Her Story
Karen Roark had always dreamed of being a teacher, but she was a mother of two young children working in a struggling family business, with bills to pay. She worked part time at a bank and then an insurance company, and then made what she calls a “life-changing decision” to pursue the dream anyway. She worked her way through the local community college and became a paraprofessional in the schools of her impoverished rural mountain community in northwest Georgia. Years later she entered the profession knowing its daily challenges. As an older student she brought her own children to class with her, despite the glances and comments from classmates. “There was no looking back.”
She went on to earn a master’s degree in early childhood education from the State University of West Georgia in 1983 and a doctorate. She taught elementary school in Whitfield County, Georgia, for more than twenty years, most recently at Varnell Elementary. She was inducted into the Georgia Teachers Hall of Fame in 2003 and became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2001. In 2004 she moved to Arlington Public Schools in Virginia, where she serves as a gifted resource teacher and assistant principal at Long Branch Elementary. A former principal once told her that her classroom was “like a circus with a purpose.”
Her honors include being named one of the JASON Foundation’s top three national science teachers (2004), Staples Corporation Teacher of the Year (2004), Georgia Elementary Science Teacher of the Year (2000), a Fulbright scholar (2001) and one of Target Corporation’s top national educators (1999). She has also studied or taught in Japan, Mexico, El Salvador, Morocco, Spain and England.
Beyond the Classroom
Roark has spent as much time helping students outside the classroom as inside it. She made community events “a mini-adventure” for her elementary students, from NASA programs to the Georgia State Capitol, where her students lobbied legislators for education funding. In a poor rural district she wrote more than 80 mini-grants over twenty years. When the local carpet industry pushed the Hispanic student population from 5 percent to 60 percent in five years, she worked with the Georgia Project to bring Hispanic student teachers to the area and helped those students get involved in 4-H and scouting. She has also helped at Special Olympics and 4-H events, hosted foreign exchange students in her home, and camped with Girl Scouts.
She is a leader in the profession as well. As a National Board certification facilitator, she has trained more than 150 candidates. In 2002, 20 of her 34 candidates became certified in her small county, which increased the county’s number of National Board teachers ten-fold. Through the Georgia Association of Educators she helped win higher teacher salaries and a state requirement for character education in every public school. She has served on state task forces and school improvement teams, was elected to the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, and has been a delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly many times.
Philosophy Into Practice
Roark describes her approach as a “cafeteria” of methods, identifying each year which ones fit her students best. She begins the year with a “Classroom Bill of Rights” and builds a “family of students” who help one another, which she credits for her success with mainstreamed students. She uses media, including a school newspaper and television station, to build thinking skills, and she makes sure every child is “Student of the Week” before the year ends.
She identifies three issues facing the profession, which she calls her “new three R’s”: respect, relevancy and reliability.
“I understand you cannot teach a child until they believe you really care about them. In spite of potential litigation, hugs are a wonderful teaching tool. I continue to take my chances.”— Karen Roark
“Dreams are not only what you wish for, but what you can actually work toward.”— Karen Roark
In Her Own Words
“For me, the best one-word to measure of my success is when a student says, “Wow!” The best two words are “Pick me!” The best three words are “I got it!””— Karen Roark
“The best ten-word example is “Because of you, I am going to become a teacher.””— Karen Roark
“I found success to a student has more to do with the connectivity during the instructional process, than with the final grade the student receives.”— Karen Roark
“I want my students to be excited about learning.”— Karen Roark
“Experiences outside the classroom will enrich the learning process within.”— Karen Roark
“My energy comes from those I have taught who have now become leading citizens within the community. It’s rewarding to know you were a part of their life.”— Karen Roark
What Others Said
“You will also find Karen to be a creative thinker, a strategic planner, and an intuitive mentor.”— Dr. Drew W. Allbritten, Executive Director, Council for Exceptional Children
“Whether or not we receive NBC, we are all better teachers because of Karen Roark.”— Carol Long, Chris Goldberg and Bobbie Solomon, colleagues, Whitfield County Schools
“Karen’s students love her, and their parents respect her. What else could you ask for?”— Janie B. Vaden and Carolyn Cronan, school media specialist and teacher aide
“I am not only forever grateful for how she has inspired me; but also for keeping up with my educational and beginning career challenges.”— Heather Nodelman, former student
“I can directly attribute his enthusiasm for learning and his problem-solving skills back to Dr. Roark.”— Renee Rector, parent and Whitfield County school board member
“Karen’s sensitivity and insight are demonstrated daily as a compassionate teacher and a respected peer.”— Dennis Van Roekel, Vice President, National Education Association
“If you are looking to recognize a teacher who loves students and practices the art of teaching with excitement and dedication, Dr. Roark is your candidate.”— Margaret Gilhooley, Supervisor, Gifted Services, Arlington Public Schools
“Dr. Roark generates an enthusiasm for learning that is contagious!”— Felicia A. Russo, Principal, Long Branch Elementary School