Caring and innovative teachers are a key part of “Success in the Making” for Christel House students.
One of those innovative teachers is Ana Luis, who teaches Algebra at Christel House DORS – Ivy Tech. She has been awarded the 2017 Sontag Award in Urban Education. The national recognition honors teachers for their work with students. Ana was cited for 100% of her students passing the Algebra End of Course Assessment five years in a row! The secret to her impressive results? Ana creates an individualized curriculum for each student. That individual attention ensures each student’s remediation needs are met. Then they can move forward to learn based off a strong foundation of understanding the subject matter. “I am extremely honored to receive this award and feel very lucky to be recognized for my work,” says Ana. “It’s all about building a supportive relationship that fosters trust and allows the students to learn with me.”
As part of the Sontag Award recognition, Ana has been invited to travel to Boston for the opportunity to interact with other nationally recognized teachers. The teachers will work with a class of at-risk students for one week. The unique program allows teachers to share their approach to learning with students looking to improve their test scores. “The goal is taking students that are behind, giving them an intensive educational experience right before their year-end tests,” says Ana.
Ana found teaching as her calling when a good friend dropped out of high school. She helped her friend study to pass the GED. In working with her friend, Ana discovered she had the skills and passion to become a teacher. And just like she did for her friend, Ana is now helping students at Christel House DORS – Ivy Tech return to the classroom to earn their high school diploma and continue their education.
See how Christel House DORS is giving students that drop out of high school a second chance. Click here.