Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, May 8, 1990                   TAG: 9005080660
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: TRACY VAN MOORLEHEM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FOR COUNTY'S TEACHER OF YEAR, HER JOB AT GLENVAR IS HER LIFE

Burton is well qualified to speak on both Chaucer and good teaching. The Glenvar High School English teacher was named Roanoke County's Teacher of the Year on Monday.

In her 17 years of teaching, Burton has continued "gladly learning" by attending seminars or college classes nearly every summer.

And she's continued "gladly teaching" even though "sometimes the paper load can beat the excitement out of you."

She regularly puts in evening and weekend hours at the school's writing lab, which she was instrumental in starting. She and another teacher laughingly call themselves fool 1 and fool 2 when they find themselves still at work at 10 or 11 pm.

"This job consumes my life," she said.

Burton said that unmotivated students are the most frustrating part of teaching. "The students who are doing just enough to get by . . . have been some of the most humbling classes to teach."

But, she said, her goal is not to infuse every student with the desire to become an English major in college. "Everyone's not going to be a lover of English," she said. "You just hope that those who don't like it leave your class at least no more turned off on the subject than they were when they entered."

One of her favorite aspects of teaching is that each summer she has a chance to reflect on the past year and plan on improvements. "I start the year with excitement every year. The renewal of the summer fills me with the hope that I can do better next year," she said.

Principal Al McClearn said that if a student wants to come in to use the writing lab at night, Burton will come in and sacrifice her personal time. "She's one of the most dedicated teachers I've ever known and I've been in this business a long time," he said.

Pat Zirkel, assistant principal, said that the trademark of Burton's teaching style is caring. "She takes a strong interest in her students' lives and tries to reach kids of all levels," she said. Burton teaches everything from 9th grade advanced English to 12th grade advanced placement courses.

Glenvar High School nominated Burton for the award, but, McClearn said, they had to twist her arm to get her to fill out the necessary forms.

"She doesn't like to blow her own horn," he said.

Burton said that it is nice to be recognized, but she wishes there were enough awards to recognize all of the excellent teachers in the school system.

"It's embarrassing for me to be highlighted because I know so many are doing so much."

Her students said they like Burton's classes because she makes them interesting with class discussion and group projects. Trish Bote, 16, said that sometimes the entire 10th grade English class will work together to write a story.

"But she's more than a teacher, she's a close friend. She's a really great person," Bote said.

Burton said that once another teacher asked her which she liked more, the subject matter or her students. "It was tough, I didn't know what to say. But I guess I'd have to go with the subject matter. I love English."