UF graduate is Broward County's Teacher of the Year

Brian Dassler, a UF College of Education alumnus, is Broward County Public Schools Teacher of the Year for 2007. 

Since graduating from UF, Dassler, 27, has taught English for the past three years at Fort Lauderdale’s Stranahan High School. He describes his teaching philosophy as “an unequivocal focus on student achievement, a sincere role for families in the education process, and classroom interaction and dialogue as a way of developing and refining communication and critical thinking skills.”

Dassler leads by example in encouraging students to take on leadership responsibilities and give back to others in the form of community service.

At UF, Dassler earned a bachelor’s degree in English in 2001 and a master’s in English education in 2002. While attending the College of Education, he was named the 2001 Florida College Student of the Year by Florida Leader magazine. 

Dassler said the college’s ProTeach program prepared him well for his education career.
“When I compare my first-year teaching with those of other new educators, I realize how well-prepared I was, thanks to ProTeach. From classroom management to instructional design and delivery, ProTeach prepared me in a way that I didn't fully realize until I had a classroom all to myself my first year,” Dassler said.

His former education faculty adviser, Associate Professor Emeritus Robert Wright, has Dassler pegged as a future leader in public education, saying, “My guess is that Brian will probably move on into administration and will be a principal or even a superintendent of schools somewhere, probably in the not too distant future.”

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Writer
Anwen “Wendy” Norman, anwendy@ufl.edu, (352) 392-0726, ext. 246