Teacher Feature: Meet Oceanway Middle’s Teacher of the Year!
11/17/2017
Great teachers work tirelessly to ensure each and every student in our city is prepared to make valuable contributions to our city in life beyond the classroom. That is why the Jacksonville Public Education Fund (JPEF) is proud to honor the amazing work that is happening in Duval public schools through the Teacher of the Year program. The journey begins when teachers are nominated by their colleagues and principals at the school level. From there, teachers are invited to participate in the EDDY Awards Experience where we have the pleasure of celebrating the incredible work happening in their classrooms.
As one way of showcasing these outstanding 177 school-level teachers of the year, we are excited to share their stories with you on our blog through the Teacher of the Year Series. Read on to discover how Joseph Yoo exemplifies the incredible work happening in Duval County Public Schools.
Meet Joseph Yoo, Seventh Grade Civics Instructor and Oceanway Middle School Teacher of the Year
I graduated from Florida State University in 2012 with a degree in education. Upon graduating, I started my teaching career at Oceanway Middle where I have taught Civics for the past five years.
My favorite thing about teaching is my students. I also really enjoy working with my colleagues; they are the real deal. Yes, they are examples of great teachers. Yes, we work with one another to accomplish classroom goals. The biggest way, however, that they make me a better educator is they make me feel like family. This support makes me want to be the best representative of our school that I can be.
Over the years, I have benefited the most from the monthly district-wide civics meetings. These have been a great professional development experience for me. Our district specialists have done an amazing job to help us become more familiar with different civics resources and give us opportunities to expand our teaching repertoire. These meetings have also given teachers in the district an opportunity to work with one another and bring back new ideas to their respective schools.
No disrespect to any other school, but I believe that our school has the best leadership in the district. Our principals have done an amazing job creating a positive environment for students and recognizing the hard work of our teachers. Their presence and our school's connection with our faith-based partners have already made this an unforgettable year.
Jacksonville’s teachers work hard to improve their students’ lives and our community as a whole. Please join JPEF in congratulating Joshua Yoo as the 2017-2018 Oceanway Middle Teacher of the Year! Leave a comment for Joshua below and share your congratulations via Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #EDDYAwardsJax, #JaxThanksATeacher.
Join us on Feb. 2 at the 27th Annual EDDYs Awards to celebrate Duval’s teachers of the year! Space is limited, buy tickets today