2005 Chesapeake Teacher of the Year

Jerome Kendall Strickland

Mr. Strickland, an eighth-grade history teacher at Oscar Smith Middle School, received his bachelor's degree and social studies certification from Old Dominion University. For the first eight years of his career, he taught in Portsmouth. For the last three years in Chesapeake, he has taught U.S. History 8 while also serving as the co-volleyball coach. At Oscar Smith Middle, he has emblazoned the minds of his students with history using techniques such as Power Point, music, sounds, movies, and even actual props such as a "Zoot Suit" that he wore while giving a swing dance demonstration during a lesson on the Roaring 20s. Additionally, his teaching addresses multiple learning styles including kinesthetic, visual, and auditory. To help his students better understand concepts, he often puts them in the role of teacher, creating their own Power Point presentations, complete with audio and video clips, to lead the class in discussion.

Mr. Strickland's involvement with students does not end with the bell signaling the end of school. He believes that to be well rounded, students need to participate in extracurricular activities. So he and a colleague have strengthened the Oscar Smith Middle athletic program with an unparalleled approach to coaching the volleyball team. Along with his co-coaching partner, he developed objective criteria for selecting students to participate on the team. Just as his former coach and teacher Steven Liles did with him, he has sought to stress values of sportsmanship and team spirit to his athletes. He does this by modeling these attributes by being friendly to and supportive of opposing players and coaches and encouraging recognition of good play on the other side of the net. Similarly, these ideals of fair play exist not only on the volleyball court but also in the classroom as well. Mr. Strickland says, "I strive to may my students not only knowledgeable about history but also tolerant and respectful of the opinions and feelings of others."

Mrs. Carole Flemming, principal, writes, "Sometimes teachers work so long and so hard on their lessons that they become fixated on their students only. This is not the case with Mr. Strickland. I vividly recall a brand spanking new first-year teacher commenting on how much help she had received from Mr. Strickland. I asked her what she meant. She responded, "Let me count the ways." Later I learned that although Mr. Strickland was not assigned to work with this new teacher, he generously offered lesson plans, constructive criticism, and any materials he had. this to me is a teacher. A real teacher works not only with children, but also with those teachers who will be left after he is gone. Where does that influence stop? I recall asking one [of his] students, "What is so special about Mr. Strickland?" The young lady replied, "He doesn't look down on you. He believes I am smart; so I try to be smart." Mr. Jerome Kendall Strickland believes in helping novice teachers who do not have years of experience; he believes in looking for the best in every child; and I believe in him."