Way to go !!!!

Sounds like a great teacher.

Unfortunately it also sounds like this great teacher is not working with the students but has gone on to the "district office" kind of coaching job.

We really need to keep the best teachers in the classroom and not lose them to district office jobs just because they pay more.

Pay good teachers to stay in the classroom not leave it!

The kids need good teachers. The district office doesn't.

Way to go Eric! Eric deserves this soooo much. He is such an incredible teacher, as I saw, being a first grade teacher with him for 3 years. I am so excited for him and for everyone that gets to see his talents.

Funny thing.

It is a funny thing that two of the three Utah teachers nominated came from the same school. It makes me think that somebody at the school (principal, maybe) promotes their teachers, and helps them get some limelight.

As a former teacher, I can say that this guy is not alone as being a great teacher, but had to leave the classroom to accomplish career success.

It is funny, too. Many of the true stories about teachers that get made into movies. Very very rarely are those teachers still in the classroom.

When I was doing my student teaching, we watched a hollywood movie about a teacher in California, who showed up for her first year, implemented positive change in the classroom, ruffled feathers of all the other teachers and wrote a book about her first year teaching. The kicker that wasnt in the movie: Her first year teaching was her only time she ever spent teaching in a classroom.

We need to award teachers who stay in the classroom year after year after year. (30 year retirement in Utah).

He probably gets paid more outside the classroom, that is probably why he left. Sad.

when you see these movies like "Stand and Deliver" and "Freedom Writers" that many times these great teachers often leave the profession after a short time, or in Jaime Escalante's case returned to teaching after leaving Garfield HS to consult and publicly speak etc. to a charter like private school with far less challenges.

Parents seem to want these type of teachers which is understandable. But what usually happens is that they often leave the classroom for the greener pasteurs of administration, consultation etc.

However, there is something to be said for the non-super but competetent teacher who hangs in there for the long haul. To teach like Escalante or the other great teachers portrayed in the movies in the modern public education, takes great sacrifice in energy, time and emotion--and most often this can't be sustained.

But I would like to say there is one teacher that I've admired since I was a student myself in high school well over 25 years ago. Somebody make a movie about Dave Chavis of Brighton HS, one of the best public educators and coaches in the business and he did so for the long haul and inspired an entire generation of students!

What I find interesting is all the bitterness that comes from a teacher winning an award. One teacher winning an award should not make every other teacher feel like less. I know Eric well enough to know that he would not seek out such an award, nor would he begrudge another teacher such an award.

I also know what kind of job Eric has left the classroom for. What he will be doing is working with 2 different schools to help the children, on an individual level, in each of those schools who are struggling with literacy.

You will have to forgive my writing skills, but I am not an educator. I am grateful for all the people in education who give up their time and abilities in all aspects of the field. I believe that most of them are not motivated by a personal desire for greatness, or reward.

Hi Eric
We are so proud of you.I was glad to see this news.
Love and miss you Linda,Donny,Doug

Eric Kern didn't leave the classroom for greener pastures as far as accolades or promotions go--he would never seek acknowledgment for himself and he would whole-heartedly cheer anyone else's success. He still adores to promote literacy and will still work with the children just in a different setting with more much-needed recompense. Literacy is in his bones and he will foster it wherever he goes with his trademark kindness and enthusiasm. Way to go, Eric!!!

Eric is my son and I am very proud of him and his feelings for doing what he thinks is correct. He is a very gifted person and has been that way as long as I can remember. I Love you Son