2011 - Regional Teacher of the Year - John Kerr

John has taught bilingual science at Pasco High School for the past 6 years. He is a National Board Certified Teacher. John exhibits a tangible excitement for science that colleagues and students describe as contagious. On any given day you will find John narrating stories, teaching his students a new rap song or demonstrating a life-sized hovercraft.



John is in the enviable position of having a teaching assignment that capitalizes his love for both science and Spanish, and he works tirelessly to achieve that perfect balance between the two. He is a Guided Language Acquisition Design or GLAD Key Trainer and works with teachers in his building and around the district to help them learn and utilize strategies for working with English language learners.



John has also developed a parallel science curriculum in English and Spanish that is equally rigorous. John is a powerful advocate for ELL students especially recent immigrants. He works hard to remind the public that his students are often excellent readers in Spanish, to promote the many capabilities of students who are learning English and to provide a thrilling science education for.



John leads the freshman team, but because he takes a holistic approach to education he also works with teachers in other departments to develop common strategies across content areas. John’s approach to grading is equally holistic. His focus on mastery of content – using rubrics based on state standards instead of accumulated points – helps struggling students map their progress and encourages advanced students to undertake more challenging study.



John’s principal, Raul Sital, simply states: “His passion for education is catching. His teaching strategies are unrivaled, and his classroom is a place of wonder.”