Mendiola is Sinapalo Elementary’s most outstanding teacher

 Sixth-grade teacher Annalee Mendiola was adjudged most outstanding educator of Sinapalo Elementary School this school year and was bestowed the prestigious Teacher of the Year award.

Mendiola has been serving the school system for 11 years now and has been nominated for the award four times. This is her first time to actually bag the honor.

“I am pleased and proud that all the hard work I’ve done for our future generation and to our community was commended,” she told Saipan Tribune, adding that it is always a great opportunity to guide children in the right direction.

Mendiola finds teaching challenging but also personally rewarding. “I know that every teacher has strengths and weaknesses, but because of my willingness to build upon my strength and work on my weaknesses, I am learning and progressing. I think the greatest success I bring to the classroom is my enthusiasm to teach as well as to learn from my students. I believe that my vital role as a teacher is to persuade my students that the knowledge and skills we’re learning is valuable and worth learning,” she said.

Involvement, she said, is one of her mottos. Asking questions during the delivery of her lessons, she said, is a good strategy that helps students be more effective communicators and problem solvers. It is also one way to get students actively engaged.

“With my 11 years in Sinapalo Elementary School, I have learned a lot about teaching. I have learned the importance of explaining my objectives, my teaching methods and strategies, providing overview and context to the students. I do believe that a student-centered classroom allows students to apply knowledge in a permanent, long lasting way,” said Mendiola.

For her, children must be accepted, nurtured and educated regardless of ability, background, or diversity. “We must also consider that every individual is unique. Children learn differently. In my classroom I offer different assessments to appreciate each of my student’s uniqueness and abilities. I use rubrics, checklists, portfolios and presentations to assess my students’ progress,” she said.

Mendiola said her father, an educator himself, greatly inspired her. Her father used to tell her: “No other profession could change and mold the life of our future generations, beside a teacher.”

She finds fulfillment whenever she meets former students who thank her for being an instrument in their lives. Teaching, she said, is not a profession that you should like but one that you must love, embrace, and have passion for.

Other awardees

Rebecca Cuevas, a Sinapalo Elementary employee for three years now, has been named the school’s Teacher Aide of the Year.

Cuevas handles the Chamorro Carolinian Language Heritage Studies program and participates in extracurricular activities, field trips, and community events. She has chaired and co-chaired numerous clubs and activities and her love for traditional music, dance, arts, and craft has made her class fun and exciting.

Hailed Support Staff of the Year is Demy Catubay, the school’s administrative specialist for more than seven years now. He was recognized for his outstanding work ethic, great leadership, and dependability. He has been involved in many school extracurricular activities such as the student council, Tween Talk, and presently co-chairs the accreditation team. Catubay, who has an associate degree in liberal arts, is currently studying for a bachelor’s degree in information technology with emphasis in networking and telecommunication.

Also recognized is Riza Jingco, the school’s Maintenance of the Year awardee. According to the school, Jingco keeps the school clean and inviting. She was described as well-organized, diligent in her work, approachable, and punctual.