Meet Our Teachers of the Year: Christine Y.

The second annual Salsarita’s Teacher of the Year winners have been announced! Our contest is designed to recognize the hard work from teachers over the past year. We had over 1,000 nominations for this award, so instead of picking one winner, we picked five winners. This week, we are excited to introduce you to the winners of this year’s Teacher of the Year!

Next, we meet Christine Y. who teaches at Avondale Middle School in Rochester Hills, MI. We asked her a few questions to get to know her!

Why did you want to become a teacher?
I love kids! I enjoy reading, writing, and helping kids reach their goals. I love helping kids become the best version of themselves and I enjoy helping them grow their skills in my English class.

How long have you been teaching?
I have been teaching since 2012. I have been a middle school teacher for all those years. I have taught sixth, seventh, and eighth grade English.

Do you have a favorite classroom moment/memory?
I was teaching in my English class and a student yelled, “There’s a spider by your foot!” Everyone in the class screamed! I jumped and screamed because I have a major fear of spiders. The spider was the size of a quarter! All I remember was the class jumping up and huddling by the door or along the back wall of the classroom. I don’t know what scared them more? Was it the spider or me screaming in fear?!

What’s your favorite thing about teaching?
My favorite part of teaching is how we all feel like one big family in all my classes. My students are helpful, responsible, respectful, and supportive of each other.

What’s your least favorite thing about teaching?
Saying goodbye at the end of the year is bittersweet. It’s hard to say goodbye to students that have been part of my classroom family all year. At the same time, I am happy that my students are moving on to the next big step in their life journey. I love when my students come back to visit or keep in touch through letters and emails.

What are your favorite things to do outside of the classroom?
I love gardening, cooking, viewing art, spending time at the lake in the summer, and going to music and food festivals.

What inspires you to be the best teacher for your students?
I am inspired to be the best teacher for my students because their success and confidence in their reading, writing, and public speaking skills are important to me. They will be the future generation that will carry our country into prosperity. I am inspired to help shape students into becoming intelligent problem-solvers and decision-makers who will lead with their heart and be kind to everyone.

What’s your go-to order at Salsarita’s?
Chicken salad in a crunchy taco shell with a side of chips and guacamole. Yummy!