Catherine Ladd, a 1st grade teacher at Wood Acres Elementary in Bethesda (MCPS), is a semi-finalist for “America’s Favorite Teacher.”
America’s Favorite Teacher is an annual contest by Reader’s Digest that sends the winning educator on a vacation to Hawaii along with $25,000 and an appearance in the magazine. Thousands were a part of the competition to start, but only 64 remain.
On her voting page, Ladd shares “When a child walks into my classroom they have a permanent piece of my heart. I believe every child has a gift and I help them find it.” She answers three questions below:
What is your favorite part of being an educator? “My favorite part of being a teacher is seeing my students crush their personal goals. The look of pride on their faces is the most rewarding feeling.”
Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience: “I had a student that struggled to make friends. He was impulsive, but incredibly smart. I found out that he had a love for science. I started to preview science lessons with him. He became our science expert. That Friday at my class sticker meeting the other students in the class decided that they ALL wanted to give their “compliment sticker” to that student. They all lined up and gave a reason why they were complimenting him. His smile was unforgettable!”
What would you do with the $25,000? “I’d invest in my own children’s future!”