Guyan Valley Middle School Nomination for Lincoln County Schools Teacher of the Year

Congratulations to Bobbi Walden

Bobbi Walden teaches English Language Arts 7 at Guyan Valley Middle School in

Branchland, WV where she has taught her entire teaching career of twenty-two years. The

school, students, families, and the community are near and dear to her heart as Guyan

Valley was her alma mater. A love of language and literature drove Ms. Walden to major

and earn a Bachelor of Speech Communications, 5-12, English Language Arts, 5-8, and a

Master of Reading Specialist, K-12, all from Marshall University in Huntington, West

Virginia. Helping reluctant readers enjoy reading is Ms. Walden's passion. She models her

thought process while reading aloud and showing students that it is acceptable to reread

and to question as one reads. Often, there is not a definitive answer when analyzing

literature. It is more important for students to support their opinions with sound reasoning

and evidence. There may be differing views amongst the students and even with the

teacher, but those are the kinds of discussions fostered in her classroom. Every student is

valued, respected, and feels comfortable participating.