Plano West Senior High School - CTE Teacher
Teaching Philosophy
I believe Rita Pierson, educator, says it best: “Every child deserves a champion: an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists they become the best they can possibly be.”
After teaching for 32 years, I believe I have connected with my students, understood who they are, tried to help them transition to adulthood and empowered them to be the best they can be. In turn, my students have done the exact same for me. They have taught me how to connect, how to help them and how to be the best I can be.
I believe that every student has the right to an equal education. Each student is different and each of their needs must be met. We must give the students the opportunity to learn in a variety of ways by providing activities that meet each of their learning styles. We must adapt to our students needs each year as the population changes and their needs change.
I believe the classroom environment is set by the teacher and should feel safe and inviting. My desire is that all students feel this as they walk through my door each day.
As a teacher, I believe it is vital to teach students not only the information, but also critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, real-world skills and social interactions. By providing a meaningful learning opportunity my students can take the information they have learned in class and apply it in life. I feel I have been able to do this with my Intro to Teaching class in which I am able to help prepare my students who have dreams of becoming future teachers by instilling ethics, love of the job and skills needed to be successful.
My beliefs do not just fall upon my students, but the community as a whole. Through programs such as Holiday Dreams, I have been a role model that shows students and staff the importance of giving back to others. For 11 years, I have coordinated a program with my students and our school community in which we have collected school supplies, toys, games, clothing and toiletries for Plano ISD Title I students. Two schools are selected and families are given the opportunity to receive gifts for their children for the holidays. Last year, we assisted approximately 450 children with donations of holiday gifts. Through this program, my students have the opportunity to work with others and give back to Plano. They have been able to not only feel, but also see the impact a teacher can have on others by ensuring that everyone in the community remains an integral part of our vision. The rewards of giving to families that are in need within the Plano ISD community is something that my students and I will always remember.
Outstanding teachers must know their students. I have worked to find my students' interests, activities they are involved in, their family, future endeavors and anything else they are willing to share. By knowing who my students are, we quickly become a family and they know I am always there for them. I am also passionate about what I teach and the students that I teach. In order for my students to be interested in what we are doing, I try to show them the passion I have for teaching and their learning. By doing this on a daily basis, I have been able to create relationships with my students that allow me to guide and direct them as they pursue future endeavors. The patience, passion and compassion I have shown for my students over the years, shows my unconditional love for teaching. A teacher should not only be there for a student during the lessons, but also long after the lessons are over - even after they walk across the stage; they should feel they could come to you even after they have graduated.
Over my 32 years of experience of teaching, I have been blessed with many rewards that allow me to reflect on why I chose this profession. By teaching the Education and Training program, I have been able to guide and direct students into the teaching profession. Each year, former students contact me about teaching jobs they have been offered in Plano ISD, other surrounding districts along and even outside the state. Each year I receive emails from former students regarding the impact that I had on them, even the ones I did not know that I touched. Each year these types of experiences and interactions with former students are part of what keeps me loving my job.
Over the years, I have created a classroom that is welcoming, a place that students can feel comfortable and I believe that a welcoming and inviting classroom is essential. As students walk into my room, they have a sense of calmness with the overhead lights off, supplemental lighting on, wall backdrop with the quote: “You don’t need a cape to be a hero, you just need to care” - I CARE!!! I also incorporate flexible seating, pillows and rugs to give the students a calm and relaxing environment. Students will have a chance to sit at a desk with exercise balls, chairs or wobble stools. By providing this setting, my students feel more relaxed and calm. I believe this is important as students enter my room from a stressful academic load, they have the time to unwind and relax a little.
As I have learned over the years, most students are visual and kinesthetic learners who enjoy doing hands-on activities. Throughout the year, we are drawing, painting, creating, building and exploring during our lessons. Students are able to learn and see how and why something works as they lay on the ground or work in teams or even in the hall – they have the chance to expand their knowledge! This is one of the greatest rewards a teacher can be a part of – their “Ah Ha” moment!
Being named the Plano West Teacher of the Year is an amazing reward I have received from my administration and co-workers. This recognition validates the impact I have had during my career.
Principal's Recommendation
It is with great pleasure that I recommend Lee Ann Begis for the Plano ISD's Experienced Secondary Teacher of the Year. Lee Ann currently teaches Child Development and Instructional Practices at Plano West Senior High School, serves as a team leader in the Career and Technical Education department, as well as being the Director for the Plano West Early Learning Center. As the director, she oversees the facility, works with licensing, maintains the standards that are required by the state and collaborates with the preschool teacher.
Lee Ann has taught for 32 years and for the past 30 years has been a Plano ISD teacher, with 20 of those years at Plano West. She has taught a variety of classes including: Instructional Practices, Practicum in Education, Child Development, Sports Nutrition, Interior Design, Marketing Co-op, Family Consumer Science Co-op, Fashion Design, Entrepreneurship and Principles of Marketing. She is also the sponsor of Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE), a PTSA life member and the founder of Holiday Dreams, a community outreach program.
A great teacher is passionate about their craft and inspires others to learn while building relationships and serving others. According to Patti Berry, a CTE coordinator, “Lee Ann’s strongest asset is that she is passionate and knowledgeable about education. When she makes up her mind to make something happen she goes about it very methodically giving great attention to detail and follow through.She enjoys encouraging students to be teachers and taking on leadership roles.”
For Lee Ann, teaching is a love, not a job. Daily, she serves as a role model in everything she says and does. Beginning with the Child Development courses, she introduces them to the teaching field and supports them as they embark on the journey of student teaching at one of our local elementary schools. Lee Ann helps them build confidence, which fosters patience and encourages risk-taking in education and training. And as if this isn’t enough, ten years ago, Lee Ann created the "Holiday Dreams" program. Holiday Dreams takes months of planning each year and Lee Ann starts off the year by reviewing the percentage of economically disadvantaged students at each of our elementary schools and then selects two schools to partner with to provide gifts for the holidays. After collaborating with the schools selected, she seeks out donations and gifts from businesses and individuals and then utilizes the funds to purchase items to meet the needs of the students selected. In December, she coordinates the delivery of boxes of gifts to the elementary schools. This year, a coach dressed as Santa when he and student athletes delivered the gifts. Finally, the parents are invited to a shopping night to select the perfect items they would like to give to their children. To date, over 3,000 students have been positively impacted by Holiday Dreams. Without this program, many parents who are currently struggling financially would not have presents to give their children and this is possible due to Lee Ann’s vision 11 years ago.
Lee Ann has always been supportive to teachers and an example comes from a first-year teacher, Shiletha Snoddy, who shared “I had so many questions; I was nervous and anxious about preparing for the first day of school. Lee Ann came by my classroom, shared some first day ideas, and beyond that, she has been a constant support. I have received encouraging notes in my mailbox and emails just to ask how I was doing. This kind of support has truly put me at ease. Her welcoming attitude and kindness has been priceless; every school needs a Lee Ann!”
Teaching does not just happen within the four walls of a campus. Ashlee Begis, Lee Ann’s daughter, is also a teacher at Plano West and shares a unique perspective, “On the outside, you can tell that she is enthusiastic, passionate about what she does, well organized and caring. I see a lot of what goes on behind the scenes though. I see the extra hours put in at home, the blood, sweat and tears from organizing Holiday Dreams, more tears when she receives letters from Holiday Dreams about how she has impacted the lives of certain families or emails from former students telling her about a teaching position they've gotten because she made them fall in love with the job while they were in high school and making sure every little detail is right so her students can have the best experience and education possible. She cares so incredibly deeply for her students and always wants what is best for them. Her classroom is such an inviting and soothing environment that leaves students feeling like they can trust her and go to her for anything. She makes the learning experience fun and personal for her students.” Ashlee goes on to state, “Not only does she do a lot for her students, she is also a great person to have as a coworker. There are a lot of teachers at this school that look up to her because of her actions and how she supports people on campus. Many teachers know that they can seek advice from her, go to her just to talk and some even go to steal candy straight out of her drawer. She gives back to teachers through the Teacher Appreciation Week, making the staff lounge feel more inviting with her creative bulletin boards, getting involved in the community by supporting other clubs/organizations/sports and just being that listening ear.”
Through Mrs. Begis’ work with the Plano West Early Learning Center and Holiday Dreams, she impacts students as young as three years old all the way to eighteen years old. Clearly, she is a vital member of the Wolfpack and the community as a whole, and as her daughter said, “There is a reason some call her ‘Momma Begis’- she takes care of those around her.”
Sincerely,
Janis Williams
Principal
