Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1476161
California's Teachers of the Year on celebrating and supporting students By Julian Peeples Teachers are magic! The five 2022 California Teachers of the Year met for the first time in March when they were recognized by CTA State Council of Education. 20 cta.org B R I T I S H E D U C A T O R Scott Hayden said "teachers have three loves: love of learning, love of learners, and the love of bringing the first two loves together." e five fantastic educators honored as the 2022 California Teachers of the Year are shining examples of this and unconditional love for the transformative power of education. We asked them to share their thoughts on celebrating and supporting students. From validating students' lan- guages and caring for their trauma to leading with love to connect with students and help them believe in themselves, the following include helpful tips to center learners and be the educators they need. Tips From the Top TIP: The Power of Believing Connect with students to build their self-confidence By Alondra Diaz Living through traumatic experiences as a child, I struggled in school. These struggles led to a lack of confidence in my potential as a student. Luckily, I had a fantastic teacher who believed in me and helped me believe in myself. The power of believing in students can be profound and life changing. We can't believe in our students if we don't connect with them. Believing in kids is not just about saying inspirational phrases or offering encouraging words. Students need to feel that we truly mean what we say. Kids know when adults care — because there is a connection. The start of a new school year is the per- fect time to establish routines and practices that help us connect with students. These connections help build positive relationships