After 29 years as an educator in D.C. Public Schools, Darlene Morris is a firm believer in the transformative potential of education. Her goal, she explains, is “to create experiences and opportunities that expand my students’ view of the world and what is possible for them.  In order for their voices to be heard, they must get to the table, and the only way to the table is through knowledge.” The motto of Ms. Morris’s classroom, “we work the whole time,” signifies her expectation that students strive to give 100 percent effort, and the results speak for themselves. In the past three years, the Woodson Mathematics Department, which she leads, has observed a 13 percent gain in the number of students scoring proficient or advanced on the DC CAS, a 23 percent increase in the number of students passing Algebra I, and an eightfold increase in enrollment in Advanced Placement Statistics, as more students embrace challenging coursework to prepare for college and careers.

In addition to serving as Department Chair, Ms. Morris has worn numerous hats in DCPS: Mentor Teacher, After-school Programming Coordinator, Instructional Coach, Data Lead, summer school principal, Hope Street Group National Teacher Fellow, and member of the DCPS Family Engagement Collaborative. Despite the seriousness with which she approaches her work, Ms. Morris puts a great deal of effort into creating a school environment that feels special and welcoming, adorning hallways and classrooms with student work and inspirational messages, holding award ceremonies, offering incentives and rewards for positive behavior, and exposing students to high-quality programs and colleges. She also enjoys connecting with her students’ experiences, which, she jokes, “is my secret to staying young.”

Ms. Morris sees her chosen profession as one “that makes all other professions possible.” By emphasizing the importance of self-efficacy and metacognitive strategies, her students learn that academic success is the foundation for living an empowered life. “In a nutshell,” Ms. Morris reflects, “I am a teacher who loves what she does every day.”