Nominations for 2023 Minnesota Teacher of the Year came out recently and two of the educators work at Blaine. Andrea Albright and Stephanie Ylvisaker have a knack for connecting with their students. “Anytime our teachers get recognized for the hard work that they do, it’s a big deal,” said Blaine Principal Jason Paske. Step inside Albright’s social studies class and it’s clear she brings passion to her profession. “It is a huge honor,” Albright said. “I was shocked at first. I had to read the email a couple times, because I was confused, like what is this?” Team building Albright believes in collaborative work and team building. Those are key pillars in her teaching m.o. “I would say building those relationships with students is the biggest thing I can do as an educator,” Albright said. “Because after building those relationships, we’re going to see that engagement piece come.” “Any kid that walks in that room, I can promise you she is going to build a connection with that child, using the strength of her instructional practices,” said Blaine Assistant Principal Steve Drewlo. One key for Albright is giving kids a curriculum they can relate to. Said Albright: “I try to connect the content to their lives as much as I can and have them have an interest in what we’re learning about.” “There’s not going to be a child that leaves that classroom that didn’t learn the content,” Drewlo said. Perpetual motion The scene inside Ylvisaker’s class is perpetual motion. “Yeah,” Ylvisaker said. “I get my steps in during the day. Definitely.” Ylvisaker is high energy, bouncing around the room with a hands on approach as she teaches students how to crunch numbers and grasp math. “Stephanie first and foremost has a passion for teaching,” Paske said. “You can find Stephanie at any moment of the day – whether it’s during school or after hours – she is talking teaching. She’s talking about how can she improve her craft? It never ends for her.” “I feel like my calling in teaching is making every kid feel like they have something to bring to the table,” Ylvisaker said. “That they’re valued. That I want them to be there each day, no matter how academically gifted that they are.” Connection is key Ylvisaker teaches kids from all backgrounds and knows it’s crucial to get to know them personally. Said Ylvisaker: “I think it’s important they feel connected to us as teachers, but almost even more so to feel connected to their peers because those are the people they have the most interaction with in my class.” “Blaine High School represents the Blaine community here,” Paske said. “It’s diverse on every level. It takes a master of your craft in order to be able to connect with our students and find ways to insure that they feel valued. Stephanie absolutely does that. That’s one of her gifts.” It can take time to earn a students trust and Ylvisaker realizes she needs to break down barriers to get her message to resonate. “They get more invested if they feel like you want them to be there and care about them,” Ylvisaker said. “Instead of having a wall up. Sometimes they have the wall up before you walk in. You have to break it down first and then you can start building up their confidence and your content.” Teacher of the Year candidates are nominated by students, parents or colleagues. Wendi Delmore from McKinley Elementary School in Ham Lake is another nominee in 2023.
ELITE EDUCATORS! TWO CANDIDATES FOR MINNESOTA TEACHER OF THE YEAR ARE FROM BLAINE HIGH SCHOOL
BLAINE, Minn. – (Feb. 2, 2023) – Blaine High School has a pair of teachers making an impact.
