Lisa Greenman

AATSP Teacher of the Year
Elementary School (K-8) Level

The AATSP Outstanding Teacher of the Year for K-8 is Lisa Greenman, who teaches Spanish at James Giles School in Norridge, Illinois. An educator with twenty years of experience in a variety of settings, Lisa was the recipient of the Distinctive Service Award from the Chicago Area Chapter of the AATSP last year. Her colleague Jillian Hanson remarked that “Lisa is an outstanding world language teacher at Giles. She created the world language program in District 80 from the bottom up and is responsible for the program’s success. For example, many of our 8th grade students now enter the local high school enrolled in Spanish 2, a feat that wasn’t possible just a few years ago. The success of the world language program at Giles is due to Lisa’s hard work.”

Lisa creates lessons which help her students celebrate their diverse cultures and she is mindful of their interests by developing differentiated projects. Lisa is a passionate and innovative teacher who is very adept at fostering a student-centered classroom. She is the epitome of “going the extra mile” by consistently connecting her students to outside opportunities. She works with her young students so they can participate in the Chicago Chapter Poetry Contest, where many of them choose to present poems that are selected for the advanced high school

level. Her students also participate in the Poster Contest and the National Spanish Exam, earning top awards in both.

As the sponsor of her school’s chapter of the Sociedad Hispánica de Amistad, Lisa helps her students learn through service: they offer peer tutoring and participate in the Pulsera Project and Cradles to Crayons. She has been recognized for her unique program that connects SHA middle school students with the high school students of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica. Lisa and a high school colleague, Monica Hansen, presented a session at the 2019 Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages entitled Crossing the Border: Connecting Middle and High School Language Programs. The connection culminated in a joint honor society initiation ceremony of the SHA and the SHH, and was a wonderfully creative way to foster continuity and advocacy for language learning. By inviting the parents to the “fiesta” afterward, Lisa was also promoting community building. Their companion article was also published in the CSCTFL Journal.

In addition to several other publications and presentations, Lisa has had numerous awards, including the AATSP Mentor Grant and a Fulbright Teacher Exchange in Uruguay. Her passion for education and community service is also evident from the extensive work she has done with non-profit organizations in areas such as immigration, drug-free communities, and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. She continues her professional development by taking university courses such as Spanish for Spanish Teachers and has received her ESOL certification. Considering all the extra planning, innovation, effort, dedication and energy that Lisa puts forth, it is no wonder that she was nominated this year for the prestigious Illinois Golden Apple Award for excellence in teaching!

Personal Acceptance Statement

Thank you so much for choosing me to be 2020 k-8 teacher of the year! I feel humbled and honored to receive this. It truly takes a village, especially during these tough times. I am so lucky to have great coworkers and staff that help make a strong school. I have a wonderful group of students (and their families) and a great community that inspires me to be the best educator possible-for them! I have also benefited from my connection to a very strong Chicago chapter with extra opportunities for me and my students.

I truly believe language learning is one of the most important pieces of a strong educational background, promoting intercultural understanding and communication in any genre. My hope is that those very students I teach will take with them some of the excitement I feel for language learning and use it to their advantage in the future! The AATSP has been an essential part of my professional life for almost 35 years; may you continue to enjoy your experience with it as much as I have!

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