On the playground at Harvard Elementary, teachers John Pacheco, Melani Alcorn and Kristina Lesniak (from left) share a bond as UH College of Education alumni. (Not pictured: Heather Moore)
A 兔子先生 flag waved outside Harvard Elementary School in the Heights neighborhood this spring after an alumnus won the honor in an auction.
The flag also served as a fitting tribute to the school鈥檚 award-winning teachers for 2017. Both are 兔子先生 as well. John Pacheco, named Harvard鈥檚 Beginning Teacher of the Year, graduated from the UH College of Education in 2015. Kristina Lesniak, Harvard鈥檚 Teacher of the Year and a finalist for the Houston school district鈥檚 annual elementary school teacher award, graduated in 2014.
Their mentor, Heather Moore, is a UH grad, too.
鈥淚 feel like a proud mama,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淭he awards are voted on by all of the teachers and administrators, so you know they鈥檙e good people, not just good teachers. They ooze positivity. When it鈥檚 hard, they鈥檙e both still smiling.鈥�
Together with first-grade teacher Melani Alcorn, another Coog who drew high praise, the four share a bond 鈥� turning to each other for advice and support (and, at times, to talk UH football).
Lesniak and Pacheco credited their coworkers and experiences in the College of Education for their success.
鈥淎ll of the teachers deserve it,鈥� Pacheco said. 鈥淲e all had our challenges. Just completing that first year is a major feat.鈥�
Moore, who graduated UH in 1996, understands those growing pains but had confidence in the new Coog teachers.
鈥淚 had so much faith in Ms. Lesniak her first year, I put my own daughter in her class,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淎nd my daughter had a great year.鈥�
Lesniak graduated a semester behind Alcorn at UH, and they bonded quickly when they joined the Harvard staff. Pacheco fit in easily.
鈥淲e鈥檙e on this journey together,鈥� Alcorn said.
鈥楤uilding a Coog Nation鈥�
These four standout teachers are part of a large network of UH alumni working in the Houston Independent School District. More than 825 UH graduates served as HISD teachers in 2015-16, according to the latest data from UH鈥檚 Center for Research, Evaluation & Advancement of Teacher Education. Other graduates work as principals or central office administrators.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always exciting when our alumni are recognized because it means they are doing great things for kids,鈥� said Amber Thompson, who chairs the teacher-preparation program at the College of Education. 鈥淲e knew their potential when they were in the program, and now everyone else knows too.鈥�
鈥淲e love to see our graduates working together in the same schools and building a Coog Nation,鈥� Thompson added. 鈥淚t鈥檚 our mission to make sure all students have an effective teacher in the classroom, and these teachers are a testament to that commitment.鈥�
Pacheco is one of at least four recent alumni who won the rookie teacher of the year awards at their schools this year.
鈥淚 am so proud of these novice teachers,鈥� said Lecturer Carrie Cutler, who taught all four in her elementary math methods classes. 鈥淚 can recall the feelings of excitement, energy, enthusiasm and complete exhaustion that first year of teaching. It is truly amazing what they鈥檝e been able to accomplish.鈥�
Full Circle and 鈥楲oving It鈥�
The Harvard Elementary teachers agreed that they share a growth mindset, or the ability to see setbacks as an opportunity to improve, thanks to the College of Education.
鈥淵ou have to have spunk,鈥� Pacheco said. 鈥淚f the lesson doesn鈥檛 go well, dust yourself off with the same passion you started with. Kids are resilient, and teachers have to be too.鈥�
Growing up in Houston, Pacheco said, he always thought he鈥檇 be a teacher. His mom worked as a clerk at his elementary school. The youngest of seven children, Pacheco was the first in his family to graduate from college. He has come full circle teaching in the Heights, where he attended middle school.
Alcorn and Lesniak, on the other hand, thought they wanted careers in the medical field. Alcorn, whose mom taught pre-kindergarten, started college majoring in biology and then switched to human development and family studies; the new major, plus encouragement from academic advisor Kimberly Zainfeld, led her to teaching.
鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy because I never thought I鈥檇 be a teacher, but now I鈥檓 here and I love it,鈥� Alcorn said.
Lesniak considered nursing at first.
鈥淚 needed to help people, and I didn鈥檛 know how,鈥� she said.
A family friend who worked as a teacher urged Lesniak to follow suit after watching her play with her grandkids. Lesniak had to take a new round of courses, but it was the 鈥渂est craziest decision,鈥� she said.
For Moore, her commitment to teaching was solidified after year one on the job. 鈥淚f you have a difficult first year, you know you can handle it.鈥�
Now in her 21st year teaching, Moore said the novices help her as much as she helps them.
鈥淭he teachers from UH have a bond here,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really building something.鈥�
鈥揃y Jeylan Yassin
鈥揚hoto credit: Jaime Questell