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I nominate Amanda Ramirez

Teachers & Principals | 05/23/2019

Catherine Trinkle

Stories abound about students accidentally calling a beloved teacher mom. Amanda Ramirez’s students call her mom on purpose. For many, she is the most important, most understanding person in their lives. She already has the herculean task of teaching students Japanese; indeed, she teaches 5 different courses in Japanese each day! Sensei, as she is called by her students, designs her classes to be like home to students. There are only 5 desks in the room and one round table with 4 chairs. The frequent visitors to her class find students sitting on bouncing balls or on a carpet, sitting right at Sensei’s feet. Others are on a couch reading or hunched over a coffee table, translating kanji (Japanese script). One student spends the majority of class pacing around the room while Sensei simultaneously whispers encouraging words to him, sits with a small group of students to work on oral language fluency, and redirects an off-task student.

Me: How did you know he was off task. I couldn’t tell.

Amanda: My teacher radar could just tell!

Amanda has recently taken on leadership roles. She is a leader in her state language association and is now being asked by the Indiana Department of Education to travel to schools to lead professional development about the new World Language state standards, which she helped write. I am amazed by her; she already gives so much. How can she make time? The answer is that she is passionate about teaching students and the power of language to grow their interests in the world and their confidence in themselves.

I am an instructional coach and have taken a dozen teachers into Amanda’s classes over the past year. She is simply amazing with her kids, and they love her. Just as importantly, Amanda guides her students toward meeting the high expectations she has for them. Amanda Ramirez is a rock star teacher. 

"Amanda Ramirez is an educator who is willing to take risks, learn, and grow to do what is best for her students. After receiving training last summer, Amanda has totally transformed her classroom to support the Six Standards of Effective Pedagogy.  She uses centers and flexible seating to engage students in language rich activities.  She works well with students of all backgrounds both in and out of the classroom.  They find that she is a safe person to go to with any issues they have.  She dedicates her time out of the classroom to sponsoring four clubs.  She also holds leadership positions in state level professional organizations and has served as a committee member to revise Indiana’s World Language standards."  - Matt Shockley, Principal of Avon High School. 

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  • Amanda is a state leader in her field of Japanese language application. I have seen her instruction based on proficiency levels combined with student choice. She gives 100% to her classroom and profession. She is dedicated and very deserving of this award. Matt Walsh Milken Educator
    Matt Walsh

    May 24, 2019 3:43 AM

  • Epic
    Ethan Crowe

    May 24, 2019 10:44 AM

  • She has taught me and been accepting of me for the last three years of my life.
    Amelia Hibdon

    May 24, 2019 11:06 AM

  • I love mom, she's taught me so much
    Kaleb Johnson

    May 28, 2019 6:18 AM

  • I have always loved Ramirez Sensei as she treats all of her students like her own kids. She creates a warm and loving atmosphere in her classroom. All of her students love her and would take a bullet for her.
    Amber K Gregory

    May 28, 2019 6:20 AM

  • Sensei got a video made on us so we automatically win. にほんご＞えいご！
    Luke Whitsell

    May 28, 2019 8:57 AM

  • She is an excellent teacher!
    Austin Abshire

    May 28, 2019 8:58 AM

  • Great at what she does and is an amazing Sensei
    Kalib Proctor

    May 28, 2019 8:59 AM

  • Sensei has always been the one that I can go to whenever I feel down or even when I am happy. She knows how to help a student and how to calm a student down. When a student needs help, she will help them one on one. I have known her my entire high school career and she is the number one teacher that I can trust and she has given me many opportunities in and out of school. She is amazing and a thoughtful teacher. She cares a lot for her students and it really shows in the classroom.
    Jaided Ramos

    May 28, 2019 9:03 AM

  • the actual best
    Hiroko Moloney

    May 28, 2019 9:29 AM

  • amanda is amazing
    deb woernle

    May 28, 2019 10:20 AM

  • Congratulations Amanda for becoming a finalist. Keep working hard for the good of your students!
    Tina L Morgan

    May 28, 2019 11:03 AM

  • I've watched her in action and she is an amazing educator!
    Kim Pecar

    May 28, 2019 11:38 AM

  • Sensei Ramirez has always been such a wonderful person. She's always so sweet, so helpful, and so understanding. She cares so deeply for all of her students and she's all in all just truly wonderful.
    Michaela Kemp

    May 29, 2019 10:48 AM