Tennessee's Missy Testerman named 2024 National Teacher of the Year

Missy Testerman is diligently working on her Spanish — something she said some of her students at Rogersville City Schools find "uproariously funny" at times.

As a teacher for young children learning English as a second language, Testerman said learning a new language herself helps her understand them more deeply. But Spanish isn't the only new thing she's had to learn. Up until three years ago, she was teaching first and second graders at the school. When she saw her colleague who taught ESL was leaving, she was inspired to go back to school, get the proper credentials and take over the program herself.

Testerman's dedication and initiative, along with her compassion and advocacy for her students and their families, is what won her the 2024 National Teacher of the Year award. The news was announced Wednesday.

"I am just incredibly grateful for this opportunity," Testerman told The Tennessean shortly after the announcement.

The award, given by the Council of Chief State School Officers, means Testerman will spend the next year traveling the nation to share her experience and advocate for other teachers and students.

"I plan to use my year of service to encourage teachers to be advocates for their students, their profession and themselves," Testerman said. "Our teachers are the experts in the classroom, and I think, for far too long, their opinion has been ... cast to the side."

Testerman is a Tennessee native and first-generation college graduate, according to a Council of Chief State School Officers news release. In her rural Appalachian community, Testerman builds bridges between cultures — families who have been in the area for centuries and newer immigrants — through a curriculum focused on a study of Americans from diverse backgrounds, allowing students to better understand that people are inherently the same and that they all belong.

As Tennessee’s State Teacher of the Year, she forged partnerships with East Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee to encourage preservice teachers and give authentic feedback to university leaders about their educator preparation programs.

Rogersville City Schools Director Edwin Jarnagin said Testerman is "beyond worthy" of the national award and that the entire community is proud of her.

"Her dedication to the teaching profession and her students is truly exceptional and has shaped her reputation of being known as a leader and mentor to her colleagues," Jarnagin said in a news release from the Tennessee Department of Education. "Missy exemplifies excellence in how she collaborates with our community and connects families across the rural Rogersville area to set students up for success."

A pivot into ESL and advocacy

When she first learned her predecessor in the ESL program was leaving, Testerman saw the concern and anxiety it sparked for the students and families around her. Inspiration struck when she got an email from the state department of education about Tennessee's "Grow Your Own" program.

While the program focuses on training new teachers, it also has resources for already-licensed teachers to add more endorsements at no cost. Testerman took advantage of those resources to get her ESL credentials through Freed-Hardeman University.

When it came time to tell the students and families who their new ESL teacher would be, Testerman and her colleagues were able to surprise them with the news.

"There was such a sense of relief because they knew me," Testerman said.

She said children as young as 6 or 7 are oftentimes the only ones who speak English in their families and help with things like translating doctor's appointments or filling our paperwork.

"They are their family's voice, and they are also their family's access to services," she said.

Testerman said there are four foreign languages in the mix at her school right now. Since translation services are limited in their area, she gets creative in how she communicates with students and families. She often uses a translation app that helps relay messages to parents.

At times, new parents have shown up to register before the school could find a translator to help. Testerman said she's sometimes asked her older students who are more proficient in English to help them with things like registration and paperwork.

"It's more than just teaching, it's being a resource for my students and their families," Testerman said.

She also makes sure her students practice their native language at school.

"I make it very clear that their goal is to grow up with two languages, or more. ... I want them to keep that native language or home language so they can use that in their career path," she said. "It's also the language of their family. It ties them to their heritage and their background."

Tennessee governor, education chief praise 2024 National Teacher of the Year

Testerman was named Tennessee's 2023-24 Teacher of the Year in August. Since then, she underwent the extensive interview process for the national award and was named as one of four finalists in January.

Tennessee Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds said she's proud to see Testerman represent the state on the national stage.

"Missy is deeply committed to her students and community, serving as a leader, mentor and advocate, and I am thrilled she will be able to take her expertise nationwide and impact thousands of educators over the next year," Reynolds said in a news release from the Tennessee Department of Education.

Gov. Bill Lee also congratulated Testerman, noting she was the first Teacher of the Year from Tennessee in more than 35 years.

"Teaching is more than a career, it's a calling," Lee said in the release. "I join all Tennesseans in thanking Missy for her dedication to students, preparing them to thrive in the classroom and beyond. We look forward to cheering her on as she engages with educators nationwide."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: National Teacher of the Year: Tennessee's Missy Testerman honored