Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week with Emily Neal

Editor’s note: As part of our celebration of National Teacher Appreciation Week, we are highlighting a few outstanding educators from classrooms across the state. We thank all of our extraordinary teachers for their focus on evidence-based instruction and providing students what they need to meet high expectations and realize their incredible potential.

Today’s Q&A spotlight features Emily Neal. Neal has been a science educator for 28 years. She currently teaches English Language Learner (ELL) high school science, physical science and chemistry at John R. Mott High School in the Postville Community School District where she strives to make science accessible and relevant to her students. For Teacher Appreciation Week, Neal shared her thoughts on the keys to success and how she has grown as an educator.

What is your favorite memory or teaching moment in the classroom? 
At my age, it’s just hard to have favorites. The standout moments become a blur of student excitement and a-ha moments or notes your students have written, thanking you for helping them find success. Of course, I remember the excitement of students as we lit off ethanol rockets that almost shattered the TV in my classroom. I love science Fridays, when students fill the period with burning questions. But honestly, my favorite moments are when students come in for extra help. The one-on-one moments where I can see a light bulb of understanding go off for them, and they feel the genuine connection, letting them know how much their teachers are rooting for their success.

Why are you passionate about teaching? What things do you love about working with students? 
My passion for teaching comes from a genuine drive to make the world a better place. To teach people how to make informed decisions and advocate for themselves, so that, collectively, we can create a, healthier world for people and the environment. I love that students are unpredictable; you don’t know how they will respond each day or what content they will connect with. I love that they have questions and are more open to new ideas.

What do you think are the keys to a student’s success, and how do you help foster continued learning? 
The key to student success is personal connection and relevancy. There is no single pedagogy that works well for every student; you have to constantly mix up strategies and teaching methods to find what works for a diverse range of students.

How have you grown as an educator? What advice would you give to a new teacher starting out in the field?
My growth as an educator comes from my relentless pursuit to be better in every lesson and my commitment to self-evaluation. This has allowed me to build a back pocket full of strategies and skills that let me pinch-hit at a moment's notice, change direction when needed and rekindle learning in my classroom. The best advice I can give a new teacher is to be yourself and let your students see and know you. Students need to trust their teachers if they are to open up and be willing to make mistakes in order to learn new perspectives.

Who was a teacher who made a positive impact on your life? What things did they do to make learning meaningful? 
Mr. Mullinberg was my ninth grade physical science teacher. His class was hard. He had incredibly high expectations, so when you met them, you felt like you really accomplished something! I wish I could remember more about his class, but I remember a lot of hands-on activities and difficult problem sets. We all loved it. I think he was the first teacher I remember treating us as having the capacity to do hard things and seeing learning as a process in which even failure had merit.