By Suzanne Schmidt
Staff Writer
TAMPA — A bunch of teenagers hang out sharing their poetry and drinking hot chocolate in a coffee house atmosphere. But this is not a coffee shop — it’s a classroom.
Crystal Dukes’ classroom, to be exact.
Dukes, an English teacher at Freedom High School, uses this setting to teach students about poetry. Because of her unique teaching style and philosophy, Dukes is Teacher of the Year for Freedom.
She only recently learned that she is one of the top five candidates in the running for the Teacher of the Year for all of Hillsborough County. She said she is really excited because she set a goal for herself to be the teacher of the year and she made it.
“It is nice to be recognized for doing something I love,” Duke said. “I feel honored to be selected, but I couldn’t have done it without the support of my administration.”
One of her biggest supporters is Principal Chris Farkas.
“I think her ability to connect with the students is what sets her apart,” Farkas said. “She creates an atmosphere in the classroom where the students can feel comfortable. It is an environment where the students are having so much fun they don’t even know they are learning.”
Her student Mohammad Hasan, 14, of Lutz said he loves English now because Dukes is his teacher.
“She is a funny and cool teacher,” Hasan said. “I like that she takes time to tell jokes and to let us tell jokes. She is one of the best teachers I have ever had because she understands the students. Some teachers forget they were ever teenagers, but she remembers what it was like.”
Dukes said she thinks there are a few important qualities teachers should have.
“I think the most important thing a teacher should have is a passion for teaching,” Dukes said. “I also think teachers should always realize how much of a role model they are which is why I practice what I preach. I have the idea that the classroom is only a part of the bigger picture. I am always trying to see what I can do to affect people outside of the classroom.”
After class, Dukes is a mentor for the P.O.I.S.E.D. club for girls. P.O.I.S.E.D stands for Proper, Outstanding, Intelligent, Sophisticated, Extraordinary and Distinct.
Through the program, students in her class are paired with students in Liberty Middle School. She said the program helps the older girls to be good role models and it helps the younger girls by providing them with someone they know when they come to the high school.
“The mentorship program helps to build bridges between girls in the middle school and the high school,” Dukes said. “The girls have at least a once-a-week communication with each other, where they just talk about what is going on.”
One thing setting Dukes apart from other teachers is her ability to connect with students.
“I have been exposed to many different types of people since my father was in the military,” Dukes said. “It makes it easier on me since kids don’t come with a workbook and I have to learn how to work with each student.”
When deciding what career path to take, Dukes said she chose to become an English teacher because it is the most important subject a person can learn.
“It is the foundation for anything a person might want to pursue,” Dukes said. “English is not something a person just needs in high school, these are skills a person will always need.”
On Jan. 28 the district will announce its Teacher of the Year at the David A. Starz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, formerly Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. If Dukes wins, she will be in the running for Teacher of the Year for the state. For more information, visit www.educationfoundation.com.
