2010 Really Good Teacher Sharon Baguyo & her daughter

“Children, now more than ever, need enthusiastic, energetic teachers who will care about their success and well-being,” says 2010 Really Good Teacher, Sharon Baguyo, from Riverside, California. “These are discouraging times for new teachers. The teaching profession is experiencing large numbers of layoffs due to major budget cuts. I would tell new teachers to keep pursuing their dreams and to not lose hope in the future of education.”

After 23 years of teaching everything from 3rd grade to 2/3 combos, to now Kindergarten, Sharon has seen her fair share of ups and downs in the field of education. Her goal, however, has remained the same. “I mostly want [my students] to remember that my classroom was a fun place to be and a great place to learn. I want them to remember that every day was a new adventure, and they were an important part of my life. I want them to remember that they were safe, they were happy, and they were loved!”

Providing a feeling of being cared for and loved does not stop with her students. Sofia Dirkswager, Sharon’s co-teacher and the person who nominated her, told us, “[Sharon] gives so much to others without anything in return. I had to leave early due to pre-term labor during my parent conferences & she offered all my parents answers if they had any about their report cards. I still had 1 1/2 months to plan for my sub and she allowed the sub to follow her plans since I had nothing ready. She shared materials and personal time for my sub so that my students wouldn’t get left behind. She kept me informed while I was out. She also offered emotional support during this time of need.” Parents also feel a connection to Sharon says Sofia. “She also befriends her parents who love her as much as her students do. I aspire to be a teacher with fire like Sharon.”

Photo by woodleywonderworks (flickr.com)

When we asked Sharon what that moment was during her teaching career when she knew she had made a difference, we could feel the emotion welling up in her words. “A few years ago when I was still teaching 3rd grade, I had a student who really struggled with reading,” she recounts.  “I had heard about the Accelerated Reader computer-based reading program from a friend, and I decided to encourage my fellow 3rd grade teachers to invest our grade level money that year in the program. We purchased and implemented the program, and this little guy just took off with it. He became a voracious reader, and he even wrote to a class pen pal in Michigan that he loved Accelerated Reader and that he wanted to become an author when he grows up. I still have a copy of that letter…”

Sharon, we are honored to have you as a 2010 Really Good Teacher. Your generosity to your fellow teachers, students and parents is overwhelming and inspiring. We hope the next 23 years of teaching bring you even more joy and rewarding moments than the last 23. Congratulations and thank you for being a Really Good Teacher.