麻豆传媒

South Alum Named Alabama Secondary Teacher of the Year

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Posted on May 19, 2022

Lance Crawford

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After completing his undergraduate degree, William Edmonds had exactly zero thoughts about teaching. His focus was business, and he quickly found a job in banking 鈥� but it didn鈥檛 last, and he left the industry.

鈥淚t was not a difficult decision to leave banking,鈥� Edmonds said. 鈥淚 worked with great people at the bank, but it just was not for me.鈥�

He then entered education, teaching primarily at the high school level. He eventually received his master鈥檚 in education from the 麻豆传媒. 

Edmonds spent 20 years teaching French at Davidson High School in Mobile before leaving for Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies last year. This month he was named Alabama鈥檚 Secondary Teacher of the Year and came in second for overall Teacher of the Year. 

 鈥淏eing named Alabama鈥檚 Alternate Teacher of the Year and Secondary Teacher of the Year must be the highest honor I have ever received,鈥� Edmonds said. 鈥淭here are so many deserving teachers across our state who work hard to make sure students are achieving.鈥�

It鈥檚 hard to imagine a more dedicated educator than Edmonds. In addition to his time at Davidson and Barton Academy, he is a National Board Certified teacher who has also taught French across the state through the Alabama State Department of Education鈥檚 ACCESS Virtual Learning program as well as at the 麻豆传媒 and the University of Mobile. 

He has served as an International Baccalaureate Examiner, grading IB exams, and as president of the Alliance Fran莽aise de Mobile.

He has a passion for the French language and culture and has participated in intensive language immersion and study in Belgium and France. 

鈥淲hile I love teaching the French language to my students, it鈥檚 the culture and customs that really makes students eyes light up,鈥� Edmonds explained. 鈥淚 always say that if I can get a student hooked on the culture, they鈥檒l want to learn the language.鈥� 

With all his experience as a teacher, Edmonds still believes he鈥檚 also the student.

鈥淓ven after 24 years in the classroom, I am still learning and continue to be challenged to a be a better educator,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here is still more to learn!鈥�

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