2016 All-Star Teacher finalist Michele Lamons-Raiford

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Michele Lamons-Raiford
English, American Sign Language, Speech and Debate
Pinole Valley High School

Michele Lamons-Raiford has been teaching English, American Sign Language, and Speech and Debate at Pinole Valley High School for the past fourteen years. She has a Bachelor’s and Master’s in English Literature, a teaching credential for English Literature and Composition, and a teaching credential for high school American Sign Language.

During her tenure at Pinole Valley High School, she has also been a district trainer for Common Core Standards, coordinator of the West Contra Costa Unified School District College Fair, the sponsor for the African American Student Union, Black History Month Celebration, Day of Peace and Remembrance, and a team member of the Advocacy Curriculum design group. In addition to teaching high school, she is also an adjunct (part time) faculty instructor at Solano College, the co-tournament director for the Golden Gate Speech and Debate Association, and plays guitar at her church, Revival Center Ministries in Vallejo.

One major influence in her decision to enter teaching was her personal experience with teachers growing up. Like many others, she had several brilliant, caring, and influential teachers. She has such fond memories of her education and teachers, and always thought that it would be a blessing to have the same influence over someone else’s life. She strongly believes in giving back what was afforded to you. She wanted to be not only a mentor, but a person that a student would say played a significant role in their life, and one they would have lifelong relationships with.

Some would describe Mrs. Lamons as strict but fair, focused yet fun, intense while passionate. She has had others say that even when she is hard on them, they know it comes from a caring place. She would describe herself as just one of many teachers willing to invest the time and energy that she knows will allow students to demonstrate what they are capable of, if only given the opportunity, and means, to do so. Another inspirational vignette from her teaching experience would be that students are individuals, and that we must treat them as such. Not every student is going to be good at everything, but nearly all will be good at something. It is up to educators to find that something and expand on it. She believes that teachers can spend a lot of time trying to become the “best” educators in the world, but if we seek out, and then work to bring out, our student’s potential or God given talents, it makes our job that much easier.

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