The National Math and Science Initiative recognized Zestlan Simmons as its AP English Teacher of the Year last week in Dallas, Texas, for demonstrating excellence and effectiveness in her Advanced Placement (AP) Language and Composition course.
”Very few teachers of my acquaintance fall into the same category with Ms. Simmons,” wrote Diann Frucci, English content director for A+ College Ready and 2012 NMSI All American Teacher of the Year, in her recommendation letter for Ms. Simmons. “The same standards she sets for students, she models for them.”
Simmons is firmly established as one of the most accomplished AP presenters in Alabama, according to Frucci, and currently serves as AP English lead teacher for Montgomery schools. Ms. Simmons has also met the challenge to help foster student achievement across the district and the state.
“She is a lifelong learner whose motivation clearly lies in the quest to move herself and her students to greater academic and personal heights. Ms. Simmons models the pursuit of excellence that our program encourages in all teachers,” said Frucci.
Simmons ranks third in the state for number of minority students receiving qualifying scores and 19th for number of qualifying scores statewide in AP English language arts. In addition to this, she has excelled at increasing her class enrollment of 12 to her current enrollment of 73 during the 2012-13 school year.
“When I was selected to teach an AP Language class,” Simmons states, “I endeavored to accomplish one main objective, which has been to equip students – no matter the skill level – with the abilities to compose coherent and precise college level writing.”
Simmons said she is determined to ensure that participating in her AP Language class ought not to be just a challenging experience, but one of empowerment. She said that creating an atmosphere that nurtures critical thinkers has been an exciting challenge, and that her greatest accomplishment as an AP teacher has been “to see her students use these skills as they become lifelong learners and effective decision makers in their own futures.”
“Every classroom experience should be marked by motivating and thought-provoking activities such as those found in an Advance Placement class,” said Simmons. “My success as an AP teacher has been as a result of exceptional AP lead teachers and professional development, which have helped me to understand the curricular needs of all my students.”
For the past four years the National Math and Science Initiative has selected outstanding teachers from among its grantee states as teacher of the year for Math, Science, and English. Simmons, along with other teachers and trainers, were recognized for their outstanding achievements on May 29, during NMSI’s national conference.
