Introducing the 2021
! S T S I L & FINA This fall, TASA announced the 2021 Texas Teacher of the Year! We’d like to introduce you to 2021 Texas Teacher of the Year Eric Hale, Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year Anthony Lopez-Waste, and the other four finalists — all amazing educators who vied for the top honor.
Eric Hale, Texas Teacher of the Year Dallas ISD’s Eric Hale was chosen as Texas’ 2021 Teacher of the Year and will go on to represent Texas in the Council of Chief State School Officers’ National Teacher of the Year program. A kindergarten and first grade teacher at David G. Burnet Elementary School, Hale is the first Black man to be named Texas Teacher of the Year. With 10 years of teaching under his belt, Hale brings a message of perseverance to his work, empowering his students and guiding them to believe in their own potential, no matter what their circumstances might be. Born into poverty and raised in traumatic conditions, Hale was able to overcome severe obstacles to rise to his position. He hopes to inspire his students, most of which also live in poverty, to do the same. Through innovative, active, hands-on lessons, Hale works to reach every child in his classroom, meeting their individual needs and going above and beyond to ensure they’re engaged and encouraged. “I know all children can thrive, not just survive, in their public-school education if they are provided a safe, nurturing and engaging environment where the only thing higher than the rigor is the joy of the experience,” Hale wrote, summing up his teaching philosophy for the program application. “I know we as Americans are facing some dark times, but we must keep the faith and remember that some of the brightest minds come from the darkest places.” Look for more on Hale in other TASA communications, including his upcoming “Teacher Perspective” columns in INSIGHT. 34
INSIGHT
