Liberty Elementary School

Clovis Unified School District

Stephanie Patterson is an excellent educator whose students - including subgroups traditionally seen as struggling learners - consistently score on grade level on state tests. Her classroom addresses the “whole child,” both social-emotionally and academically. She creates an environment where students feel cared for, appreciated, and accepted, no matter what their differences or needs. The goal of Stephanie’s classroom is to increase her students’ capacity to express their own understanding or confusion. She even uses some techniques that therapists use, such as revoicing, proxy voicing, and mini-plenary techniques. She encourages students to accept struggle as a natural part of the learning process, which helps improve the confidence of struggling learners.

Kellee Barsotti, Jefferson Elementary School; Dora Briseno, Tarpey Elementary School; Jennifer Cooper, Jackson Elementary School; Christina Foster, Red Bank Elementary School; Stephanie Hetherington, Fairmont Elementary School; Stephanie Tannen-Macias, Mickey Cox Elementary School; Amy Rios, Mountain View Elementary School; Kristi Vincent Martinez, Valley Oak Elementary School; Savina Takemoto, Sanger Academy Charter