[Noozhawk’s note: One in a series on the teachers who will be honored Nov. 2 at A Salute to Teachers, presented by Cox Communications and the Santa Barbara County Education Office. Click here for a complete series index.]
Michael Wallace feels right at home teaching seventh-grade world history at El Camino Junior High School in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District, but his path to the classroom wasn’t a direct one. In fact, you could even say it was accidental.
Wallace, who will be honored as a 2020 Santa Barbara County Distinguished New Educator, spent 15 years in the business world before a serious biking accident on Hawai’i’s Haleakalā Volcano forced him to re-evaluate his life while he recuperated.
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After his Maui misadventure, he realized that his dream was to teach, in hopes of inspiring young people to fulfill their dreams and achieve their personal life goals.
He graduated from Columbia College in Columbia, Mo., with a 4.0 grade-point average, and completed the student teaching program at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where he earned his single subject History Social Science credential.
Now, Wallace demonstrates his commitment to his students every day. He greets each one at the door with a smile and a fist bump. His classroom evokes a sense of family. And he takes pride in providing a welcoming space for students before and after school.
Wallace’s passionate support for his students’ emotional and social well-being is reciprocated by how hard his students work for him.
As his mentor related, “He reminds me about the passion and drive that being a teacher is all about.”
Eight educators will be recognized Nov. 2 at A Salute to Teachers, an event hosted by Cox Communications and the Santa Barbara County Education Office at the Music Academy of the West in Montecito.
Michele Frantz of Joe Nightingale School in the Orcutt Union School District has been named the 2020 Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year.
Bree Jansen, a dance, choreography and cheerleading teacher at Lompoc High in the Lompoc Unified School District, will be honored as the 2020 Santa Barbara County Performing Arts Teacher of the Year.
Along with Wallace, distinguished new educators to be honored are Anthony Bruemmer of Santa Ynez School in the College School District and Melanie Thatcher of Miguelito School in the Lompoc Unified School District.
Distinguished mentors are Marith Parton of Carpinteria Middle School in the Carpinteria Unified School District, Marilyn Tilley of Battles School in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District and Amy Willis of Los Olivos School in the Los Olivos School District.
In addition to Cox, Salute to Teachers is sponsored by Noozhawk, Anthem Blue Cross, Fielding Graduate University, Montecito Bank & Trust, the Santa Barbara Bowl and the SBCC Foundation.
Noozhawk Q&A
Noozhawk: Why did you decide to become a teacher?
Michael Wallace: Teaching is a second career for me. I had always wanted to have an impact on young people but circumstances didn’t afford me an opportunity to do so until a few years ago. I now have the incredible privilege of helping students realize their own potential.
Noozhawk: How long have you been teaching?
MW: This is my second year.
Noozhawk: What is your favorite subject or lesson plan to teach your students?
MW: I love teaching the Middle Ages to students. Whether running a simulation on feudalism or investigating the bubonic plague, students seem to respond well to this unit.
Noozhawk: What is your favorite part of being a teacher?
MW: Interacting with my students on a daily basis is probably my favorite part of being a teacher. I really love to see the genuine enthusiasm that they exhibit when they talk about their family or what they like to do outside of school. I try my best to make sure I incorporate their interests into what we do in the classroom so that students feel engaged in the process of learning.
Noozhawk: What are the challenges of your job?
MW: One of the most challenging aspects of my job is to ensure that I am providing an equitable learning experience for all students in my classroom. Students have an array of abilities, talents and interests, and it is my responsibility to make sure every student has equitable access to the content and skills that I am teaching. This can be challenging, at times, but also incredibly rewarding to see students make progress throughout the course of the school year.
Noozhawk: What are you most looking forward to this school year?
MW: I really enjoy watching the academic growth that occurs throughout the course of the school year. Watching students overcome obstacles and challenges in order to succeed inside and outside of the classroom is one of the great pleasures of this profession.
Noozhawk: Who are your mentors?
MW: I am lucky enough to be surrounded by an immensely talented group of teachers at El Camino Junior High. A special shout-out to Astacia Zarling, my Santa Barbara County Education Office Teacher Induction Program mentor and the incredible group of teachers that makes up the History department at my school. They have welcomed me with open arms from Day One and are always willing to offer advice and support when I needed it most.
Noozhawk: Who are the people in your life and work environment who support you every day?
MW: I couldn’t do what I do without the support given to me by my wife. She understands that the job doesn’t always end when I leave the classroom. She is always there to lend advice or just listen when I need to vent. The administrative staff at El Camino Junior High has also been extremely supportive, giving me room to grow into my profession while also providing me with valuable feedback and encouragement.
Noozhawk: How does it feel to be honored as part of the Salute to Teachers?
MW: I feel extremely honored to be selected as one of three distinguished new educators in Santa Barbara County. There are so many new teachers doing so many great things in the classroom that I feel proud just to have been considered as a nominee for this award. I am also excited to see and hear from the other honorees during the event.