Living Her Dream

NEA Today, Feb 2004

When she was growing up, Tara Sparks wanted to be her teachers. In preschool, she wanted to be Miss Alicia, keeper of the toys and guardian of naptime.

HER THIRD-GRADE HERO, Mr. Washington, gave the class fun math projects and rewarded them with boogie time. Her eighth-grade muse was Mrs. Schukai, a drama and English teacher who inspired Sparks to follow in her footsteps. Sparks even envied the kids whose parents were teachers. There was a brief stint in the sixth grade when Sparks wanted to be an architect but luckily for Missouri's students, she came to her senses.

Today, Sparks teaches eighth-grade English at Sperring Middle School in St. Louis, and like the teachers who inspired her when she was growing up, she's making a powerful impact on the academic and personal lives of her students. Although only 28 years old, Sparks already has an impressive list of career accomplishments. Last year, Sparks became Missouri's 2003-04 Teacher of the Year, making her the second youngest in the state's history. And two years ago she earned her National Board Certification after just four years in the classroom.

What is Sparks' message to other beginning teachers? "Keep learning! That's how you rejuvenate yourself and your classroom," she says. Self reflection has helped Sparks most in her teaching career, she says, while professional development has helped her focus that reflection. "The fun and challenge of teaching," says Sparks, "is helping your students travel from point A to point B, and watching them arrive at that magical 'a-ha!' moment."