Beth Hanlon, 2017-2018 OFLA President

Spanish Teacher, Oberlin High School

The Teacher of the Year Award is designed to recognize very accomplished language teachers that follow best practices, both state and national standards, as well as proficiency guidelines. The Teacher of the Year portfolio submitted by applicants consists of letters of recommendation from a supervisor, a current student, and a current/former parent; a Curriculum Vitae/Resume; a five-hundred-word personal statement on the value of learning languages and developing cultural competence for all learners; samples of student work that reflect the goals of the State and National Standards for Learning Languages; a video of the candidate teaching of 15-20 minutes; and an interview with the Teacher of the Year Selection Committee.

It is my honor to introduce the Ohio Foreign Language Association’s 2018 Teacher of the Year, Lee Bishop, Japanese teacher at Columbus North International School!

Lee’s Teacher of the Year portfolio details her dedication to her students and her profession. In addition to teaching Japanese at Columbus North International School, Lee has assisted in implementing a Korean program for students. She organizes trips for students to Japan and is a faculty advisor for the United Nations Foundation sponsored Girl Up! Club and the Korean Language and Culture Club.

She has worked with the Ohio Department of Education and ACTFL on standards revisions; served on the OFLA board in various capacities as well as the Ohio Association of Japanese Teachers and the Northeast Association of Japanese Language Teachers boards; has presented at OFLA, CSCTFL, and ACTFL; is involved in the Asia Society International Studies Schools Network; as well as serving as a Japanese teacher and camp director for Camp OFLA. In 2009, Lee was named the International Educator of the Year by the Columbus Council of World Affairs. Lee has a great deal of experience with international business which is of great benefit to her Japanese students as she frequently makes career connections and opportunities for her them.

Lee will now represent OFLA at the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, March 8-10, 2018. Please join me in congratulating her and wishing her luck at CSCTFL! (Also look for her sessions at the 2018 OFLA conference!)