Southern Illinois teacher wins national honor

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. -- Judy White has been a teacher for 33 years. Now, with her retirement arriving at the end of the school year, several surprises have graced her final year of tenure.

White, an energetic fourth-grade teacher at General John A. Logan Attendance Center in Murphysboro, was selected as one of the 39 teachers across the nation for the All-USA Teacher Program, sponsored by USA Today newspaper. She received an honorable mention for her outstanding performance and was the only teacher chosen from Illinois as part of the top-notch group.

Shortly after receiving the recognition from USA Today, White was also contacted by the National Teachers Hall of Fame. However, she could not meet the application deadline because she was out of commission recovering from surgery. White said the week before Christmas break she had learned about a torn tendon in her left foot. She is through the worst part of her recovery, but rehabilitation is still ahead.

But the time away from her class has allowed White to work on her knitting, start cultivating ideas for the children's books she plans to write as well as reflect on her life experiences.

Reflection for White was jump-started as she completed the application for the All-USA Teacher Team last fall. The initial process began with a nomination from Tamara Gordon, a mother of a former student, and supplemental recommendations from principal Debra Kreutztrager and student advocate Laura Basanta. In submitting her own background information and past accomplishments, White began looking back on her career.

"It revealed a lot. I was able to see, as I did the paperwork, what I had done over the years, where I was and what I have yet to do," White said. "Usually we just keep moving forward, not thinking about what we are doing at the time."

She said she initially assumed her experiences would not brim over the one-page limit, but she soon found herself having to cut things out of her resume.

White began life and work in the same community in which she will retire. Born and raised in Murphysboro, she attended St. Andrews Catholic School and Murphysboro High School. She then went to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Her first teaching job was at St. Andrews. As she moved forward in her career, she sometimes outlasted the schools themselves. Gorham and Lincoln schools closed during her tenure. Now it is White who will be leaving the school as she retires this year.

Throughout her career she has taught third- and fourth-graders.

"That is the best age, when they are so eager to learn but they are not yet obnoxious," she said.

White said she was about the same age as her present students when she decided she would be a teacher.

White is not the only one receiving accolades. As a way to show them their work does pay off, she nominates many of her students for honors. She said 150 of her students have won state, local and national awards.

A true believer in the power of hands-on learning. White said she has always believed it to be the best way to acquire knowledge. Now other academics are taking note. She read a quote that says hands-on learning helps students learn better and sustain more knowledge, encourages curiosity and helps students build social skills, cooperation and confidence.

"I believe that totally," White said.