Media Elementary educator is a finalist for Pa. Teacher of the Year

MIDDLETOWN >> Aaron Goldfarb followed his mother and grandmother into the family business.

In similar fashion, he is following his colleagues in recognition of that decision.

A fifth-grade teacher at Media Elementary School, Goldfarb has been named one of 12 finalists as the 2018 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year. The announcement marks the seventh consecutive year the district has had at least one educator under consideration.

“My grandmother was a fifth-grade teacher, too,” he said. “She will be so excited to hear about this.”

Co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania chapter of the National State Teacher of the Year, the award honors the individual’s achievements inside and outside the classroom. Nominations are made by educators, parents, students and community members.

Goldfarb and his mother, Mary Ellen, roamed the Rose Tree Media halls together; he as a student, she as an English teacher at Penncrest High School, language arts department supervisor and principal of Glenwood Elementary School. While he has developed his own style, he has incorporated some of her methods during his 11 years in the classroom.

“My mother always listened to her students and never trivialized issues which were a big deal to them,” he said. “She let them talk it through and gave it the right weight.”

Describing fifth grade as “the perfect age for me to teach,” Goldfarb noted he enjoys the enthusiasm it generates. As he prepares the students for the transition to middle school, he has his sights, and hopefully theirs, set on the years beyond Springton Lake. By helping them think analytically, develop a sense of self, determine the way to interact with others and shape their own beliefs, his goal is for the children see themselves not merely as 10- and 11-year olds, but as individuals who will make valuable contributions to society.

“They are at an age when they are trying to figure out ‘who am I – what do I stand for,’” he said. “I want them to know what is important to them is important.”

That preparation is also the culmination of their first five years in the school and Goldfarb credits his fellow teachers with the groundwork they have provided.

“The children come so well equipped with the skills they have learned in kindergarten-fourth grade,” he said. “It makes my job easy.”

While they may roll their eyes at his clichés (“Even if I am having a terrible Monday, it is only one-seventh my week”), Goldfarb realizes the students understand the message. As they consider the meaning, they can apply it to their own situation.

“I often remind them, ‘Let’s not think about what we have left, let’s think about what we have,’” he said. “Our school is a community and we realize the value we bring to one another.”

Goldfarb’s effect in the classroom was summarized by Principal Dr. Paula Voshell in her letter of recommendation.

“What makes Aaron exceptional? It is his desire to partner with families, his desire to learn and grow his practice and, most importantly, his desire for all students to be successful,” she wrote.

The finalists must be prepared to effectively carry out the duties of the state’s Teacher of the Year, including being Pennsylvania’s nominee for National Teacher of the Year. The former will be announced in December in Hershey at the SAS Institute, the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s annual professional development conference.

“It is so nice to be recognized,” said Goldfarb. “The kids will be so excited.”