Behind every great student is a great teacher. These teachers make spelling and vocabulary fun. They serve as spelling coaches, moderators and judges, but more often than not, they are simply motivators who encourage the students to be the best they can be. In the "Teacher Feature," we celebrate the men and women who educate the youth of our country.
Words, particularly those that are used in a spelling bee, aren't just found in works of literature. Rather, they come from science and social studies, math and religion. They aren't just spelling words; they are a part of everyday life.
Mr. Nicholas
Kalawec, an eighth grade literacy teacher at Scott Carpenter Middle School (SCMS)
in Colorado, recognizes that his students will learn best by being able to
relate to what they are reading.
"Mr. Kalawec is one of the teachers who truly engages students in the act of reading and writing," said Stephanie Rosch, instructional coach for SCMS. "He chooses literature that enables his students to make connections to their own lives."
Because 63% of the school's students are English Language Learners, Mr. Kawalec searches out the best tools to help them acquire the skill of spelling and vocabulary in a new language.
"Mr. Kawalec works
with social studies and science teachers to enhance vocabulary instruction and
pulls in academic language and nonfiction reading materials to deepen
understanding of content students are seeing elsewhere," Rosch said.
Mr. Kawalec also coaches students in guitar and video yearbook after school, and apparently loves to take silly photos with his son Sawyer (above, left) and for the school's website (right).
The Scripps National Spelling Bee thanks Mr. Kawalec for recognizing that words are all around us and sharing his love for the English language with his students.
If you'd like to nominate a teacher for an upcoming teacher feature, let us know. Fill out your contact information at the link, then nominate the teacher on the following page.