Nov. 16, 2018 -- Four CH-UH English Language Arts teachers have been honored at the state level for their work in promoting the importance of diversity among district educators.

 

Lorna Askew, Angela Coleman-Kirkland, Mikia Searcy, and Sherice Thomas are recipients of the Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) Diversity Award. They were identified as a result of their participation in the OCTELA Teacher Diversity Recruitment Program. Their profiles were selected among those submitted from around the state.

The Teacher Diversity Recruitment Program was created to increase the number of teachers of color within the OCTELA's membership and in attendance at its annual conference. In an effort to ensure that more teachers of color are able to benefit from this professional development experience, one of the perks of winning the Diversity Award is that they each received a complimentary 2-day registration to the OCTELA Conference that will be held in Columbus in March.  

 

Below, the honorees share their perspectives of the importance of their unique presence as teachers of color in their school and district. 

 

 

Lorna Askew, Intervention Specialist - 8th Grade, Roxboro at Heights Middle School
“I think that it is important for students of color to experience school life with teachers who have a similar race or ethnicity because it is more likely that they will infuse multicultural perspectives and relate how the curriculum was influenced by diverse peoples. Students of color need to see role models and they need to know that people who looked like them influenced the subject matter that they are learning." 

 

 

 

Angela Coleman-Kirkland - 6th Grade ELA, Monticello at Heights Middle School
“Our school district is majority-minority, so being a teacher of color is so important because children can see themselves in me.  It is a privilege to represent the children that sit before me, and I strive to be a positive role model."

 

 

 

“As a teacher of color, I find my presence valuable because I am able to relate to the cultural experiences of my students who are predominately African-American as well." 

 

 

 

“I think it is important for my students to have someone with whom they can relate."  

 

 

 

Yolanda Harris, Title I Instructional Coach - Monticello at Heights Middle School; OCTELA Diversity Liaison 

"I am not only proud of their award, but proud to work alongside these phenomenal women each day. They represent, to me, the best of what CH-UH has to offer the field of education in the state of Ohio, especially as I watch the marvelous ways by which they show care and concern for our students." 

 

In addition to the conference registration, the teachers have also received 1-year OCTELA memberships, and small professional development stipends to be used to purchase resources to enhance their instruction. 

 

OCTELA is one of the oldest and most prestigious professional development organizations for literacy teachers in the state. It has been providing its national network of teachers with instructional and professional development resources and opportunities for over six decades.    

 

The search for Ohio's teachers of color continues with the OCTELA Teacher Diversity Recruitment Program.  If you or a teacher of color that you know are interested in participating, visit octela.org for more information and to learn how to submit your online profile and video testimonial.