CWU at GRCC Graduates Win “Top Ten” Student Teaching Awards

 Debbie Hanninen
 

From Left: Terry Thibodeaux, Ann Anderson, and Debbie Hanninen
 

If anyone needs more convincing that CWU’s teacher preparation program at GRCC is an impressive program, they need look no further than the accolades its graduates are collecting. Our program had the distinction of producing three of the Top Ten graduates from CWU’s Teacher Preparation Program this year. CWU graduates over 600 teachers each year and Ann Anderson, Debbie Hanninen and Terry Thibodeaux were among 10 student teachers chosen from among 42 nominees to receive recognition for excellence in student teaching. Student teaching supervisors and cooperating teachers nominated candidates. Principals at cooperating schools were also asked for references. Candidates were judged on such criteria as classroom management skills, innovation in teaching, and dedication to the profession.

Anderson and Hanninen completed student teaching in the Kent School District. Thibodeaux completed student teaching in the Auburn School District. Anderson taught in a 3/4 gifted classroom at Lake Youngs Elementary with cooperating teacher Teresa Janes. She came to the CWU/GRCC program after 8 years in the Kent School District as an Instructional Assistant. She is now teaching 6th grade at Millennium Elementary in Kent. Ann comments, “I am working with a very diverse group of students and loving it.”

Hanninen student taught third grade at Fairwood Elementary with cooperating teacher Michael McCauley. After volunteering in her children’s schools for the previous 10 years, she decided to go back to school to finish her degree and begin teaching. She completed the APP degree at GRCC before joining the CWU/GRCC program. She is now teaching 5th grade at Millennium Elementary in Kent, and comments, “I love this job.”

Thibodeaux student taught second grade at Hazelwood Elementary with cooperating teacher Karen Brougher. Previous to choosing his teaching career, he has worked in schools as a tutor, a drama assistant for both middle school and high school, and has also participated in an internship program at Walt Disney World. Thibodeaux is now teaching 1st grade at Sunrise Elementary in Kent.

These three students have been working together as classmates for the past two years in the very first GRCC/CWU teaching cohort. The CWU/GRCC cohort program began its third cohort group in September, 2004, preparing future teachers for the exciting world of education.