Ana Castro
Spanish Teacher
DuPont Manual High School, Louisville, KY

Meet Our Top 10 Educator of 2014: Ana Castro

Claes Nobel Educators of the Year

NSHSS is pleased to highlight our 2014 Claes Nobel Educators of the Year, presented to ten exemplary educators who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to preparing students for success in college and in life. These ten educators are among NSHSS’s student-nominated Claes Nobel Educators of Distinction program that recognizes educators who model best practices in teaching, are a positive influence for students and peers, and who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and excellence in education, as well as community engagement. Since the inception of the Educators of Distinction program in 2004, NSHSS has recognized more than 38,000 educators worldwide. 

Mrs. Castro is certified to teach both Spanish and Physical Science. She is experienced in curriculum development, teacher training, cooperative learning, professional learning communities, and student engagement. Mrs. Castro earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Superior Pedagogic Institute for Education in La Habana, Cuba, and she earned her Master of Education degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. Mrs. Castro is the founder and sponsor of the Latin American and Hispanic Student Organization. She is also a Cooperating Teacher and Peer Observer. Mrs. Castro was featured in The Language Educator, a national magazine, in 2014. 

Mrs. Castro parallels the educational experience of both the student and teacher to that of characters embarking on an adventure. She explains that obstacles are essential to the plot of any story, but like characters within a tale, she and her students emerge stronger and more improved after overcoming a feat. As opposed to solely emphasizing grades, Mrs. Castro assists her students in understanding the real-life application of their curriculum. She believes this allows student to take ownership over their educational process and establish a stronger sense of self while simultaneously increasing their academic knowledge. Mrs. Castro describes the learning experience she creates, “I mix language, culture, and history. I am in the business of learning. I am creating citizens of the world.”

DuPont Manual High School assistant principal Darryl W. Farmer describes Mrs. Castro’s teaching philosophy, “Mrs. Castro teaches her students core content but perhaps more importantly, she teaches lessons that impart independent thinking and problem solving.” Mrs. Castro’s nominating student adds, “She will do what she needs to do to make sure her students succeed in not only her class, but in life. With her, it's not about the grade, it's about what you learned.”

2015 IB Conference

NSHSS will be among a select group of exhibitors at the 2015 International Baccalaureate Conference of the Americas in Chicago, July 23-26. The conference represents the largest gathering of the global IB community, with over 1,500 educators from more than 30 countries expected to attend.

There are more than 4,000 schools offering International Baccalaureate® (IB) programmes. IB schools offer a challenging curriculum, incorporating best practices from a range of different educational frameworks. Students are encouraged to think critically, ask challenging questions and develop a global perspective on learning.

Keynote speakers include: Sir Ken Robinson, internationally recognized authority on creativity and innovation; Paul Tough, author and contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine; and award-winning children’s author and storyteller Carmen Agra Deedy.

Educators are invited to stop by the NSHSS booth #44 to find out more about the benefits of NSHSS membership.