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HFAA Teacher of the Year: Naomi Rothrock
Naomi Rothrock, French teacher and Student Council Sponsor at HFAA was selected as HFAA Teacher of the Year by her fellow teachers for her dedication to the school and student success.
Naomi holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in French and began her teaching career at Florida State University teaching French I and II. She later moved to Oklahoma and began working at Harding, where she has been teaching French for 12 years.
Naomi believes that the freedom to implement arts integration and focus on the A+ essentials framework is what sets HFAA apart from other schools. She believes having the freedom and flexibility to be creative keeps her and her students engaged and allows her to adapt to the unique needs of each class. Naomi’s teaching philosophy centers around building relationships with her students, allowing student voice and choice in the classroom, and empowering them to feel like they are really acquiring language skills and not simply memorizing vocabulary.
One of Naomi’s most memorable moments teaching was the first time she got to teach the AP French curriculum. She was able to work with the same group of students for four years, and “it was exciting to see them progress from having no French language skills to being able to understand and communicate entirely in French.” Seeing her students light up when they finally understood the language is empowering for both Naomi and her students.
Naomi’s positive and engaging classroom environment is attributed to her attention to the physical space and environment in which her students spend most of their time. She believes that this critical aspect makes her classroom a positive and engaging place.
Naomi’s recognition as Teacher of the Year is well deserved, as her passion for teaching French and empowering young people. exemplifies the excellence of HFAA.
