SANFORD, Fla. — Seminole County teacher Gina Tucker says she knows the influence instructors can have helping students achieve life-long success. She says it is a lesson she learned early on.
- Gina Tucker is this week's A+ Teacher
- She teaches at Sanford Middle School
- NOMINATE A TEACHER: Know a teacher who you would like to see in our segment? Head to our page and fill out the form
Tucker was nominated as an A+ teacher by a parent. She teaches English as a second language at Sanford Middle School.
She says the best part of her job is seeing her students become successful in her classroom only to go out in the world to do the same.
Tucker gets emotional just thinking about it and says, "Sometimes I cry from happy emotions."
Tucker is a veteran teacher who almost chose a different career.
"I first I studied journalism. I lived in Spain. I got my Spanish degree. My family is from Europe and so I've taught Spanish, French, English as a second language, and reading because I just like diversity. I just love it," she recalled.
And it was her seventh-grade teacher Mr. Humphries inspired her to teach.
"He allowed me to go as far as college level reading in seventh grade. He just encouraged me to keep going and he individualized the process for me. Now a hundred years, later here I am teaching," Tucker says.
Tucker says she was deeply touched over being recognized as an A+ Teacher.
"The fact that a parent nominated me is stunning."