Long before she was named the 2016 Idaho Teacher of the Year, Melyssa Ferro was a dedicated member of the Idaho Education Association and the Caldwell Education Association. She joined our professional organization because she appreciated the IEA’s staunch support of teachers, students and public education.
On Monday, Melyssa shared her views and opinions on education in Idaho with a Joint Education Committee. Using a presentation entitled “A Lesson on the Ecology of Public Schools”, Ferro channeled the Dr. Seuss character The Lorax, and touched on a number of topics of importance to professional educators and education stakeholders.
- The critical need for collaboration and mentoring among teachers, and how pay systems that create competition among teachers are counter-productive.
- Celebrating the many great teachers in Idaho and giving them the range of resources needed to do their best work.
- Instead of finding ways to shoehorn underqualified teachers into classrooms, address the issue of why qualified teachers are leaving the state and/or the profession.
- The need to provide students with hands-on educational opportunities, especially in STEM fields.
- The appropriate context for student testing and teacher evaluations.
- What Idaho can do to encourage “positive and lasting change in our ecosystem of public education”.
We thank Idaho Teacher of the Year Melyssa Ferro for her years of dedication to the IEA, the profession, and most importantly, her students and we know she will be a magnificent representative of all Idaho’s teachers this year. Please let Idaho’s decision makers know that you support Melyssa (and thousands of teachers like her), and encourage them to heed her words of wisdom.
IEA member and Idaho Teacher of the Year Melyssa Ferro addresses the Joint Education Committee
IEA Interview with Superintendent Sherri Ybarra
Check out the latest IEA Reporter podcast, which features State Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra sitting down with IEA Communications Director Dave Harbison for a look at some of the key issues from this legislative session. Ybarra comments on her budget proposal, teacher mentoring, college/career counseling, alternative authorization and much more.
