At La Sierra High School greatness in education is a standard. This year, we honor and give a big thanks to Ms. Chase, who has been recognized for receiving the Teacher of the Year award. Known for her hard work, dedication, teaching methods, and devotion to student success, Ms. Chase truly has made an impressive impact on La Sierra’s community.

What do you think helped you get to this award?

“Having a coach that I can rely on, and having really good mentors who were willing to help me grow. Another way was, having good relationships with people I trust to give me good advice. They all gave me advice on how to keep growing. It was one of the best things that helped me grow as a teacher,” Ms. Chase said.

Can you share some of the strategies or techniques that you use in the classroom that have contributed to your success?

“So, I think that what makes my students most successful is their ability to talk about what they’ve been learning in class. I had a conversation with a student who graduated just a couple of weeks ago. We were chatting about how she remembers what she did in my class. But she doesn’t remember what she did in her other classes. We were talking about why that might be, and she said that she felt like she could have conversations about it. She also said that she got to talk and share with her peers what she was learning, which helped it stick better. So I think that is one of the things that I do well for helping my students succeed,” Ms. Chase said.

In your opinion, what is the most important quality a teacher should possess?

“I think the most important quality a teacher can have is patience, I’d say that we sometimes forget how long it can take to learn. Or how long it can take to improve, so if we have that patience with ourselves and with each other, that would make everything run smoothly. Where they can have room to grow and learn from their mistakes,” Ms. Chase said.