Christine Lyall of School District’s Office of Child Development has earned the Los Angeles County’s Preschool Teacher of the Year award.
Ms. Lyall will be honored 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Los Angeles County Preschool Teacher of the Year Awards ceremony at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. For information about the event and how to attend, see www.laup.net.
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No. 1 teacher Christine Lyall
“It’s wonderful to be honored for something I've enjoyed doing for nearly my entire adult life,” Ms. Lyall said.
“As a chosen profession, I couldn't have picked anything that would have suited me better. It’s true that I have facilitated learning for children, but they have facilitated learning for me as well.
“The children have given me reason to grow as a person and, in some cases, go beyond what I thought I could do. The growth will continue for both the children and myself as there will always be more to know and do.”
How to Become Eligible
This is the second year the independent public benefit corporation Los Angeles Universal Preschool — created in 2004 and funded by First 5 LA — has presented the awards.
Candidates from hundreds of preschools throughout the county were evaluated on their commitment to provide a quality preschool education, including a commitment to excellence in teaching through outstanding and/or innovative activities and lessons; fostering a classroom climate that is characterized by enthusiasm for teacher and learning, and engaging others in supporting students’ learning and development, including parents, teachers assistants and other professionals.
A total of six persons were honored with the award, with each candidate being chosen from one of the five Los Angeles County supervisorial districts (There was a tie in one of the districts, and two teachers will be honored from that district).
Audrey Stephens, director of the Office of Child Development, nominated Ms. Lyall, of whom she said:
“Mrs. Lyall has been instrumental in training, mentoring and inspiring so many of our teaching staff.
“There are countless numbers of preschoolers whose lives were made better because of her. Furthermore, she has offered support, guidance and assistance to her colleagues, which has helped them to become better educators. Her hours of hard work have assisted in making her preschool site successful in its never-ending quest to improve instruction and impact the lives of young children.”
Taking a Closer Look at Methodology
Ms. Lyall has provided and conducted preschool math workshops, which have resulted in improved mathematical instruction throughout all six Culver City preschool sites, serving more than 300 preschool students. Her teaching approach is sensitive to various learning modalities.
She addresses logical-mathematical intelligence through hands-on materials and rhythmic patterning activities, which she creates herself.
She addresses musical intelligence through composing original songs that captivate students while imparting developmental learning- appropriate concepts across the curriculum.
Additionally, an area of intelligence that often is overlooked is the bodily kinesthetic application of teaching through movement and music. Ms. Lyall has made this scholastic stratagem an integral part of her classroom teaching style.
