Sandalwood High School Teacher of the Week

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- An English teacher at Sandalwood High School is making sure her students succeed in class. She's our Teacher of the Week

As the Advance Placement English Language teacher at Sandalwood Senior High School, Valerie Hardman rarely sits down.  She is always out of her desk, walking around the classroom, and engaging her students in discussion.

"I always want to make sure I'm on top of what they're doing. Making sure they are focusing. It also helps me to reiterate what they're doing and help them more," said Hardman.

She has activities and games for the students to play in class so they can better grasp what she's teaching. 

The students seem to really enjoy the activities but more importantly, they're learning.

"All the activities she does in class are relevant to what she's teaching. So it is easy to pick up when you get to the experiment and try out with the activities," said former student Allyson Duemmel. 

Duemmel is a former student and current senior at the high school. She nominated Hardman for Teacher of the Week.

In her nomination letter she wrote, 'Last year I had the most amazing teacher. She taught me so much and my writing has sky rocketed.'

Hardman says Duemmel was great student.

"She came in as an average writer and throughout the year her writing transformed, and when you see a child develop that way you realize not only they are being successful, but you're being successful as a teacher."

Whether the desk are placed in a 'U' shape to allow for higher thinking questions or in groups of four for activities; Mrs. Hardman is making sure all of her students get the most out of her class.

"As a teacher you're constantly having to check (on your students) because if they're not being successful, you're not doing your job."   

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