Last month, Fonda-Fultonville High School Science Teacher Ms. DiNatale was named by Governor Hochul as a New York State Master Teacher. Ms. DiNatale joins 230 additional Master Teachers in a statewide network of dedicated educators that are proficient in science, technology, computer science, robotics, coding, engineering, math, and integrated STEM courses across grades K-12 including Advanced Placement, Honors, and Regents levels.
“Throughout the pandemic, our educators overcame enormous obstacles, adapting to remote learning, keeping our children engaged, and made all kinds of adjustments to ensure New York’s students were able to continue their education,” Governor Hochul said in her remarks from February 4. “We owe an immense debt of gratitude to our educators, and this critical program will help ensure that over one thousand teachers from every corner of New York State have the resources and support they need to excel and continue to improve the school systems that they work in.”
As part of this designation, DiNatale will join the Mohawk Valley cohort based at the State University of New York at Oneonta. The NYS Master Teacher program allows its members to continue their education-based work to assist students, colleagues and their school community to thrive in their STEM curriculum, provide mentorship for fellow teachers and hold leadership roles in New York State STEM professional associations, while leading professional development workshops for regional and statewide educator conferences.
According to the announcement, the selected Master Teachers have been teaching an average of 15 years. More than 81 percent have been in the classroom for more than ten years, and 26 percent have been teaching for more than 20 years. The 230 Master Teachers represent 159 school districts. Learn more about the NYS Master Teacher program, here.
To celebrate this important recognition, we are sharing today’s Q&A with Ms. DiNatale to provide her thoughts on being named a NYS Master Teacher.
What is the process to be considered a Master Teacher?
To be eligible, teachers must have a minimum of five years experience in a STEM-related field, pass a content specialty test, and successfully complete a presentation-style interview to a panel of field specialists. Candidates must also have an annual APPR rating of Effective/Highly Effective and demonstrate evidence of excellence in teaching. Throughout their four years in the program, Master Teachers focus on the domains of knowledge of STEM content, knowledge of pedagogy, and knowledge of students, their families and communities.
What does it mean to you to be recognized as a Master Teacher?
After achieving my National Board Certification, which was a highly rigorous and self-reflective project, I decided to challenge myself with a more collaborative learning experience. Being a Master Teacher is exciting to me as I relish the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the top STEM teachers in NY state. It’s inspiring and energizing to me to spend time with teachers who share my passion for teaching and learning. Teaching can at times be demanding, however this program has reinvigorated me and gives me a fresh perspective with new ideas and I absolutely love that. I have also been inspired by some pretty amazing colleagues that have paved the way for me on this journey and I’m really appreciative that they recognized something in me that I didn’t necessarily see in myself. They helped to push me out of my comfort zone and challenge myself. I will forever be thankful for their influence in my life! Additionally, I find it critically important that the NYS Master Teacher Program focuses on mentoring new science teachers in the field. We foster an amazing relationship with undergraduate students who wish to become a math, science, or technology teacher at a time when recruits to this field are at a dangerously low level. I’m so glad to be a part of this process to help provide extra support to these students who will be leading our field one day soon.
As a Master Teacher, what mindset do you take into the classroom to improve learning for today’s students?
As a lifelong learner, I strive to be the very best teacher that I can possibly be for my students. To me, this means continually striving to learn and grow, to challenge myself to try new things and to be open and receptive of student intuition about how they learn best. I also take comfort in the fact that I now have access to a whole new network of local experts in the field, which in turn provides my students with a front row seat to their expertise as well. Broadening and deepening my understanding allows my students to make connections to their learning and enhances their interest and, to me, that is what it’s all about!