TULSA – Union Public Schools District named Rosa Parks Elementary first grade teacher Laura Latta as the 2015-2016 Teacher of the Year.
“I have just always genuinely loved school and being a part of a learning community,” Latta said. “I enjoy coming up with creative ways to explain concepts and engage students in the learning process. All children possess different learning styles and preferences. I find it both challenging and rewarding to discover and support these different learning styles in my classroom. The teaching profession is truly unique in that teachers support every other existing profession. Doctors, scientists, artists, and tradespeople would not be able to do their jobs successfully without instruction from teachers. Teaching is an honorable and rewarding profession, and I consider myself blessed to teach my students every day.”
Latta has a bachelor’s degree with honors in elementary education and early childhood education from Oral Roberts University. She also obtained a master’s degree in education administration and curriculum supervision from the University of Oklahoma. Currently, Latta is working on a Ph.D. in instructional leadership and academic curriculum with a focus on early childhood education.
Latta is passionate about education and said she feels a sense of hope that there are positive things on the horizon for education in Oklahoma.
“Now more than ever, Oklahoma educators and researchers are actively advocating for policies that will support student learning, school improvement, and overall student outcomes,” she said.
For the future, Latta plans to remain actively engaged in research revolving around education.
“I am passionate about educational research. Research is the force that shapes policy and instructional practice,” Latta said. “School leadership is my eventual goal. However, I will always be a teacher no matter what my title may be in the coming years.”
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