Virginia Teacher of the Year: Cari Vickey

"Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher."

Faculty members at Winding Creek Elementary in Stafford County recognized the actuality of this Japanese proverb when they nominated colleague Cari Del Fratte Vickey ('92, '96M) for the 2001 Virginia Teacher of the Year Award. The award selection committee concurred, naming Vickey as Virginia's Teacher of the Year last fall.

"JMU's teacher education program was the best preparation I could have ever received," says Vickey. "I received a solid background in child development and methods of instructions, which have been critical to my career."

Winding Creek Principal Bill Kennedy says, "Vickey deftly modifies her instruction for children with different abilities." She also helps train other third-grade teachers on the state's science Standards of Learning ó quite a leap for someone who hated studying science and math as a child. But Vickey says, "Now they are my favorite subjects to teach."

Her classroom, aside from the 50 balloons and congratulations banners, looks like any other third-grade classroom. A bulletin board details the in-depth work of her 8- and 9-year-old students. Their most recent project was creating a schoolyard habitat, complete with bird feeders, bluebird nesting boxes and benches. Vickey coordinated the project with other third-grade students and teachers.

"As a kid, I didn't enjoy science. It didn't make sense to me," she says. "As an adult teacher, I realize that it didn't make sense because I didn't do science, I just read about it."

Vickey adds, "I work hard to create hands-on lessons for my students. When we study plant life cycles, we don't just read about them, we go outside and look at life cycles."

The Winding Creek teachers who nominated Vickey noted her "ability to instill in students a desire to learn, along with her devoted understanding of educational trends." Vickey is now in the running for the National Teacher of the Year Award, which will be announced at the White House in April.

Vickey attributes her success as a teacher to the early childhood education faculty at JMU, especially Ann Marie Leonard.

"The greatest strength of the education department is the faculty," she says. "All of the department educators were influential in preparing me to teach, including professors Fairchild, Harris, Fuqua, Martin and Fox. Teaching is an honorable and rewarding profession, and I believe parents and community members also play an important role in helping children learn successfully."

Anna Kathryn Eby ('82M), who teaches at Keezletown Elementary School, was runner up for the 2001 Virginia Teacher of the Year. The 1998 Virginia Teacher of the Year Phil Bigler ('74, '76M) also went on to win the national award in 1998. Learn about the program that launched these superlative teachers by reading the article written by JMU School of Education Director Charles Watson.