The National Teacher of the Year’s Advice for Building ‘a Legacy of Strong Teachers’

The 2024 National Teacher of the Year is an English-as-a-second-language teacher in rural Tennessee whose role involves a lot more than just teaching content. Missy Testerman sees herself as a community resource for the students and families she serves.
Here, she offers advice for all educators on continuing to find the joy in education despite the challenges, and on building a legacy of strong educators.