(Editor’s note: Meet one of the five finalists for Columbia County’s Board of Education Teacher of the Year Award.)
To Cassandra Rodriguez, becoming a career, technology, agriculture, engineering (CTAE) educator entailed teaching in schools where she felt most needed to improve her profession as well as student lives.
Rodriguez, an early childhood instructor who specializes in educating high schoolers teaching as a professional pathway, currently works at Evans High School where she has recently been announced as one of Columbia County’s top five teacher finalists.
Attending college for Organizational Communications at the University of West Florida, Rodriguez began working as a student affairs professional while serving as a graduate assistant in student activities.
Beginning her experience with collegiate students, Rodriguez worked as a Student Involvement Coordinator at Florida Southern College, which allowed personal exploration of her ability to teach young adults leadership skills, organization and enrichment.
Later transitioning, Rodriguez then became an academic advisor for the College of Education at the University of South Florida, where she worked with freshmen who exposed the express needs of many graduating high schoolers, because of a lack of stable foundational knowledge to have a successful college experience.
“It was just a good transition, very easy. It just felt like home to be here [at Evans High],” she said. “It felt like I needed every single one of those experiences to step into teaching. Now teaching this, I don’t think there’s another subject that I could teach. It’s just been wonderful.”
As she instructs her students in the importance of pre-planning lessons and minding each individual student’s needs, Rodriguez hopes her inviting and collaborative classroom setting can harbor even more potential teachers for future generations.
“We focus a lot on building relationships with kids and making sure that my students are communicating with others on the level that they need,” she said. “The goals and data are important, but knowing them as a human being is even more critical, so they feel safe and confident with you.”
Often working with students all four years of high school, Rodriguez said she enjoys witnessing and helping students mature as they navigate different stages of life while taking her classes.
“I like seeing them overcome these little hurdles that they need to get through, like presenting or talking in front of people in order to teach,” she said. “Helping the ones that are maybe a little more timid … seeing that is a big reward for myself. I see it as the highest level of connection and learning.”
Prioritizing the preparation of her students to become successful and effective teachers, Rodriguez said she constantly strives to teach her high schoolers new learning styles and various activities to expose them to many forms of explaining the same concepts.
“I really want them to become the leaders of their classes, so when they do their student teaching in college they aren’t the ones that are ‘wet behind the ears,’” she said. “As a student, they need to know how to learn something and be excited about it, and then be able to apply it somewhere else. The transferable skills are always there.”
Wanting to impact all her students, Rodriguez said she believes her courses teach valuable skill sets even for those who will not pursue a career in education.
“They’re going to work with kids in some capacity at some point in their life, even if it’s just a family member – they’re going to be able to help and support them,” she said. “There’s also many leadership skills they learn and value in knowing your own strengths and weaknesses; so when you go into the next profession you can not only tackle the expectations, but focus on how you can make it better. How do you bring something to the table for employers?”
By partnering with other surrounding schools, elementary and middle, Rodriguez’s students are able to venture outside of the classroom and gain real world experience in caring for children and teaching them important concepts. Through significant county collaborations, Rodriguez said she is grateful to work in an area where all involved educators equally value student experiences and instilling longlasting confidence.
“I feel so blessed, because I could not do [out of classroom] labs without them,” she said. “It’s recognizing that the partnerships we have are gold … we all see each other as a collective unit, which helps the students and helps the parents.”
Keeping student interests in mind, Rodriguez was also responsible for collaborating to create “Knights Unite,” a small organization’s plan based on Georgia Positive Behavior Interventions and the Support (PBIS) program.
“They need to see that the teacher today does extra,” she said. “Those extra moments are just as rewarding as the experience in the classroom, and then your school will be stronger.”
However, Rodriguez said she hopes the biggest takeaway students remember when they graduate from her classes is her ever-supporting and caring heart for each and every one of them.
“I want them to feel that they always have a resource to come back to, and that the county is here for them – that way they also know they are wanted,” she said. “I always want them to know that they are my kid.”
She also hopes her aspiring educators leave feeling comfortable and open to change, as teachers often have to adapt.
“Change is sometimes scary for some people,” she said. “But everyday you’re going to build and grow, and every year is going to feel new, because the kids are different.”
In continuing to excel at inspiring and motivating her students, Rodriguez said she was happily surprised and a little nervous to be thrusted into a prestigious county spotlight.
“I appreciate the love and support … I’m always a person who’s behind the scenes, but now I feel like I really have to really represent the Knights,” she said. “But, honestly, I do feel like all the finalists are so blessed, because we’re in a position to help and support our students, and I’m happy that the county is celebrating our wins.”
If chosen as the school district’s next Teacher of the Year, Rodriguez said she would endeavor to seek more support for new educators and ensure they feel connected in the workplace.
The Teacher of Year award winner will be announced at the district’s annual Teacher of the Year banquet on Oct. 4. The event’s live stream will begin at 6:30 p.m. online at the Columbia County School District’s official website.
