Recognizing Avery Ferreiro: A Student Teacher of the Year Finalist

Avery Ferreiro ranked as a top five finalist for the 2024 NC Association of College for Teacher Education Student Teacher of the Year. She was recently recognized at the NCACTE Fall Forum Student Teacher of the Year Awards Ceremony in Raleigh. Avery student taught at Carrboro Elementary School in Carrboro, NC while completing her degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At the Fall Forum excerpts from the letters of support for her nomination were shared and follow here below.

Dr. Dionne Cross Francis, one of Avery’s professors at the University of North Carolina, described Avery as “very insightful, prepared, committed to professional growth, disciplined, and a strong collaborator.” Shelby Dotson, Avery’s clinical educator at Carrboro Elementary School, stated that Avery “has an incredible ability to establish a collaborative class community and [make] authentic connections with her students” where “students have felt comfortable and excited to ask questions because of her approachable demeanor.” She went on to describe her “consistent instructional strategies, thoughtful delivery, inquiry-based approach, and passionate energy” as motivating and “is mirrored by her learners.” Ms. Dotson also noted that Avery “sets clear expectations and communicates with compassion to support her students. She is a careful observer in the classroom and addresses behaviors in a productive manner.” Kathryn Habib, her Field Supervisor, describes Avery as a teacher who “thinks through problems and looks for ways to acknowledge and meet the needs of all students.” She extended that by stating that Avery is committed to a “process of building trust and discovering where to be flexible and where to set boundaries” for her students. Further, she noted Avery’s humility and sense of humor in the face of a “challenging and complex endeavor” such as student teaching.

Avery is a teacher who has the interpersonal skills to teach with passion in a student-centered classroom while solving problems and supporting student learning. She describes herself as the “kind of teacher who is constantly learning alongside her students every single day.” She is currently teaching at Oak Street Elementary School in Fall Church, VA.