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Good teachers make good citizens
By Alex Carrier

Guiding the growth of the next generation of citizens is an important job. Each year, the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars recognizes this importance with the National Citizenship Education Teachers' Award.

In Greene County, Golden Horseshoe VFW Post 8208 honors Linda Thompson as the 2008 Teacher of the Year. Thompson teaches kindergarten at Ruckersville Elementary School and also received the honor of Teacher of the Year for this VFW district.

The honor was a surprise to Thompson.

“I had no idea Principal Coiner had nominated me. As much as the award itself,” admits Thompson,” is the honor that comes from your principal, your boss, noticing what you do and seeing something in you - then taking the time to fill out the paperwork and nominate you.”

“The VFW is about citizenship,” explains Coiner, “and Linda uses citizenship when working with her students. She was one of the driving forces behind our big Veteran’s Day celebration. The students were able to meet with veterans – to listen to them and learn from them.”

Thompson, whose son served in Iraq, also organized a school-wide shoebox drive to send gifts and special items to the troops.

“Linda is an outstanding teacher in every aspect,” continues Coiner. “She cares deeply about all the students in the school, not just her own. She is concerned for their future and wants the best for them as they move throughout their school years.”

This is the second year the VFW’s Teacher of the Year has come from Ruckersville Elementary School. Last year’s honoree was Tom Evans.

“I am not surprised we have had the honor two years in a row,” explains Coiner. “Our school is blessed with a lot of very good teachers who are not just concerned with how their students are doing in school but how they are doing in life.”

Ray Dingledine, Superintendent of Greene County Schools, also applauds Thompson’s work.

“A lot of what makes a good teacher is building relationships with the children,” says Dingledine. “When you care about the kids, believe in them and know they can succeed, then they will. Linda does that and she backs it with an understanding of the coursework and teaching. These are the things that make you successful in any job.”

“I’ve known Linda for many years,” says Dingledine. “My wife has taught with her. She is a master teacher with a positive personality and she is always smiling and laughing.”

Citizenship is important to Thompson who moved to Greene County from Texas 27 years ago.

“The most important thing about being a teacher is helping to bring up good citizens that feel good enough about themselves to do good for other people,” says Thompson. “Children need to experience how wonderful it can feel to do things for others.”

For Thompson the best part of being a kindergarten teacher is the delight children experience in learning.

“It happens so frequently when you are teaching young children. You see it on a daily basis,” she admits. “You can see it in their demeanor, in their faces when they experience the delight, the eye-opening “oh, I’ve got it!” moment of learning or perceiving something new. They appreciate the knowledge; they love you for teaching them.”

“The reward of teaching is not financial,” Thompson says with a smile. “Your reward comes to you on a daily basis. You find out what works and what doesn’t. You discover your shortcomings – which is a good thing. You know what you need to improve and you get immediate feedback. I don’t know of any other job that gives you constant self-evaluation.”

“When the kids ask me about the award, I tell them it is about finding the best way to serve and finding a way to serve others on a daily basis,” Thompson stresses. “That is what being a good citizen is all about. Serving others in any way – not just as veterans and service people. It can be about anything in anyway that helps others.”

VFW Post 8208 sees both a good citizen and a good teacher in Linda Thompson.

“We are looking for teachers who put in the extra time for their students,” explains Post Commander John Miska. “We knew Linda had a son who had served in Iraq and we realized that someone who could raise a son who volunteered to serve his country and the public was the kind of person we wanted teaching our children.”

The VFW's National Citizenship Education Teachers' Award recognizes the nation's top elementary, junior high and high school teachers who teach citizenship education topics regularly and promote America's history and traditions. Fellow teachers, supervisors or other interested individuals can submit nominations by November 1 to your local Post.