McNeil High School teacher Andrea Larson got the news that she’s a finalist in the secondary category for Texas Teacher of the Year during a surprise visit to her classroom Friday morning.
Larson is one of three finalists selected from Teacher of Year region winners from school districts across the state. The program, sponsored by the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA), honors elementary and secondary educators who go above and beyond for their students and demonstrate outstanding leadership on campus.
Larson, an English language learner teacher, was named Region 13’s Teacher of the Year in August and was previously named Round Rock ISD’s Secondary Teacher of the Year in May. As an educator, she works to provide all learners with equitable access to high-quality educational experiences that value their diverse backgrounds and academic experiences by designing curriculum and instructional materials to meet the needs of multilingual learners. She also shares best practices with new teachers by serving as a teacher mentor/coach and presenting theory and methodology to student teachers in the UTEACH Liberal Arts program.
“Students have so much to share, and we all have so much to learn about how much better our lives can be when we celebrate individual differences and the beauty of the whole,” Larson said. “I hope that students see the value of the culture, experiences, beliefs, interests, and stories they bring to the classroom and to the world, and I hope that they see the ways in which they are connected to one another and to the community at large. Our differences should not keep us apart from one another, nor do students have to learn to blend in to belong. When we bring our whole selves, not just the pretty parts, but our trials as well as our triumphs, we are truly able to contribute something valuable to our society.”
Larsen has been an educator for 22 years, 20 of which have been serving the McNeil community in her current role.
The Texas Teacher of the Year winners — one for elementary and one for secondary — will be announced on October 21 during a special luncheon to honor all finalists for their achievements.
