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Randolph teacher selected for national prize

Yawu Miller
Yawu Miller is the former senior editor of the Bay State Banner. He has written for the Banner since 1988.... VIEW BIO
Randolph teacher selected for national prize
Randolph High social studies teacher Michelle Ryan expresses shock as she makes her way to the front of the gym to accept her surprise Milken Educator Award. (Photo: Photo courtesy Milken Family Foundation)

Randolph High School teacher Michelle Ryan wasn’t clear on why she and other teachers were called into the school auditorium the morning of Nov. 13. When a representative of the Milken Family Foundation announced that a teacher from the school would be recognized, she had no idea it would be her.

“My colleagues and I were joking about who it would be and how they would have to throw us all a pizza party,” she said. “Next thing you know my name was called. I was completely caught off guard.”

As soon as they heard Ryan’s name, the students and faculty packed into the school’s gymnasium erupted in applause. Visibly stunned, Ryan was led across the floor to stand alongside Massachusetts Education Secretary Mitchell Chester as she was presented with a ceremonial check bearing the $25,000 award amount.

A lifelong Dorchester resident born to Antiguan and Montserratian parents, Ryan didn’t settle on a career in teaching until after she attended UMass Lowell, but she had her share of favorite teachers while attending high school at Boston Latin Academy. She rings off their names: Mr. Howard, who taught History; Ms. Smith, Ms. Joyner and Ms. Jackson, who taught English.

“They all had a balance of high expectations and a sense of humor that made things enjoyable,” she says of the teachers. “They were tough, but they really cared for you. They would check in on you.”

The first in her family to attend a four-year college, Ryan says her teachers helped her realize her full potential as a student.

“I considered myself a regular student,” she said. “I needed an extra push.”

After receiving her Bachelor’s degree at UMass Lowell, Ryan stayed on to earn a master’s in education, graduating in 2008. In Randolph, she has received recognition from her fellow teachers and from her students, who have voted her the school’s Most Inspiring teacher, Most Entertaining, and Funniest.

Ryan heads the school’s Social Studies Department and has gained a reputation at the school for innovative instruction methods she says she uses to keep students engaged in their coursework.

“I use video clips, and try to make things relevant,” she comments. “We’re analyzing the events in Paris and Missouri using our Social Studies curriculum.

Her lesson plans include innovative, hands-on activities, including an ongoing social studies project in which students conduct their own surveys.

“Each student has chosen a subject they’re interested in — the school’s dress code, feminism, police relations with people of color, rape culture,” she says. “They’ve submitted their questions for review. When they complete their surveys, they’ll present their results to select parties.”

Ryan has also helped implement other innovative educational programs, including a Keys to Literacy Reading Comprehension program that helped boost 10th grade reading scores by 20 percent.

At the Nov. 13 award event, Secretary Chester spoke of her many strong teaching qualities.

“Michelle Ryan exemplifies the hard work and professionalism Massachusetts educators put in every day as teachers, mentors and learners,” he said. “She also holds herself to a high standard and is constantly improving her practice and helping to ensure her school serves all students well.”

Ryan says she draws on her own school experience and imagines a brighter future for her students.

“I enjoy being a part of students’ building skills,” she says. “I know everything after high school is this big, abstract, overwhelming phase of life for them. They don’t know that everything they’re doing now is preparing them for their next phase. I enjoy seeing their growth and helping them be prepared for great things.”