Last week, Cohort 3 Dallas Teacher Residency (DTR) graduate, Rickey Townsend was named campus teacher of the year at Benjamin Franklin International Exploratory Academy in Dallas Independent School District. When asked about the award, Townsend expressed his gratitude and appreciation. As an an alumnus of Dallas ISD’s South Oak Cliff High School, being named campus teacher of the year in the same district he attended as a former student was particularly significant.
“I live and breathe youth development,” Townsend said. “To be named Teacher of the Year by my school has me HUMBLED and HYPED – I love teaching!!!”
Townsend, a second year 8th grade math teacher, has been with the school for three years now after completing his residency year at the school with Dallas Teacher Residency. During his residency year with DTR, Townsend spent an entire academic school year as a pre-service teacher training under a mentor teacher at Franklin Middle School. In addition to his clinical teaching residency, he also took graduate coursework at Texas A&M University – Commerce – en route to earning a Masters Degree in the Arts of Teaching. According to Townsend, much of his success as a new teacher can be attributed to his educator preparation as part of the DTR and TAMUC teacher residency program.
In addition to teaching math, Townsend is actively involved at his school – serving as the math department chair, girls track coach, and, is a self-described cheerleader for all his students.
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