|
Lori Chaney, a teacher at Winding Creek Elementary, reacts to the news yesterday that she was named regional teacher Lori Chaney, a teacher at Winding Creek Elementary, hugs her son, Keegan, 8, as her daughter, Kimberlyn, 10, looks on, after Chaney heard the news. |
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.
"These 10-year-olds taught me so much about perseverance," Chaney said.
Students and staff at Winding Creek yesterday displayed this same support with three collective cheers.
They hollered at thSe direction of Principal Elliot Bolles, who announced the news of her achievement over the loudspeaker. Afterward, Chaney's hands shook and her eyes welled up.
"Things like this, the recognition, lets you know you're where God wants you," she said.
Before accepting a job with Stafford in 2002, Chaney taught fifth grade at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan.
During the interview process in Stafford, she called Andre Nougaret, then director of human resources, several times and peppered him with questions about the school division.
"Before it was all over, I kind of felt like Lori was interviewing me rather than me interviewing her," said Nougaret, now interim superintendent.
Winding Creek Elementary opened in 1999 with Bill Kennedy as principal. That's who Bolles, the current principal, credits with producing so many teacher-of-the-year winners.
"I know he is a charismatic leader and managed to recruit these great teachers," he said.
Kennedy, now a public information officer for the Stafford Sheriff's Office, said Chaney has a "can-do attitude" and makes every student feel "wanted."
"When I'm hiring people, I'm looking for heart, first and foremost," he said.
That's what he got with Chaney.
"If you don't have that heart for kids, then you shouldn't be in the classroom," she said.
To reach JEFF BRANSCOME:
Email: jbranscome@freelancestar.com
| '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 |
