because this year threeto five you start getting
restless.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
That's a great question.
A lot of times people want toknow what my advice is for new
teachers and that three to fiveyear stretch.
I remember being there myself.
You've done it long enough thatyou're not new, but you've not
done it well enough that it'sautomatic.
You're still having to workreally hard at it because
teaching is hard and it'sconstantly changing.
(26:38):
My advice to someone in thatstretch that three to five years
is to continue to seek outmentors.
You're not a new teacher butyou still need and crave
guidance we all do but at thesame time, use that wisdom that
you've accumulated in the lastthree to five years and pass
(26:59):
that along to someone behind you, someone who's brand new in
year one, or that high schoolstudent who's enrolled in the
teaching as a profession courseat the high school who wants to
come shadow you.
Because I feel like that whenyou mentor someone you also
unlock this passion foreducation that there's a very
(27:20):
small market for that.
Most people don't really wantto hear about your passion for
education.
But if you have someone cominginto your classroom who wants to
be a teacher or someone who isa new teacher, you passing along
what you know helps not onlyyou.
It helps not only that person,it helps recharge your fire as
(27:42):
well.
I would also tell them to relaxa little more.
I laugh at this story on myself.
I had the best mentor ever.
We were talking about somethingand she pointedly said you know
, I love you, but you need tochill out.
Because I was still stressedabout every single thing.
(28:04):
You know, I thought everylesson needed to be perfect.
If I did something wrong I wasbeating myself up, and that was.
I was offended when she told methat.
But now I see what she wassaying.
If you try to maintain thatconstant perfectionism
everything has to be perfectevery lesson is, you know,
(28:26):
basically scripted forperfection you're going to burn
yourself out.
But, most importantly, yourstudents are not going to have
that joy of laughing with youwhen funny things happen.
I'm embarrassed to tell you Iwas that teacher.
The first few years.
It didn't matter what marvelousthing came up in the course of
the lesson, I just kept goingbecause I had planned what we
(28:49):
were going to do when we weregoing to do that, and it's just
experience.
But I would also tell thatperson in years three to five
chill, chill out just a littlebit.
Enjoy your students Enjoy thosemoments that come up.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Yeah, take all the why questions, you know, let
them have that moment like, oh,you are just going to drive us
in this direction for a littlebit and then we'll come back.
Missy, I have one more questionfor back to school season.
Missy, I have one more questionfor back to school season.
What were one to three of yourgo-to strategies that you could
(29:23):
start in the first three weeksof school?
Speaker 1 (29:26):
The first one are routines.
That one's so old but it's sotrue.
Establish routines becausethose make students, no matter
how old they are, feel secure,and I feel like good teachers
have routines for almosteverything.
I think it's easier to startout more controlled and to
(29:47):
loosen up than to start outbeing everyone's best friend on
the very first day of school.
I can be their best friend inMay just as well as I can in
August, but I feel like I'mgoing to get a lot more done if
I don't start out in August asbeing their best friend, and
this one was hard for me.
You don't have to teacheverything in August.
(30:08):
I feel like sometimes I startedthe school year thinking that
it was an absolute sprint fromAugust to May, when the reality
is it's more like a long,sustained, purposeful marathon.
But those would be, I suppose,my top three routines.
You don't have to teach it alland there's a time when you can
(30:31):
loosen up a little bit laterduring the year.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
Such great strategies .
Let's end this with whyteaching?
Speaker 1 (30:41):
Teaching will always be worthwhile.
There will always be joy inteaching, and I know there are
fields where people make a lotmore money than I do, but there
is still joy in teaching.
There will always be joy inteaching, and the relationships
that you're able to form withstudents and their families are
something that get you throughthe best of times, the worst of
(31:06):
times, and I can think of no jobthat is any more enjoyable than
teaching something to someonethat they need to know or
something that they need to takeinto their future to be
successful.
So if you're out there nomatter if you're 18, if you're
(31:26):
22, in college, in high school,whether you're 40 and you think
I can't work on Wall Streetforever, the stress is killing
me.
Maybe I would like to teach.
Explore those options.
Figure out a way to make ithappen.
A lot of states have pathwaysfor people to come in from
second careers and to use theexperience that they had in
(31:50):
their first career to teach.
Look those up, call yourDepartment of Education in your
state and see what's out therefor you, because there very well
may be a pathway that could putyou in a classroom sooner than
what you're thinking and if youthink you want to teach.
You probably do want to teach.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
Woo woo.
Hugs are invaluable.
Aha moments will live with youforever.
Valuable Aha moments will livewith you forever.
Thank you, Missy.
This has been amazing.
Thank you to our listeners.
Missy, you are truly a teacherin America making a difference.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
Thank you, and thank you for the opportunity to be on
the podcast.
I enjoyed talking to you and Iappreciate you offering this for
teachers.
I'm a teacher who listens topodcasts while I exercise, so I
understand very well the benefitof the work that you do and I
appreciate that as well.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
If you or someone you know would like to be a guest
on the Teachers in Americapodcast, please email us at
shaped.
At hmhcocom.
That's S-H-A-P-E-D.
At H-M-H-C-Ocom.
Be the first to hear newepisodes of Teachers in America
by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, spotify or wherever you get
your podcasts.
If you enjoyed today's show,please rate, review and share it
(33:14):
with your network.
You can find the transcript ofthis episode on our Shaped blog
by visiting hmhcocom.
Forward slash shaped.
That's hmhcocom.
Forward slash s-h-a-p-e-d.
The link is in the show notes.
The Teachers in America podcastis a production of HMH.
Thank you to the productionteam of Christine Condon, tim
(33:35):
Lee, jennifer Corujo, neil Fry,thomas Velasquez and Matt Howell
.
Thanks again for listening.
I feel like good teachers have routines for
almost everything.
I think it's easier to startout more controlled and to
loosen up than to start outbeing everyone's best friend on
the very first day of school.
I can be their best friend inMay just as well as I can in
August, but I feel like I'mgoing to get a lot more done if
(00:21):
I don't start out in August asbeing their best friend, and
this one was hard for me.
You don't have to teacheverything in August.
I feel like sometimes I startedthe school year thinking that
it was an absolute sprint fromAugust to May, when the reality
is it's more like a long,sustained, purposeful marathon.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
From paper to pencil to Wi-Fi and AI.
Education is ever-evolving.
On this new season of Teachersin America, we'll keep you on
the forefront of what's new.
We connect with teachers and edleaders to talk trending topics
and real issues, bringing youinspiring ideas that will
influence the future of yourteaching.
Today, host Noelle Morris sitsdown with 2024 National Teacher
(01:04):
of the Year.
Today, host Noelle Morris sitsdown with 2024 National Teacher
of the Year, missy Testerman.
After 30 years of teachingfirst and second grade, missy
earned an endorsement to teachEnglish as a second language.
She then took on the role ofK-8 ESL specialist and program
director in her ruralAppalachian community.
In her new role, missy hashelped build bridges between
cultures and is a staunchadvocate for her students,
(01:24):
families and fellow teachers.
In this episode, missy drawsfrom her teaching experience to
bring you back to school.
Tips Plus, she shares how tosupport multilingual learners.
Now here's Noelle and Missy.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Welcome Missy Testerman to our Teachers in
America podcast and right out ofthe first minute.
Missy, I want to justcongratulate you for being named
2024 National Teacher of theYear.
How's it feeling?
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Thank you, I appreciate that Well, it has
been a whirlwind.
It has been a whirlwind sincethe announcement on April 3rd.
Since that time I've been tothe White House and met the
First Lady of the United Statesand the President of the United
States.
I am thrilled and honored andappreciative of the opportunity
(02:15):
to be the 2024 National Teacherof the Year.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
So what led to this accomplishment?
This will give our listeners achance to get to know you as a
teacher and a little bit aboutyour journey and how you got
nominated.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Okay, so a little bit of backstory and we'll just
start at the local level.
My school did not participatein the Tennessee Teacher of the
Year program until two years ago.
So the first year I was on theselection committee for that.
The next year I was nominatedand chosen to be my school's
(02:58):
representative for TennesseeTeacher of the Year and I made
it into being a finalist for thestate of Tennessee.
There were nine finalists andthen last August 2023, I was
named the Tennessee Teacher ofthe Year.
Once that happens and you areyour state or your territories
Teacher of the Year, you gothrough an application with
(03:21):
CCSSO, which is the Council ofChief State School Officers, and
you submit some essays and avideo and then they narrow that
down to four finalists.
I was announced as a finalistfor National Teacher of the Year
in January 2024.
In February, I went toWashington DC along with the
(03:43):
other three finalists, who wereJoe Nappi from New Jersey,
christy Todd from Georgia andKat Walker from Alaska.
We went to a two-day in-personinterview setting and then in
April 2024, I was named as the2024 National Teacher of the
Year named as the 2024 NationalTeacher of the Year.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Wow, so what are your students saying and what is
happening in your classroom andyour connection to your students
and community that led yourschool to select you as their
Teacher of the Year?
Speaker 1 (04:18):
My students have been incredibly supportive, although
I have one student.
When the four nationalfinalists were announced, the
state of Tennessee held a reallybig ceremony in my school where
it was announced in front ofthe entire school.
I teach in a pre-K througheight school in rural Tennessee.
(04:39):
We have around 650 students andmy school went crazy, of course
.
But after it was over, I wastalking to our state chief, our
state education commissioner,and I had one of my fourth
graders come up and she asked ifI were to be selected as the
national teacher of the year.
(05:00):
Did that mean that I would haveto leave our school?
And my heart kind of sank forjust a moment and I tried to,
you know, to talk through it andsaid that we'd talk about it
later but that, yes, if I waschosen, I would be gone but I
would come back.
So right in front of ourcommissioner, she says well, I
(05:20):
hope maybe you're just a loserso that you can stay here.
So she was already thinkingahead that she didn't want me to
leave.
And my children, my studentsthat I refer to as my children,
they are excited.
There is a little trepidation,though, just because I'm a
(05:42):
constant in their life, they'renot sure what it's going to look
like if I'm not there just not,you know, in terms of our
regular routine.
But I feel like I'm theircomfort.
If something goes wrong duringthe day, they'll come to my room
, much like you would, your momor your dad, you know, just
wanting reassurance.
(06:03):
But they are confident and theyare wonderful and they will be
just fine and well taken care of30 years into your career, you
decided oh, I'm going to get myESL certificate.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
What prompted?
Speaker 1 (06:20):
that I did teach 30 years in the general classroom,
that I did teach 30 years in thegeneral classroom.
Our school's ESL teacher wasone of my dearest school friends
and she came to me at thebeginning of the 21-22 school
year and she said don't tellanyone yet, but I'm going to
move at the end of the year.
(06:40):
My husband's taking a job inMiddle Tennessee and this woman
had built our ESL program beforewe had had a part-time ESL
teacher.
But when she came she built theprogram and just had it in
amazing shape.
But more importantly, shebecame our ESL family's resource
person.
(07:00):
She was more than their teacher.
She was like an advisor andinstantly when I found out she
was leaving, my heart sank, notjust for me because she was my
friend, but for those families.
I didn't know who wouldadvocate for them and who would
take care of them.
The very next day I got a groupemail from the Tennessee
(07:22):
Department of Education thatwent out to every teacher
currently teaching in the stateof Tennessee and it offered a
free pathway.
It's called the Grow your OwnProgram.
It offered a pathway to add anendorsement in a high need area
and that year it was math,english as a second language or
special education.
So I went to my director andasked that I be allowed to do
(07:46):
that.
Now, keep in mind, I'm notyoung, I was 50 at that time.
I'm a digital immigrant, not adigital native.
And the difference is thateverything was online.
But the state of Tennesseecovers all the costs of the
tuition, the materials.
They even pay for you to takethe praxis exam that will help
(08:07):
you gain licensure.
So I secretly enrolled no oneknew except my husband and my
director, and everything wasgoing great until the first
night that I had to post anassignment.
Now my daughter was a junior atthe University of Tennessee.
She has no idea this is goingon and they use all of these
(08:27):
digital platforms now to postassignments.
So I completed the assignment.
I was waiting for the window toopen to upload it and I
couldn't get the platform towork.
So at 1140 at night I calledher in a panic because it was
due before midnight and herfirst question is not sure I'll
help you.
Panic because it was due beforemidnight and her first question
is not sure I'll help you.
It was why are you onBlackboard?
(08:49):
I was like it doesn't matter,just help me.
So then I had to tell her andyou know, but I didn't want
anyone to know at that time,just because I'd been in the
general classroom so long and Istill wasn't entirely sure it
was the right thing to be doing.
(09:09):
But I completed the coursework,took the praxis and took over
doing this job at the end of theyear and I have not had one
regret.
I absolutely love teaching mystudents and engaging with their
families teaching my studentsand engaging with their families
.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
So I personally think your best friend told you first
on purpose, because sheprobably knew in your heart
you'd be thinking about how arewe going to keep this going.
So how serendipitous that yougot that email.
What were you the most not it'snot hesitant, but nervous about
(09:50):
connecting with your learnersversus how you had connected in
your general ed classroom?
Speaker 1 (09:58):
I was very fortunate.
I had taught almost everysingle student in our ESL
program who had come throughfirst or second grade.
When I was teaching first orsecond grade I was just the
teacher who had them every year.
So I was already very vested intheir families.
I considered their moms to bemy friends, so I wasn't really
(10:21):
hesitant about that.
My biggest hesitation wasdisappointing people in our
community who assumed that I wasgoing to be there to teach
their second grader, if thatmakes sense.
And so the whole year, you know, I would hear kids say I want
to be in your room, I want to bein your room next year, knowing
(10:42):
full well that I wasn't goingto be in my room next year.
So that was probably thebiggest thing and plus, at my
age making a change was a littlescary.
But I've always told everystudent I've ever taught, plus
my own children we have to belifelong learners.
We have to all continue tolearn things along the way.
(11:06):
But when it was time for me tobe the one actually practicing
that, it was a little bit harderto accept.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
How amazing that you took that opportunity.
What was the first thing youlearned about your learners?
That you didn't know about themwhen you taught them in general
ed, but that you were gettingto see combining what you'd done
in your certification to whatwas happening in real time.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
I suppose for me the biggest shock was just how much
they leaned on the ESL teacheras almost their school parent.
You know, when I was in thegeneral classroom I felt like I
took care of every need they had.
I was, you know, like they aretaken care of all day.
You know they always feelreassured.
(11:59):
So I was sort of shocked, youknow, when I would have those
little visitors.
Just, you know, I forgot myfield trip paper.
It's on my counter.
I'm bringing it tomorrow.
Do you think I'm in trouble?
I was really shocked at howmany of those little fires that
she had fought all day.
She never mentioned them, shenever made a big deal of them,
(12:22):
but a lot of what I do aretaking care of those small
things like that that come up.
Or occasionally.
You know, a couple of weeks agoI was in class and I got a
phone call from one of myparents and they need to return
to their home country becauseone of their grand the
grandfather is really sick butthe child's passport is getting
(12:45):
ready to expire.
The mom wasn't sure how to getan official copy of the birth
certificate.
So a lot of the things that Ido are not just teaching.
They're more of like communityadvocacy or resource type things
, knowing what's out there,what's available.
(13:05):
A lot of times I'll have thingslike I'll have a child come to
me and say I want to play sports, but I need a physical.
We don't know how to do that,and so a lot of times I call and
make doctor's appointments.
I go to doctor's appointments,sometimes if there's a language
barrier, so it's.
I was shocked by how manyduties like that that she did in
(13:28):
addition to teaching that shenever really talked about.
She just did them because theyneeded to be done and because
she cared enough about thestudents and their families to
do them.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
What did you do to build that trust?
Had that already been anautomatic expectation because of
the teacher before and then, Ithink?
A question I'd love to add intothere is what challenges have
you come across being anadvocate and support for
multilingual learners andimmigrant families, especially
(14:01):
in rural Tennessee, that's?
Speaker 1 (14:03):
a great question For the first part of that, the fact
that I had been their teacherin the past and in some families
I'd had multiple children.
You know they had three kids.
This was child number three, sowe had a good relationship.
I also think that the ESLteacher before me had laid that
foundation and she had let themknow she's going, mrs Sessman's
(14:25):
going to do all the things thatI did.
She is your resource, she isthe person to contact, and so I
think in my case the trust wasalready there.
Now, when I get a new family, ina lot of times it is a little
harder to build the trust justbecause these these a lot of
times these families have nothad someone they could trust.
(14:47):
Sometimes it takes me a littlelonger, but I just keep offering
the help or I do.
Sometimes I do thingsunsolicited that I know they
need and I think that helpsbuild the trust.
No-transcript that has beendifficult for me to deal with.
(15:30):
In the beginning I handled alot of those situations
incorrectly.
That doesn't solve anything.
I've learned that a lot of timesif I let things roll off my
back but still absolutelyadvocate for my students 100% of
the time, but that I don't takethose things personally toward
me.
That it makes it easier for thestudent most importantly, and
(15:53):
it makes it easier for me.
Luckily, the network of peoplewho teach multilingual learners
is amazing.
There's only one of me in myschool, but I know others in
other districts and they haveembraced me and become my
support system.
Within my own building I haveseveral people that I know, care
(16:17):
and love my students and theirfamilies just as much as I do,
and that's also very, veryreassuring.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Do you get to see your advocacy transition to
agency as you watch that childgo from second grade, fourth
grade to middle school?
Speaker 1 (16:39):
That's honestly the best part of all.
Last year I had an eighthgrader who did some on-the-spot
translation for me, meaning if Ihad a new family show up you
know there aren't manytranslators in Rogersville,
tennessee, to be honest, andfinding one takes time to
schedule and coordinate, and soif I have a family show up who
(17:01):
needs to register a first grader, I went to eighth grade, I
pulled her out and she did thetranslation for me.
But she told me something thathas stuck with me.
She said I felt so happy beingable to use my Spanish to help
those people and to help you,and so I feel like that gave her
(17:24):
another voice, that the factthat she is multilingual is an
asset that's going to be able tohelp people.
She's in high school now and Iran into her not long ago and
she told me a story of walkingby the office.
No one asked her to help.
She saw a family there who wastrying to register a student and
(17:44):
she just took it upon herselfto go up and ask them if they
needed help.
And then she helped, you know,walk them all the way through
the registration process.
She made friends with the newstudent and made sure that that
young lady you know, was takencare of throughout the day until
she, you know, kind of pickedup some friends and so forth.
(18:06):
But that may have been one of myabsolute proudest moments, just
to see that she saw that thethings that I do for my students
that they're able to do forother people there are so few
diverse cultures in my communitythat we don't have a sub
(18:27):
community for them, if thatmakes sense.
There's not a separate grocerystore they can go to that you'd
find in an urban area.
To go to church, my families go35, 40 minutes to find a church
service, and in their language.
So just to see her reach outand take that responsibility on
(18:49):
and to view her language assomething that can help other
people, just just in my heart somuch, so much good.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Hey teacher friends, if you're an HMH user, did you
know you have access toTeacher's Corner on Ed Included
with every HMH program?
Teacher's Corner is a communityof teachers, learning experts
and instructional coachesgathered in one place to support
you with a new kind ofprofessional learning Bite-sized
, teacher-selected andteacher-driven, with on-demand
(19:19):
sessions, lesson demonstrations,program support and practical
resources.
Teacher's Corner lets youchoose how you interact with our
content.
I like to think about it asinspiration on demand.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
So, missy, what are you deciding, or what have you
decided is going to be yourplatform for the year, that you
are out speaking andrepresenting teachers across the
country are out speaking andrepresenting teachers across the
country.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
I feel like mental health will be part of it, but
the core of my advocacy for thisyear, what I would like to see
happen is I would like forAmerica's teachers to realize
that they are the experts in theclassrooms.
The policies that we have tofollow are made by people who
are not educational experts.
They don't spend time inclassrooms every day, but
(20:07):
teachers have to speak up aboutthe challenges that we have.
They also have to share thetriumphs.
I feel like teachers do a greatjob of sharing triumphs, and
I'm using myself as an example.
I always told about the greatthings that the kids did in my
classroom, because I was reallyproud of those.
What I wasn't always honestabout were the challenges and
(20:29):
the problems that I saw and whatI needed to have to help
support those students so thatthings could get better, and I
feel like that the time for thatis now.
We have to let others know whatour real challenges are, and we
have to be honest about themand what we need to take care of
those in order to move thingsforward for the good of our
(20:51):
students.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Earlier.
You know we spoke to SecretaryCardona and his ABCs.
You know agency, better workingconditions, competitive wages.
How would you help teachersunderstand what federal
(21:18):
government's looking to do andwhat's your advice to understand
policy in your state?
Because to be able to speak tothe challenges, wouldn't you
agree teachers need to bringthat back to policy and speak
directly to that.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Yes, I do.
I think a lot of timeseveryone's quick to blame the
federal government because it'sthe farthest away, but most of
the policies that mandate whatgo on in our classrooms are made
either at the local level,within your district, or at the
state level.
So I feel like a lot of thatadvocacy you are exactly right
it needs to be delivered tothose venues.
(21:59):
Secretary Cardona's agenda, soto speak, in terms of what he
would like to see happen ineducation across America is in
line with every teacher that Iknow.
These are things that teacherswant and teachers support.
So the disconnect comessomewhere between that and local
(22:20):
and state policy and a lot ofthat.
I don't think that anylegislature sets out necessarily
to punish schools or that yourlocal school board makes
decisions to be punitive.
I think that there arewell-intentioned attempts at
coming up with good policies,but when they don't have input
(22:43):
from teachers about the realityof what things look like or
what's going to happen,sometimes there are disastrous
consequences.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
What is something that a year from now, when you
come back to your classroom, howare you going to feel that you
had a successful year?
Like what's the top threethings you've put on here?
Like I am hoping these threethings will happen.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
I'm hoping number one , that teachers more teachers
find their voice and they beginto speak up and be honest about
our challenges.
Number two I hope that wecontinue to bring attention to
mental health so that we'remaking strides and improve
things, not just for the sake ofeducation but for the sake of
society, because our studentsare eventually going to leave
(23:35):
the school system.
They're going to be out insociety as a whole, and that's
something we need to remedy inorder to enable them to have a
good future.
I also think that we absolutelyhave to address the idea of
teacher retention and teacherrecruitment through raising and
elevating teacher pay to rivalthat of other professions and
(23:58):
elevating teacher pay to rivalthat of other professions.
Teachers who are just comingout of a teacher prep program
with a teaching degree earn, onaverage, 24% less than any other
professional field that collegestudents come out of.
So we have teachers who arecoming out of college prep
programs but they're takingother jobs because they can make
(24:19):
more money.
I was talking with the dean ofa college of education at an
institution in my state and hewas telling me how what he
considered to be the best andbrightest pre-service teacher in
their program had alreadyaccepted a job with a convention
center booking conferences andthings like that, because she
(24:41):
was going to start out making$65,000.
Teachers in my state who'vetaught 25, 30 years don't make
$65,000.
The reality is this we'll neversee that young lady, no matter
how talented she is, most likelyin a classroom.
So that is something that wehave to address.
You know, a lot of timesteachers teach a few years,
(25:03):
their children get older, theirfamily expenses change and then
they leave the classroom to takea job in another field to help
support their family.
So those are things if we'regoing to keep our best and
broadest and recruit our bestand broadest, we have to address
that.
That pay that's kind of theelephant in in the room.
Teaching is a passion.
I 100 percent believe that.
(25:24):
But as someone who is on thisside of life, you know I have
two kids who who have made itthrough college.
I have one going to grad school.
But the reality is that passionand loving your job don't
always take care of your familyand we have to address that.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Yeah, that's so fair.
I mean, it's fair to state soeloquently in the reality and
not see that the teacher whowent through college and have an
education degree realized I'vegot bills, I need to make a fair
living.
(26:03):
So it's back to school season.
I'm going to ask you what'syour advice for that year five
teacher, Because this year threeto five you start getting
restless.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
That's a great question.
A lot of times people want toknow what my advice is for new
teachers and that three to fiveyear stretch.
I remember being there myself.
You've done it long enough thatyou're not new, but you've not
done it well enough that it'sautomatic.
You're still having to workreally hard at it because
teaching is hard and it'sconstantly changing.
(26:38):
My advice to someone in thatstretch that three to five years
is to continue to seek outmentors.
You're not a new teacher butyou still need and crave
guidance we all do but at thesame time, use that wisdom that
you've accumulated in the lastthree to five years and pass
(26:59):
that along to someone behind you, someone who's brand new in
year one, or that high schoolstudent who's enrolled in the
teaching as a profession courseat the high school who wants to
come shadow you.
Because I feel like that whenyou mentor someone you also
unlock this passion foreducation that there's a very
(27:20):
small market for that.
Most people don't really wantto hear about your passion for
education.
But if you have someone cominginto your classroom who wants to
be a teacher or someone who isa new teacher, you passing along
what you know helps not onlyyou.
It helps not only that person,it helps recharge your fire as
(27:42):
well.
I would also tell them to relaxa little more.
I laugh at this story on myself.
I had the best mentor ever.
We were talking about somethingand she pointedly said you know
, I love you, but you need tochill out.
Because I was still stressedabout every single thing.
(28:04):
You know, I thought everylesson needed to be perfect.
If I did something wrong I wasbeating myself up, and that was.
I was offended when she told methat.
But now I see what she wassaying.
If you try to maintain thatconstant perfectionism
everything has to be perfectevery lesson is, you know,
(28:26):
basically scripted forperfection you're going to burn
yourself out.
But, most importantly, yourstudents are not going to have
that joy of laughing with youwhen funny things happen.
I'm embarrassed to tell you Iwas that teacher.
The first few years.
It didn't matter what marvelousthing came up in the course of
the lesson, I just kept goingbecause I had planned what we
(28:49):
were going to do when we weregoing to do that, and it's just
experience.
But I would also tell thatperson in years three to five
chill, chill out just a littlebit.
Enjoy your students Enjoy thosemoments that come up.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Yeah, take all the why questions, you know, let
them have that moment like, oh,you are just going to drive us
in this direction for a littlebit and then we'll come back.
Missy, I have one more questionfor back to school season.
Missy, I have one more questionfor back to school season.
What were one to three of yourgo-to strategies that you could
(29:23):
start in the first three weeksof school?
Speaker 1 (29:26):
The first one are routines.
That one's so old but it's sotrue.
Establish routines becausethose make students, no matter
how old they are, feel secure,and I feel like good teachers
have routines for almosteverything.
I think it's easier to startout more controlled and to
(29:47):
loosen up than to start outbeing everyone's best friend on
the very first day of school.
I can be their best friend inMay just as well as I can in
August, but I feel like I'mgoing to get a lot more done if
I don't start out in August asbeing their best friend, and
this one was hard for me.
You don't have to teacheverything in August.
(30:08):
I feel like sometimes I startedthe school year thinking that
it was an absolute sprint fromAugust to May, when the reality
is it's more like a long,sustained, purposeful marathon.
But those would be, I suppose,my top three routines.
You don't have to teach it alland there's a time when you can
(30:31):
loosen up a little bit laterduring the year.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
Such great strategies .
Let's end this with whyteaching?
Speaker 1 (30:41):
Teaching will always be worthwhile.
There will always be joy inteaching, and I know there are
fields where people make a lotmore money than I do, but there
is still joy in teaching.
There will always be joy inteaching, and the relationships
that you're able to form withstudents and their families are
something that get you throughthe best of times, the worst of
(31:06):
times, and I can think of no jobthat is any more enjoyable than
teaching something to someonethat they need to know or
something that they need to takeinto their future to be
successful.
So if you're out there nomatter if you're 18, if you're
(31:26):
22, in college, in high school,whether you're 40 and you think
I can't work on Wall Streetforever, the stress is killing
me.
Maybe I would like to teach.
Explore those options.
Figure out a way to make ithappen.
A lot of states have pathwaysfor people to come in from
second careers and to use theexperience that they had in
(31:50):
their first career to teach.
Look those up, call yourDepartment of Education in your
state and see what's out therefor you, because there very well
may be a pathway that could putyou in a classroom sooner than
what you're thinking and if youthink you want to teach.
You probably do want to teach.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
Woo woo.
Hugs are invaluable.
Aha moments will live with youforever.
Valuable Aha moments will livewith you forever.
Thank you, Missy.
This has been amazing.
Thank you to our listeners.
Missy, you are truly a teacherin America making a difference.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
Thank you, and thank you for the opportunity to be on
the podcast.
I enjoyed talking to you and Iappreciate you offering this for
teachers.
I'm a teacher who listens topodcasts while I exercise, so I
understand very well the benefitof the work that you do and I
appreciate that as well.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
If you or someone you know would like to be a guest
on the Teachers in Americapodcast, please email us at
shaped.
At hmhcocom.
That's S-H-A-P-E-D.
At H-M-H-C-Ocom.
Be the first to hear newepisodes of Teachers in America
by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, spotify or wherever you get
your podcasts.
If you enjoyed today's show,please rate, review and share it
(33:14):
with your network.
You can find the transcript ofthis episode on our Shaped blog
by visiting hmhcocom.
Forward slash shaped.
That's hmhcocom.
Forward slash s-h-a-p-e-d.
The link is in the show notes.
The Teachers in America podcastis a production of HMH.
Thank you to the productionteam of Christine Condon, tim
(33:35):
Lee, jennifer Corujo, neil Fry,thomas Velasquez and Matt Howell
.
Thanks again for listening.
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