A heart for children
Stafford educator wins teacher of the year for Region 3 of Virginia. That makes her the third teacher from Winding Creek Elementary to do so since the school opened in 1999
By JEFF BRANSCOME
Date published: 9/13/2006
By JEFF BRANSCOME
Lori Chaney said her fifth-grade teacher called her stupid.
But her sixth-grade teacher, Gloria Risley, recognized a learning disability and helped Chaney overcome it.
Risley's patience and faith in her student not only helped Chaney in school, it inspired her career.
Now a technology resource teacher at Winding Creek Elementary School in Stafford County, Chaney was honored yesterday as one of Virginia's best.
She earned Teacher of the Year honors for Region 3 of Virginia, making her the third educator from Winding Creek to do so. One of those teachers, Cari DelFratte, went on to win teacher of the year for the state.
As the school's technology guru, Chaney helps teachers integrate computers and other technology into their lesson plans.
She also visits classes and runs a program to train older students to troubleshoot equipment and mentor their peers.
While the subject matter can be complex, Chaney's teaching philosophy is simple.
"I just give them the belief that they can do anything," she said. "We just don't accept the word 'can't.'"
Chaney, 42, dedicated her teacher of the year portfolio to Risley, who died in 2002.
"My hope is that one day I will be able to impact the life of a child the way Gloria did mine," she wrote.
Actually, she may already have reached that goal.
In describing one of her most memorable moments, Chaney mentioned an economically disadvantaged student who struggled to pass the Standards of Learning tests.
She and another teacher, "really had a heart for him," Chaney said. "He just meant the world to us."
Chaney tutored him and instilled the belief that "you can achieve anything."
The next year, the student passed the SOL exams.
"That's the way she is," said Jeff Chaney, her husband. "She'll cheer for the underdog."
And when it comes to persistence, Chaney seems to take her own advice.
The Indiana native has undergone five knee surgeries but still tries to run competitively every month. In fact, she hyperextended her knee during the sixth mile of a 26-mile race.
She still finished.
"I was ashamed to come to school because I felt like I let my kids down," she said.
The next day, however, parents, teachers and students showered her with praise.
| 'I just give them the belief that they can do anything. We just don't accept the word "can't."'
Lori Chaney, teacher of the year for Region 3 in Virginia |
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Date published: 9/13/2006
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