Balakrishnan teaches at Patsy Sommer Elementary School.
AB Wire
Revathi Balakrishnan, a teacher at Patsy Sommer Elementary School in Austin, Texas, has been honored by President Barack Obama at the White House for her excellent work in the field of education.
Indian American Balakrishnan was also named 2016 ‘Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year’.
“It is not work for me. It is actually a passion,” said Balakrishnan, 53, who has taught in the district’s talented and gifted programs for 9 years, reported the Press Trust of India.
Currently teaching math classes in third through fifth grade at Sommer, Balakrishnan, who was honored last week, will now represent Texas in the ‘National Teacher of the Year’ competition.
About 30 per cent of the students at Patsy Sommer Elementary School are of Asian or Indian-origin.
“I feel proud to represent those and I can convince a lot of younger generation Indian kids to turn to teaching for a career. So I feel I can actually have some impact on that,” she said.
Balakrishnan has taught at the school for six years, with a previous 3-year stint at the Forest North Elementary for three years.
Originally from Chennai, Balakrishnan was a systems analyst with Liberty Mutual, managing databases and programming for about 12 years before becoming a teacher.
Terming her style of teaching as “no nonsense”, Balakrishnan, who earned her economics degree from University of Madras, attributes her success in the field of education to her love of teaching.
She said the excitement of teaching, learning with students and the opportunity to shape students who are the “leaders of tomorrow” drives her.
The ‘National Teacher of the Year Program’ identifies exceptional teachers in the country, recognizes their effective work in the classroom, engages them in a year of professional learning, amplifies their voices and empowers them to participate in policy discussions at the state and national levels.
2 Comments
congratulations mam.
there is a great need of teachers who are truly devoted to their profession. because it is a teacher who has the capability to mould the future ..
how to contact Revathi Balakrishnan ?????