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.
What makes a great school spelling bee coordinator? It certainly helps to have a love of words, a dedication to the program’s success and a drive to help students improve their spelling, vocabulary and writing skills. Mrs. Terri Donahue has all three of these important qualities plus twenty-seven years of teaching experience. As the Literacy Specialist for Eastport Elementary School in Eastport, New York, she works primarily with third through sixth grade students, providing academic intervention services in reading comprehension and writing.
Erin Marone, the library media specialist and lead technology teacher at another school in the district, expressed many reasons for nominating her fellow educator. “Mrs. Donahue is such a kind, caring teacher who puts so much effort into everything she does,” she said. She believes that Mrs. Donahue’s enthusiasm for writing is contagious, and that Mrs. Donahue’s students benefit from her instruction in writing and building vocabulary.
Mrs. Marone also explained how Mrs. Donahue brings a unique perspective to her job as a literacy specialist since she is also a published writer and poet. During her writing workshops with students, she is able to provide firsthand examples of the importance of using correct spelling and a diverse vocabulary. Mrs. Donahue writes along with the students to model good writing habits, demonstrating the value of revision and editing, and encouraging the use of a dictionary and thesaurus. She even introduces etymology and word origins to further develop her students’ understanding of the English language.
As coordinator of the Eastport Elementary School spelling bee, Mrs. Donahue particularly shines. She has been coordinating and conducting spelling bees in her district for the last seven years, and her organizational skills allow her to head an entire committee of volunteers to put on a successful bee year after year. Mrs. Donahue and her committee meet several times at the beginning of the year to choose officials, go through the word list, and rehearse before the day of the bee. They are a hard-working and dedicated team. In fact, they don’t just decorate the school gym with a bee theme; one year Mrs. Donahue and her volunteers also dressed up as bees for the big day!
The Scripps National Spelling Bee would like to thank Mrs. Donahue for cultivating her own love of the written word in her students. It’s a pleasure for us to recognize an educator who believes in the importance of spelling and vocabulary, both in the classroom and later in her students’ future pursuits.
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.