In the spotlight: VyStar Finalist Danisha Love
2/14/2019
VyStar Finalist Danisha Love teaches ninth and tenth grade algebra and intensive mathematics at Raines High School. Ms. Love believes that the positivity and confidence she pours into her students opens up a world of opportunity they might not otherwise believe is real and communicates to her students that she has high expectations for all of them because she wants the best for them. Her message to students is “love through expectation.” Ms. Love sets high standards and supports her students to reach them.
A glimpse inside Ms. Love's classroom
Praise from Principal Vincent Hall
“Ms. Love’s genuine rapport with her students allows her to engage, redirect and challenge them each day. As a direct correlation of her efficacious teacher behavior, her students have become confident thinkers and speakers of algebra. Ms. Love has embraced the theory of ‘students making mistakes only makes the students better.’ Therefore, they are not afraid to respond or challenge a response with mathematical justifications. As a result, Ms. Love consistently had approximately 70 percent of her students show proficiency on the FSA end of course exam. The results continue to demonstrate her passion to ensure students are ready for college, career and life.”
If you are chosen as the 2019 Florida Blue Duval County Teacher of the Year, what would your message be?
“It would be an honor to represent the teaching profession and present my primary message of ‘love through expectation.’ To be an effective teacher is to find the perfect balance between loving your students while sometimes dealing with their worst and maintaining your expectations of them. If you were to ask one of my students about my expectations, they might tell you I expect too much from them. I take it as a compliment, and relay that they should also. To expect more of someone is to wholeheartedly believe they are capable and being vulnerable to disappointment when they do not use those capabilities. A lack of expectation demonstrates a lack of care, and as a teacher, it is one of the most contradictory messages to ever send. Love through expectation gives educators the opportunity to show students that though we may not be your parents, we still want the best for you. Because of this, we will always ask students, ‘How can we make this better?’”
Watch Ms. Love on the Channel 4 Morning Show