Dr. Barbara Taber, Esteemed Educator, Chairperson & One of America's Most Influential Women, Offers Timeless Advice to Fellow Educators in 2019

    SUFFOLK, VA, October 05, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Dr. Taber has been twice nominated for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. Among other numerous awards and honors, Dr. Taber is the recipient of a SAIC Science Teaching Tools Award, has been a TASE Teacher of the Year, and a Sigma XI Science Teacher of the Year. Dr. Taber received a Master of Arts in Education at Virginia Polytechnic and State University and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Jones International University. Dr. Taber developed and wrote the curriculum for NAS 215: Man and His Environment, Oceanography, Ecology: From the River to the Bay, and has presented at local, state and national conferences. Her dissertation was titled Teacher Attitudes Toward Use of Problem-based Learning in Science Courses with State-mandated, End of Course Testing. Dr. Taber has been a member of many teaching associations and honor societies as well as being a former member of the Kempsville Volunteer Rescue Squad and a Life Member of Bennett's Creek Volunteer Rescue Squad and the Nansemond Suffolk Volunteer Rescue Squad. She served as a volunteer Nationally Registered Paramedic and EMT instructor for 30 years and a Firefighter Level II for 15 years. Currently, Dr. Taber serves as a Lead Evaluator and/or Team Member for AdvancED Virginia. Recently she added AdvancED STEM/STEAM Lead Evaluator and/or Team Member to her resume. In her free time, she enjoys scuba diving, fishing, reading, art, and jogging 5K in the local YMCA pool.

Even though Barbara Taber is now retired she is still regularly called upon for her advice and expertise in the fields of education and education administration. Recently, she was asked to share some words of wisdom for current educators — and anybody at all who might be interested in the story of a great woman and educator. The following three ideas have made up the core ethos of all Dr. Taber's classrooms.

Dr. Taber's Three Rules for Educational Excellence:

Rule #1: When you enter your classroom, take care to remember that everyone in your room comes to you with baggage: hunger, homelessness, poverty, loss of parents or siblings, poor family environment, lack of parental support, and more. Greet them with the knowledge that you may have to overlook questionable behavior an seek a better solution to that child's problems.

Rule #2: Student's not having paper and pencil/pen is never a reason to put them out of your room. Be the grownup and keep a stash just for those children. You may never know why they lack supplies.

Rule #3: Seek to understand the reasons a child may have problems as much as you seek to assist them to learn. Those students will remember you for the rest of their lives!

Barbara Taber, Ed.D. has led a career of honor, ethics and excellence with an enviable track record of accomplishments. She has served as an influence to countless students and colleagues alike. Dr. Taber's life and career will be covered thoroughly in this legacy series of articles, where ideas, quotes, interviews and advice will be presented quarterly.

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