Anson County native Christina Rose, who teaches English I at Anson High School, has been named the districtwide Teacher of the Year.
Rose, who now lives in Indian Trail with her husband and their two children, has been teaching freshman English at AHS for six and a half years. “It’s amazing,” she said of being named Teacher of the Year. “Words really cannot express how it feels. Initially, when I found out, I was humbled that other teachers would find me worthy of being the Teacher of the Year.”
Rose was previously the high school’s Teacher of the Year for 2010-11 and was runner-up for the district title two years ago, she said.
One of her proudest accomplishments is that 100 percent of her students passed end-of-course testing in the 2011-12 school year. She credits consistency for the achievement. “First is my belief in my students that they could do it,” she said, “and also the consistency in teaching them how to think for themselves. I refer to my curriculum as a bible — it’s a precious gem. I think the success is having the students understand my curriculum, and having them understand not just the importance of a test, but of understanding the importance of learning.”
Rose said she keeps in touch with many of her students after they’ve moved on to another grade or graduated. “Former students come by all the time,” she said. “I have students come back to me and say, ‘you know, it didn’t really make sense to me at the time, but thank you for being the beacon you were.’”
She said her philosophy for teaching is “by any means necessary.”
“Whatever it takes for my students to be successful, I’ll do it,” she explained. “No child can be left out.”
Rose also asks her students who she can be a better teacher, and learns from them, in addition to teaching them. “It’s a learning process for me, too,” she said. “Every year is different. I’m always reflecting on my practice. Success will only continue if I’m able to reflect and truly be honest with myself and my craft.”
Of her students and what she hopes they remember most about her when they leave her classroom, Rose said, “I hope I leave them with the value of education and the understanding that education will change your life. Education equips you with all the tools you will need to succeed.”
“I also hope that what I leave with them is that I love them,” she added. “At the end of the day, if I can get in my vehicle and go home, knowing that I’ve taught at the capacity I would want my own children to be taught, I know I’ve done my job. If you work hard enough, great things will come.”
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