TeachHUB Teacher Spotlight

This week I was selected as the Teacher Spotlight at www.teachhub.com!  It was an exciting week as I was also announced the first place winner in their Battle of the Boards competition.  Thank you to everyone who voted and gave me support.  What a wonderful way to end another year of teaching!

Ms. Suzanne Lak | TeachHUB

Congrats to Suzanne for being the first place winner of the Battle of the Boards Photo Contest! Her "Poet Tree" classroom display took home the most votes, winning her a $250 gift card to DonorsChoose.org.


John M. Sexton Elementary School Saint Petersburg, Florida

Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
My favorite teacher in my life is my mom. She is the person that inspired me to be the teacher I am today. Spending time in her classroom, I learned how to be a great teacher.

If you could have any person (living, dead or fictional) as a principal, who would it be?
Walt Disney. He has amazing ideas to make the world a better and happier place. I think he would share positive ideas and be a great principal!


What profession other than your own would you most like to attempt?
I would love to work at a non-profit such as Make-A-Wish Foundation, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, or Special Olympics. I enjoy donating my time to these organizations and feel it must be very rewarding to work for them.


Describe your all-time favorite lesson/unit activity

I LOVE teaching writing. I love sharing my passion for writing with my students, and enjoy the days that I can sit for a moment and watch my entire class engrossed in their writing, pencils moving continuously across the page...with groans when the bell rings to signify the end of writing for the day.

What is the greatest misconception about teachers?
Our job is easy. 8:00-3:00 and done. I spend my nights, summers, and weekends devoting time to creating lessons and activities! I go to bed thinking about my classroom and wake up thinking about what more I can do.


What stereotype about teachers is true?

I think there is definitely a "teacher look." I can't pinpoint exactly what it is, but anywhere I go I can see a group of people and say, "They must be teachers!" Most of the time, I am right!

How did you know you wanted to be a teacher?
When I was 4 years old I came home from pre-school and announced that I was going to be a teacher. I never changed my mind. My devotion to teaching showed when I was 11 and wanted to take Red Cross babysitting course to be a certified babysitter. I was too young, so I wrote a persuasive letter explaining why I should be allowed to take the class. They let me in, and I babysat up a storm for the next several years.