Tips From Top Teachers

Eight TCTA members were named 2023 Regional Teachers of the Year. The program, run by the Texas Association of School Administrators, honors the best elementary and secondary teachers in all 20 Education Service Centers in Texas. Five of this year’s winners share why they became teachers, what they love most about the profession, what keeps them motivated and what advice they have for other educators. TCTA hopes to feature the other three winners — Maria Mascorro-Domingues of Mission CISD, Ryan Crosby of Colorado ISD and Marle Reynolds of Kermit ISD — in the summer issue of The Classroom Teacher.

Amy Marquez has always wanted to make a difference while working with children. Moving a lot as a child, she found a safe harbor in the library and said she wanted to create that same feeling for others.

“Reading was a way to see the world and explore my interests,” she says. “My passion and love of reading inspired me to be a teacher librarian so that I could help others love reading, feel successful and see that they are not alone.”

As an elementary student, she “fell in love with chapter books,” became a library helper and found inspiration to become a librarian. She’s been an educator for 23 years, spending 21 of them in Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD. She’s worked as an elementary teacher, a middle school English Language Arts teacher and as a librarian in elementary and secondary schools.

Marquez is currently PSJA’s library innovation strategist. “I am blessed to work with 40 librarians in our district to provide training, coaching and support on best practices in literacy, libraries and technology.”

Her job gives her a chance to help students find books they love and kindle a passion for reading. “I also love empowering students to lead in student organizations I sponsor, such as library advisory board and yearbook,” she says. “Helping prepare students to be confident and successful in their high school and college courses, career and beyond is very rewarding. I also really enjoy teaching colleagues about best practices in literacy and technology.”

When times get tough, Marquez says she focuses on the wins and strives to take each day as a new chance to see the good in others. “I try not to get stuck worrying about the things out of my control,” she says. “I pray often and keep a gratitude journal. I love learning and trying new strategies and tools, so I put in a lot of effort to be the best version of myself so that I can best support others.”

Marquez says there’s nothing as rewarding as finding a job you love. For her, that’s having a chance to impact future generations by sharing her enthusiasm and love of learning.

“Students will see your passion,” she says. “Teaching won’t be easy, you won’t always have the answers, but it is the most rewarding job in the world.

“Teaching is home to me.”

Pydi Oliver has always enjoyed being around children. “My mother and grandmother were both teachers, so I think it was kind of in my DNA,” she says.

Following in their footsteps was a natural choice, and Oliver is now in her 27th year of teaching. She has taught first, second, third and fifth grade over the years and currently teaches math intervention to first, second and third graders at Penny Elementary in Lindale ISD, her 18th year with the district just northwest of Tyler.

“The thing I love most about teaching is watching children who struggle with a concept finally get it,” she says. “I love making children feel loved and successful. I also like making them laugh.”

Laughter helps in these tough times when students need teachers more than ever, Oliver says. “Knowing that I have been through challenging times in education before helps me to know I can do it again.”

“Teachers are leaving our profession at an alarming rate and it makes me sad,” she adds. “I always tell new teachers that children will learn despite you messing things up sometimes. Find a master teacher and learn, learn, learn! We need you in this profession so don’t burn yourself out.”

Oliver tells fellow teachers to choose joy. “Smile a lot, even on the days when you are not feeling it! The kids need you! Love the kids and love their parents and things will always work out for you.”

Having a positive attitude has encouraged her to keep going on the hard days. “I feel like God called me into teaching and ultimately I work for him,” she says. “I hope to continue to make him proud.”

Patricia Villarreal strives to make a difference in her students’ lives, but teaching wasn’t her initial career path. Struggling at times as a young student, she realized in college that as a teacher she could help others like her — students who were shy or afraid to participate when they didn’t know the answer to a question — build their selfesteem and self-confidence.

“My goal is to find those diamonds in the rough, the underdogs who would have gone unnoticed had they not had a safe space for them to learn and thrive,” she says.

Amy Marquez

“I put my heart into everything I do each day, and hearing my name called as a Regional Teacher of the Year made me feel so proud, so happy and so grateful.”

2023 Region 1 Secondary Teacher of the Year

Current job: Library innovation strategist for Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD

TCTA member for 25 years

Education: Bachelor’s in Education, the University of Texas Pan American (now UTRGV); Master of Library Science, Sam Houston State University

Certifications held: Elementary English (1-8), Elementary Self-Contained (1-8), English as a Second Language, School Librarian (EC-12)

“Sometimes all it takes is encouragement for them to realize the potential that lies within themselves.”

For the past 26 years, she’s been helping elementary students do just that. “My greatest joy comes from watching my students excel in their learning and reaching their personal goals they have established for themselves,” Villarreal says.

Teaching fifth graders this year at Lamar Elementary in San Felipe-Del Rio CISD, near the southern U.S.-Mexico border, she says the second semester is her favorite part of the year because that’s when her students’ personalities really start to shine. “I love when students start taking ownership in their own learning and when they start helping their peers in class learn when they see them struggling,” she says. “There is nothing more satisfying than seeing your students take the lead while you facilitate the classroom.”

Her desire to see students succeed is what keeps her motivated when teaching gets tough. “When I change my

Pydi Oliver

“Being Regional Teacher of the Year was such an honor because in my building alone you could go in any classroom and see TOYs. I never thought I would win and was so shocked when they called out my name.”

2023 Region 7 Elementary Teacher of the Year

Current job: Math intervention teacher, Penny Elementary School, Lindale ISD

TCTA member for 16 years

Education: Bachelor’s in Curriculum and Instruction, Texas A&M University

Certifications held: Elementary Life-Earth Science Grades (1-8), Elementary Self-Contained Grades (1-8) and Early Childhood Education Grades (PK-KG) mindset from ‘I HAVE to teach this,’ to ‘I GET to teach this,’ it drives me and helps me focus on what’s really the most important part of my job — the students,” Villarreal says.

“Students deserve the best version of their teacher at all times,” she adds. “When I walk into my classroom, I put a smile on my face and make sure my students feel safe and know they are my top priority before anything else.”

Throughout her career, Villarreal has relied on support from colleagues, and she encourages other teachers to do the same. “Teachers need each other as support systems more than ever,” she says. “Find a good mentor on campus, in your district or within your region to grow and learn alongside and lean on when needed.”

When teachers feel supported, she says, they become better and more confident teachers for their students, which is the main goal. “As Mother Teresa said, ‘I alone cannot change the

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