Behind every great student is a great teacher. These teachers make learning fun by thinking outside the box and creating classroom experiences that resonate with their students. They serve many roles in their schools, as spelling coaches, school bee coordinators and judges; more often than not, they are motivators who encourage their students to be the best they can be. In the “Teacher Feature,” we celebrate these educators and their commitment to their students' education.
Last school year, when Mrs. Susan Michalowski decided to enroll her school with the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the first time, she likely didn't imagine it would be such a huge success. Despite being a newcomer to the local spelling bee program, their school spelling bee champion performed well in every level of competition and qualified for the national finals in Washington, D.C. What began as a opportunity for Mrs. Michalowski to introduce her students to a new way of learning became a once-in-a-lifetime experience for one and an enriching experience for all.
Mrs. Michalowski is a librarian as well as the Core Language Arts instructor for middle grades at St. John of the Cross Parish School in Western Springs, Illinois. According to the student who nominated Mrs. Michalowski, she inspires her students to excel and initiates many school-wide endeavors to create unique and engaging learning experiences. Some of these initiatives include the school's spelling bee club and a reading program called "One Book, One School." When the Bee reached out to Mrs. Michalowski's school, they had some pretty great things to say about her as well:
St. John of the Cross Parish School (SJC) is proud of Mrs. Michalowski's nomination in the Teacher Feature of the Teacher's Beehive. Mrs. Michalowski spearheaded the Scripps Spelling Bee last year for the first time here at SJC and had an overwhelming response from students. She truly exemplifies her passion for the children and her interest in reading. Thank you Mrs. Michalowski for sharing your time and talent with our children. You give them a lifetime gift when sparking their interest in reading.
When Mrs. Michalowski took on the task of organizing the St. John of the Cross Parish School's first spelling bee, she dived in wholeheartedly! Mrs. Antonia Adducci, one of her colleagues, said, "Sue rallied our faculty and student body at an assembly in support of our finalist. This inspired all students, proving how hard work and dedication can help achieve success." Besides organizing and serving as pronouncer for her school, Sue mentored their school champion and organized the teachers to help create flash cards for the finalist to study between competitions. Not only did Mrs. Michalowski attend the local levels of competition, conducted by the area's local sponsor, Commonwealth Edison, but she also accompanied her student to Washington, D.C., to cheer her on during the national finals.
Speller #53, Bernadette Miao, tied for 50th place in the 2015 Scripps National Spelling Bee. What a great success for Bernadette and the entire student body and staff of Saint John of the Cross Parish School!
The Scripps National Spelling Bee would like to thank Mrs. Michalowski for not being afraid to innovate her school's programs and introduce her students to new opportunities like the Bee! We wish many more years of success for St. John of the Cross Parish School with the school spelling program and in the Commonwealth Edison spelling bee.
If you would like to nominate an educator for an upcoming “Teacher Feature,” let us know. Simply fill out your contact information, then nominate the teacher on the following page.