Her Story
Pat Graff says she wanted to teach even as a small child. A family tradition of teachers, outstanding teacher models of her own and special students all pushed her toward the classroom; in second grade, Sister Assumpta asked her to help a classmate who was struggling to read, and she saw that she could make a difference. She earned a triple-major bachelor’s degree at Oklahoma State University in 1972–1976 and went on to graduate work at the University of New Mexico and Indiana University.
She taught English, journalism, social studies and French at Cleveland Middle School in Albuquerque from 1976 to 1986, where she also sponsored student council, a ski club, a French club and a Girl Scout troop of more than forty members. In 1986 she joined La Cueva High School as it opened, “from the pouring of the concrete foundations, literally,” drawn by the chance to build the newspaper and literary magazine programs from scratch. With no funding and student journalists from five different schools, her program won the state sweepstakes award within two years. Her students have won more than 2,000 awards since 1986, and in 1993 one of them was named National High School Journalist of the Year, the only New Mexican and the first African American to receive the honor.
Her honors include New Mexico Teacher of the Year (1993, and a finalist for National Teacher of the Year that year), the Milken National Educator Award (1994), the Disney Teacher Award (1998), a USA TODAY All-USA Teacher award (1999), National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year (1995), the National Council of Teachers of English Distinguished Service Award (2001), the Governor’s Award for Outstanding New Mexico Women (2004) and National Board certification (2001).
Beyond the Classroom
Graff believes co-curricular activities and service are central to a student’s development. She sponsored La Cueva’s first four-year class, which built a tradition of community service that helped make the school a National Service-Learning Leader School in 1999. She wrote the application, administered a mini-grant program for the school cluster and led statewide workshops. In 1990 she created La Cueva’s Celebration of Teaching, in which students spend a day in an elementary classroom and are honored at a banquet, and more than 1,000 of them have tried teaching; many have become teachers. She has also brought Future Educators of America to New Mexico, and in 1990 created the statewide English Expo, which has reached more than 20,000 students in 16 years.
Her professional leadership includes helping create a national certification program for journalism educators, founding the state’s network for National Board support, and teaching a Pre-Candidate Class to more than 400 teachers. She has mentored more than 30 teachers through National Board certification, served on the Three-Tiered Licensure Implementation Council that reshaped how New Mexico evaluates and pays teachers, and worked with the Carnegie/NASSP Breaking Ranks commission on restructuring the American high school. She has been a keynote speaker at more than 100 state, regional and national conventions, and has co-chaired the La Cueva English department since 1996.
Philosophy Into Practice
Graff describes her classroom as a community of learners where “we are all partners in learning,” with tables instead of desks, a bank of computers and a darkroom for developing photos “old style.” Students take responsibility for their learning while she coaches, and every unit is tied to real-world connections. Her students have interviewed Spike Lee, Jesse Jackson and George H. W. Bush, travel to local ruins and to Santa Fe and Los Alamos, write children’s books and read them to younger students, and reach more than 1,000 students a year through outreach programs.
She writes at least one positive personal note home about every student every year. When a parent calls upset, her first words are, “Thank you for caring about your child.” Her student journalists, including English language learners and special education students, have had a 100 percent pass rate on the state exit exam composition for ten years, and the school paper sells about $10,000 in advertising a year.
“I treat every student as a treasure in my classroom, writing at least one positive personal note home to the parents every year on every student.”— Pat Graff
“My job is to set high standards and expect much of them so they can maximize their time in my classroom.”— Pat Graff
In Her Own Words
“Even as a small child, I wanted to teach. I honestly feel I was born to teach.”— Pat Graff
“I am permanently enchanted with possibilities.”— Pat Graff
“In my classroom, we are all a community of learners.”— Pat Graff
“I love sharing my learning and excitement about new ideas with others.”— Pat Graff
“Excellence matters and it is worth the effort.”— Pat Graff
“Education done well is the only way to improve the quality of life for many of our students.”— Pat Graff
What Others Said
“Pat is a dedicated educator and outstanding leader in promoting educational issues in New Mexico.”— Martina Z. Marquez, nominator and colleague
“She was the only teacher my son has had in four years of high school that took the time to really recommend him for awards and recognition.”— Maria Elena Casanova, colleague and parent of a former student
“Pat is a vital and essential player in educator quality reform in New Mexico.”— James R. Ball, Assistant Secretary for Educator Quality, New Mexico Public Education Department
“I know that a true, well-earned compliment from a good teacher makes a tremendous difference.”— Jason M. DeWitte, NBCT, former student and colleague
“Her classrooms are dynamic and innovative.”— Todd Resch, Assistant Principal, La Cueva High School
“Pat has produced a generation of students who have become successful journalists, lawyers, teachers, scientists, and members of other productive professions.”— Jim Zalewski, English Department Co-chair, La Cueva High School