ALPHA DELTA KAPPA DECEMBER 2010 - Gedung Kuning

career that “lights them up.” I
have seen students who hated
school, who had failing grades
and high absences turn themselves
around because they
found their reason for being
in school: to get to the career
that excites them. I remember
the student who was the first
person in his family to graduate
from high school and had never
thought about college. After
he and I talked, he enrolled and
has been successful. Two of
my seniors might not have their
high school diplomas if I had
not pushed them to take extra
steps they probably would not
have taken. Another student
had failed several classes when
I helped him to realize that he
could take an automotive class
when he was a junior if he would
just come to school—and he did.
Today, I feel that one of my
most meaningful contributions
is the creation of a local counselors’
association. For over
two years, counselors and other
instrumental guidance people
in the area have been meeting
monthly to discuss current and
timely issues. Every month
we have a guest speaker. This
allows me to help students in
the entire county, not just my
current students. I have helped
our counselors to know the most
up-to-date information, to gain
valuable resources through a
variety of guest speakers, and to
provide the best services to their
students. I offer my assistance
and have been welcomed into
their schools, contributing career
guidance to their students
on a group and individual level.
I feel that communication
is key to an educator’s success
with students. Our monthly
counselor’s association meetings
not only allow the counselors to
communicate better with each
other but most importantly it
impacts their students as well as
mine. Truly, I think of them as
“ours.” and feel that the boundaries
from school-to-school are
not as clear as they may once
have been. Fundamentally, my
efforts to strengthen communication
stems from John Wesley’s
words that I should “do all the
good I can, in all the ways I can,
as often as I can.” That’s what I
try to do.
Southeast Region
Shirley Upchurch
Maryland Alpha Alpha Chapter
Shirley teaches fourth grade
at Calverton Elementary School
in Beltsville, Maryland.
My road to teaching has been
winding. I graduated from the
University of Maryland with
a degree in home economics
education, but instead of going
straight into teaching in a high
school, I went to work for the
U.S. Navy, writing courses for
sailors aboard ships who wanted
to further their education.
My family invited me to become
a partner in our own craft
store. I did all of the teaching
and was able to use my creativity
and teaching skills to help fiveyear-olds
to grannies complete
their projects. While working in
the craft store, I drove a school
bus full of special needs children.
I quickly learned that I
could make or break their day. I
was the first person they saw in
the morning that was associated
with school, and I was the last
person they saw in the afternoon.
They filled my days with
joy and challenges.
While driving the bus, I also
was able to work as an aide in
an elementary school, and then
as a TAG teacher, a substitute
teacher, and as a school secretary.
I continued to go to school
to get my certifications. I was
now certified to teach Pre-K
through high school!
Each day was filled with the
joys, trials and tribulations of
the children and adults I worked
with, but something was missing.
I really, really wanted my
own classroom with my own
students! Prince George’s
County Public Schools asked me
Educational Excellence in Action
Shirley Upchurch with students
to be the math resource teacher.
My dreams and aspirations were
becoming a reality. After only
one year the budget was cut
and I was offered a fourth grade
teaching position.
It was just what I wanted.
The hours were long, the pay
“short,” but those 37 children in
that old school who greeted me
each morning with smiles and
out-stretched arms made it all
worthwhile. It didn’t take me
long to realize that teaching was
not just a job or a career, but my
passion!
I became the fourth grade science,
social studies and health
teacher, and the science chair
for the school. In 2008, the staff
at Calverton Elementary nominated
me for the prestigious
Christa McAuliffe Outstanding
Science Teacher Award. She
was a teacher in Prince George’s
County before losing her life
in the shuttle disaster. I was
selected by the superintendent’s
office to receive the award.
I love technology and incorporate
it into the curriculum
whenever I can. My classroom
has almost as many computers
as students. In 2009, my colleagues
nominated me for the
Prince George’s County Public
Schools Outstanding Teacher
Using Technology Award. What
an honor and surprise! I was
even more surprised when I won
the award.
Some of my most rewarding
experiences have been the Ø
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