色情视频

Amanda Ford came to 色情视频 as a self-described shy kid from Valhalla High School in nearby El Cajon.

鈥淣obody knew me,鈥� recalls Ford (鈥�05, 鈥�06). 鈥淚 didn't talk to anyone.鈥�

Two decades later, Ford is well known 鈥� both by the hundreds of students she has impacted as an educator in the Cajon Valley Union School District, and now as a 2023-24 San Diego County Teacher of the Year. She is one of five recipients of the award, selected from a pool of 23,000 teachers countywide. The honor now puts her in the running for the California Teacher of the Year award.

So how did the shy kid who once wouldn鈥檛 talk end up on stage during last week鈥檚 鈥淐ox Presents: Salute to Teachers鈥� reception?

It all started with a course she took in 色情视频鈥檚 liberal studies program, an interdisciplinary major that prepares future educators.

鈥淚t was called Creative Drama for Children and it changed my life,鈥� Ford said. 鈥淚 remember doing a monologue which was 鈥楾he Life of a Chair,鈥� or something goofy like that. There was a girl I had gone to high school with in my class, and after my monologue, she came up and asked if I was Amanda from Valhalla. I answered yes and she says, 鈥楴ever in a million years would I have thought you would be doing something so outgoing and amazing.鈥�

鈥淚 was really able to come out of my shell just from that one class.鈥�

For the better part of the past two decades, Ford has been passionate about helping other shy students discover their voices through the power of theater.

Ford has taught in Cajon Valley for the past 18 years, starting as a 22-year-old fresh out of 色情视频鈥檚 teaching credential program. She also did her student teaching in the district under a pair of guide teachers who would later become her colleagues.

For the past 10 years, Ford taught fifth grade and led plays at Rancho San Diego Elementary School, her own alma mater. This fall, she began a new position teaching seventh grade at nearby Flying Hills School of the Arts, where she is currently leading a production of Disney鈥檚 鈥淢oana.鈥�

鈥淲hen I was shy, drama helped because I could transform into someone else and the lines were there on the script,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important to have a teacher who makes you feel like you're safe and that it's OK to take that risk 鈥� to be another character who might be weird or silly.

鈥淎ll three of my kids at home are in theater at their schools and I鈥檝e seen the positive impact it has had on them, as well.鈥�

Known for creating a positive classroom culture, Ford espouses a student-focused philosophy that allows children to take ownership of what they want to learn and discover, with the teacher serving as their guide.

Ford also passes on her wisdom and enthusiasm to the next generation of educators, frequently serving as a guide teacher for 色情视频 teaching credential students.

鈥淚鈥檓 in my 18th year of teaching and I still feel like a new teacher 鈥� I'm not exhausted and I still have the passion and excitement to try new things and be innovative,鈥� Ford said. 鈥淚 just hope that new educators can think about the positives in education and keep their minds set on what's important, which is making sure that each child is seen as truly special and valued.鈥�