Math instructor lauded for her work with student teachers

Sheryl Brown

Sheryl Brown retired as a math teacher at La Grande Middle School in June. Seven months later, her professional past is still catching up with her.

The Oregon education community is making sure of it.

Late last month, Brown received a surprise state honor, the “Cooperating Teacher of the Year in Oregon, 2011,’’ award. The honor, given to just one teacher in the state each year, salutes classroom educators who successfully train student teachers.

“It is very gratifying to be recognized,’’ said Brown, who is now a substitute teacher in the La Grande School District.

Brown received the award from the Oregon Middle (School) Level Consortium, which is comprised of representatives from the Oregon Middle Level Association, the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission and universities in the state.

Brown taught in the school district for about 32 years of her 36-year education career. She was a mentor to numerous student teachers from Eastern Oregon University during this time. A mentor who developed a sterling reputation, said EOU education professor Ray Brown, who nominated Sheryl Brown for the award.

He said students from EOU who had Sheryl Brown as a mentor teacher, had high regard for her, calling her “the legend’’ and “the best part of placement’’ in the EOU student teaching program.

What earned Brown such high marks as a mentor?

“Her greatest trait is that she has high expectations with a nurturing spirit,’’ said Ray Brown, who is not related to Sheryl Brown.

Brown began her career teaching developmentally disabled women at the old Eastern Oregon State Hospital in Pendleton for about nine months. Next she taught at Union Elementary School for three years and a year at the old Ackerman Lab School at Eastern before joining the La Grande School District. She taught math at La Grande High School and La Grande Middle School during her tenure with the district.

Brown found that the student teachers were sometimes tentative about teaching middle school students. She helped them overcome this with the following tip:

“I told them to be themselves and to watch what teachers they admire are doing. Then adopt the traits which fit their personalities,’’ the retired LMS teacher said.

Brown also took pains to properly assimilate student teachers to her classroom so that her students would become comfortable with them before having them teach their first lesson. This process took six to eight weeks.

Brown encouraged her student teachers to adopt her bottom line motto during this time — “Don’t be afraid to let people know what you stand for and don’t be afraid to let people know what you will not stand for.’’

Brown said some people mistakenly think that an educator with a student teacher has it easy.

“There is a lot of additional work. You are constantly mentoring, but it is very rewarding,’’ Brown said.

Mentoring means sometimes having to give critiques that draw attention to shortcomings, something Brown can do delicately and adeptly.

“She is able to give constructive criticism without ever being demeaning,’’ Ray Brown said.

This skill is one reason why Sheryl Brown developed lifelong ties with her student teachers.

Every year, she receives many wedding invitations, birth announcements and Christmas cards from former student teachers who share with her their life experiences. Brown cherishes these connections as much as the many ones she maintains with her former classroom students.

LMS Principal Kyle McKinney said she was respected as much as any teacher at his school for many reasons, including two that were fundamental.

“The students knew what her bottom line is and they knew she cared about them.’’

Brown, who earned her bachelor’s degree from Eastern and later earned a master’s degree in education from EOU and the University of Oregon, found teaching at the middle school level to be immensely rewarding. Brown explained that she has enjoyed seeing youths in grades six to eight make perhaps the biggest transformation of their lives.

“You get glimpses of the adults they will become. It is very rewarding.’’