When elementary school kids see Sandy Devlin, their reaction is
not what necessarily a typical one:
“Yea! It’s time for math with Ms. Devlin!” The Morgan Hill
School District shares the students’ appreciation: Devlin was the
district’s Teacher of the Year for 2001-2002.
When elementary school kids see Sandy Devlin, their reaction is not what necessarily a typical one: “Yea! It’s time for math with Ms. Devlin!”
The Morgan Hill School District shares the students’ appreciation: Devlin was the district’s Teacher of the Year for 2001-2002.
Devlin was honored, along with other Santa Clara County recipients, at an awards banquet. She was selected by her peers in the Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers with the assistance of the district’s Human Resources department.
“I think what she does is extraordinary,” said Superintendent Carolyn McKennan. “She is a trainer of high-powered teachers. She epitomizes what we would think in our profession is the ultimate. She has direct contact with teachers and students, and her influence is apparent.
“She is also involved in an international research project on how better to improve student performance. Her influence is extending all the way to an international scale.”
In her role as district math coach, Devlin visits five campuses regularly and works with teachers and their students on new ways to teach students math.
Devlin visits classes at Barrett, Burnett, P.A. Walsh, El Toro and San Martin/Gwinn elementary schools.
“It’s all about how to empower kids to reach a higher level,” she said. “The teachers get excited about what we are doing, and when we see where the students can go with this, it’s even more exciting.”
A 13-year veteran of the MHUSD, Devlin has served as math coaching leader for the past four years as part of the district’s partnership with the Silicon Valley Mathematics Initiative.
The Mathematics Initiative, funded by the Robert Noyce Foundation in conjunction with the Santa Clara Valley Math Project, is a comprehensive effort to improve mathematics instruction and student learning.
Devlin works with 11 teachers, visiting their classrooms on a regular schedule to provide coaching, demonstration lessons, observations, team-planning and professional reflection.
Her other responsibilities include providing content training, “best practice” workshops, curriculum alignment sessions and articulation meetings for the entire K-6 grade community of teachers.
“We are always attempting to find better ways to help our teachers teach, to help our students learn,” McKennan said. “Sandy is a model for our teachers, helping them to be reflective in their process and helping new teachers to begin their careers looking for new ways to teach.”
Devlin said she doesn’t miss her classroom job, because she still has contact with students and spends time in other teachers’ classrooms.
“I always wanted to feel that I was reaching every student I possible could, and this way, I can reach more than just having one classroom,” she said. “I still have the opportunity to develop relationships with the students, and I also develop relationships with the teachers. I’m so pleased when they share their excitement, their successes and enthusiasms with me.”
As a part of her role, Devlin attends workshops provided by Noyce, special training sessions and conferences. She brings back information to the district and tailors it to meet the needs of the Morgan Hill teachers.
“It really is exciting to have the opportunity not only to learn, but then to share it with others,” she said. “And to see the results is very rewarding.”
One particularly rewarding experience she savors involves a student who was having a lot of difficulty in school, including behavioral problems. As the new math methods were introduced to the fifth graders, Devlin began to see the boy’s interest growing.
“You could see it even in his body language,” she said. “Instead of slumping down in his seat, paying no attention, he sat up straighter, listened to what was going on and participating. He got hooked, and his self-esteem grew from his successes. The GATE (gifted and talented education) students even turned to him to see how he solved problems, and he was able to help them … He became a different student.”
Devlin said reaching students in this way is always her goal, and she said she believes it is the goal of every teacher, the reason they get into the profession.
“This is what we want for all of our students,” she said. “To see things click with them, to see their excitement in learning, to give them the confidence to take on challenging subjects, that’s what it’s all about.”
McKennan said teachers and coaches like Devlin are invaluable to the district.
“Ongoing support and training for teachers is critical to improving student success,” she said. “Through her work in the district, Sandy has contributed significantly to improved student achievement in math as well as instructional proficiency of the teachers with whom she has worked … She goes above and beyond in her commitment as a teacher and deserves this outstanding recognition.”
