TFLA Honors 2001-2002 Teachers of the Year
Kathleen (Kay) Bouska of Austin
ISD was honored as German Teacher of the Year. Kay currently
teaches German and world cultures electives at Kealing Junior
High School and works with the GAPP exchange program to Koblenz,
Germany at Anderson High School. Her education and training
is extensive and varied. In addition to her degrees in elementary
education and German, Kay has studied in Germany, Mexico, South
Africa, and Zimbabwe. Her experience includes teaching in Sioux
Falls, South Dakota; serving as an exchange teacher in Australia;
teaching all fifth grade subject areas in Ludwigsburg, Germany;
and working with the government of Guam. In addition to German,
Kay has studied Spanish and Japanese.
French Teacher of the Year was awarded to Dorothy
Cox of Fort Bend ISD. Dorothy has a B.A. with majors in
French and Italian and a Masters of Education in Administration.
She has taught French at all levels, from pre-school students
to high school graduates. She currently teaches at Stephen F.
Austin High School in Sugar Land. Dorothy serves as a mentor
teacher in her district and has co-sponsored student trips to
France and Italy. She has received numerous scholarships and
grants and presented workshops and sessions at Texas Foreign
Language Association conferences. In addition, Dorothy serves
as a TEKS for LOTE training facilitator and was a contributing
author to Great TEKSpectations: Innovative Learning Scenarios
for the LOTE Classroom.
Latin teacher Ginny Lindzey
of Austin ISD was chosen as Outstanding New Teacher of the Year.
Ginny teaches at Porter Middle School, where she brings the
classics to life for her students by offering mythology reading
circles during lunch, bringing in guest speakers and performers,
and making vocabulary connections to both English and Spanish.
Ginny further supports learning by utilizing technology for
reviews and drills for her students. She maintains a variety
of Web sites with resources for students and educators. Ginny
serves on numerous committees related to classics education
and as State Vice President for the Classical Association of
the Middle West and South, Editorial Advisor for the American
Classical League, and Editor for the Texas Classical Association.
Her latest project is the development of a Web site and print
materials for the spring 2003 National Latin Teachers Recruitment
Week.
The Japanese Teacher of the Year
award goes to Helen Tatsuko Nakamoto of Katy ISD. Helen
teaches all levels of Japanese at James E. Taylor High School.
In addition, she is an instructor of Japanese in the Department
of Continuing Studies at Rice University and at the University
of Houston. Due to her wealth of knowledge and experience, Helen
has been asked to develop educational workshops, author Japanese
lessons and textbooks, and design elementary and secondary curricula.
She was also a contributing author to Great TEKSpectations:
Innovative Learning Scenarios for the LOTE Classroom. Helens
community activities include directing the Japanese Womens
Chorus group in Houston.
Rosanna Pérez of Northside
ISD in San Antonio was selected as Spanish Teacher of the Year.
Rosanna received her B.A. from the University of Puerto Rico
and her Masters of Education in School Administration from Trinity
University in San Antonio. She taught Spanish IV AP Honors and
Spanish V Honors at Communication Arts High School in San Antonio,
where she sponsored the Spanish student newspaper, La Comunidad,
and the Spanish National Honor Society. Rosanna has recently
taken over the position of Instructional Specialist for International
Languages for Northside ISD. She is very active in area language
activities, including leading TEKS for LOTE training sessions
for other districts.