Alafia Elementary Teacher of the Year: Michelle Peña

In her first full year back as a faculty member of , Michelle Peña's praises are being sung to the tune of Teacher of the Year.

The school's staff recently chose Peña, who teaches third grade, for the honor, which is bestowed upon the person who best exemplifies what a good teacher should be.

The 47-year-old Peña graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in criminal justice before she became an educator. She worked as a probation officer in her early years, but wanted to have an effect on kids in their early years to prevent them from going into the sytem she worked in at the time.

"When I was a probation officer I felt in my heart that if I could get into the schools and make a difference in a few kids lives, maybe their paths wouldn't be like some of the people I was monitoring," Peña said. "I got my start at a school that was a great place for me to transition to with my background at the time."

She began teaching in 1993 at Witter Elementary in North Tampa, but after six years in the classroom she took an extended sabatical to enjoy motherhood. She would stay out of the classroom for the next six years while having her three children. But the time would come for her to return as a substitute and eventually to the staff.

"It's really a surprise to receive an award like this having just recently come back into the profession," Peña said. "I started coming back slow a few years ago as a substitute and then I took over some classes when teachers were gone which went well, but this is my first full year back as a member of the staff, so it's nice to win the award."

Peña had always planned to come back but never put a timetable on her return. In the time that she was gone, the job changed significantly along with the pay structure and the expectations. Transitioning, however, to the way things are now has been relatively easy for Peña.

"Our evaluation system and what is considered the best practices in teaching has all changed," Peña said. "There are better ways to do things now and I'm actually enjoying the job now more than I used to. It really hasn't been difficult because it's been like starting a new job. I didn't come back in thinking I was going to do things my old way, I spent 190 hours since May of 2010 training so I've been active in trying to do the job the way I'm expected to do it now."

For Peña, just being a teacher at Alafia Elementary has been an affirmation of her ability as an educator, but winning this award has given another pat on the back that she appreciates immensely.

"When I was in college you had to be a top notch student just to get an intership at Alafia," Peña said. "My kids went here and I've always wanted to teach here. When my permanent position came through last year, that alone was a huge honor for me. To win Teacher of the Year I have been completely shocked and overwhelmed. It means a great deal to me."

Her co-workers say the honor is well deserved.

"I can't say enough good things about her," Alafia Principal Lisa Jackson said. "She cares deeply for the kids and works hard to know each child individually. She knows their interest and how to reach them. She is good at getting the full potential out of each child. In a lot of ways, she is the same way with her peers, a genuinely caring and hard working person and easy to be around."

Peña is thrilled by what she sees in her third-grade students. Having taught first and second grade prior to this year, she is watching them develop in a way she hadn't previously experienced.

"I love that we're getting into reading that has deeper meanings," Peña said. "It's a great age for the kids because they are still young and wanting to learn. It's fun to bring in the experiences that they having as maturing readers into all the subjects that you teach."