Students and staff at Normal Community High School feel that a regional Teacher of the Year award is well deserved for one of their own.
Don Whitman’s philosophy of “hands-on, minds-on” has served him through 27 years of teaching STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] and technical education coursework at Normal Community. He was named the East Central Region Teacher of the Year by the Illinois State Board of Education. The ISBE will honor all 14 regional or specialist Teachers of the Year next month, with one being named as the statewide Teacher of the Year.
“I'm not a lecturer, I'm not [about] worksheets. We're having a discussion amongst the class, and I learn just as much from the students as they might learn from me, and that's what keeps me going each and every day,” said Whitman.
A special teacher
That different approach to the structure of a class lesson has resulted in many students having an affinity for Whitman.
“He's a fun teacher,” said Tommy Wade, senior. “Because he doesn’t teach the typical way, ...we are constantly finding new ways to solve problems, pushing those boundaries and having a great time. It's more of an intellectual hangout.”
Unit 5 put forth Whitman for the award after a round of nominations that saw him receive more recommendations than any other teacher in the past.
“Don is absolutely special. He's brilliant,” said Adam Zbrozek, NCHS principal. “The way in which he leads, the way in which he works with kids, the creativity that he brings to the classroom and the connections that he has with kids, they're all special.”
“We have amazing adults in this building who love working with kids, and I think that you can’t ask for more than that,” said Zbrozek. “They love working with kids, and I think that's something that makes us who we are.”
After 27 years in the same classroom, Whitman said the only thing that changes year after year is the students.
“I make relationships and connections with them when they come in as a freshman. We work together, I teach them everything I know for four years and then I cry when they leave as seniors,” said Whitman. “I am now in the stage of my life where my students' children are starting to show up in the school. So that's special.”
The “hands-on, minds-on” philosophy has been a theme throughout his 27 years.
“When you're working with your hands and you're producing something,” said Whitman, “that's where learning really starts to come together.”
Ceremony plans
When the ISBE holds its annual Those Who Excel and Teacher of the Year Awards Banquet on April 18, one teacher will be recognized as Illinois Teacher of the Year. While all 14 Teacher of the Year honorees will work to promote education over the next year, the statewide honoree will be the main spokesperson for the state. That teacher will leave their classroom for a year, traveling across the state.
“Being a teacher and loving being in the classroom, I'm torn a little bit with that, but I understand the purpose,” said Whitman. “I understand it’s for the bigger, greater good.”
