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Fil-Am named Oregon's Teacher of the Year

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Paul Garilao | TFC News USA

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OeK9foqByyQ?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>The Oregon Department of Education, in partnership with the Oregon Lottery, selected Fil-Am Ethelyn Tumalad as the state&#x27;s Teacher of the Year for 2022. Wth this honor, Tumalad serves as spokesperson and representative for all Oregon teachers until October of this year.The award came as a surprise for the Clackamas High School teacher because she says she has just been teaching for over five years compared to other past awardees who have been in the profession for at least 20 years.&quot;It is definitely an honor... The coolest part of it is whatever you are passionate about, that is kinda what your platform is. I am very passionate about retaining and recruiting teachers of color,&quot; Tumalad notes.Tumalad was born in California. But when she was five years old, her family moved to the Philippines where she got reconnected to her roots. &quot;When it comes to being Filipino, we naturally are a culture that is very collective, very warm, very caring. We are a culture that has gone through a lot of resistance.&quot;When her family moved back to the US, her dad, being a US Navy service member, was stationed in Washington. Tumalad took a bachelor&#x27;s degree in English language and Literature at Western Washington University. She also completed her master&#x27;s of education in secondary teaching at Portland State University. &quot;Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I didn’t see many teachers who looked like me,&quot;Tumalad says. &quot;Of course, I have a lot of excellent teachers. But none were Filipino or Asian Pacific Islander. That’s why I decided I should be an educator.&quot;Tumalad uses the classroom to teach valuable lessons and address pressing issues such as putting a stop to Asian hate.&quot;In our history, Asian hate is not new. It has been embedded into the United States... We need to educate others and put it into our history so we don’t repeat our history. And make sure all our students are supported no matter what their background is.&quot;Tumalad adds that she is glad to see her students becoming agents of change especially amid the pandemic. &quot;They are learning how to be with each other. That has been what’s been hard with the pandemic. We have a bunch of kids who have been disconnected at first, and there are more who have been disconnected now. They’re trying to learn how to be together.&quot;Tumalad also issues advice to fellow teachers.&quot;Be yourself. Listen to the students. Meet them where they are. Lean into your identity... Just don’t be afraid. I know it can be tough,&quot; the Fil-Am says, as she admits being a teacher is a hard career because &quot;it&#x27;s so human-oriented.&quot;

A Fil-Am, who has been using the classroom to address pressing issues such as Anti-Asian hate, is named Oregon’s Teacher of the Year.