Ceremony held for Dorchester National Teacher of the Year

DORCHESTER, Mass. — A ceremony on Friday honored a teacher who is the first charter school teacher and first in the state to be awarded the National Teacher of the Year award.

"Build great relationships with students and that's where the magic of teaching comes from,” said Sydney Chaffee.

Chaffee is a teacher at the Codman Academy Charter Public School in Dorchester.

Chaffee was also the first charter school teacher to win the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year award last year.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools praised the selection on Thursday.

"Charter school teachers are public school teachers, who alongside their district peers work tirelessly, day in and day out, to provide their students with a high-quality public school education," Nina Rees, the group's president and CEO, said in a statement.

The teacher educates ninth-grade humanities to inner-city students. Educating students about history and past injustices such as racial segregation are key components of her curriculum.

Chaffee said she hopes to provide a strong education and give her students the tools needed to fight for what they want from the world.

"I am ecstatic for the rest of the world to finally recognize Sydney for the amazing teacher and role model she has been in my life," said Latanya Simpson, a 2016 Codman graduate.

The students participate in acting classes at the Huntington Theatre Company to find their voice and build communication skills. This is a particularly special aspect for Chaffee who was a stand-up comic and actress in high school plays.

“The positivity that she brings to the classroom is obvious in everything she does with her students and then in the way they interact with each other,” said Meg O’Brien of the Huntington Theatre Company.

Chaffee humbly expressed her thanks at the award ceremony.

“Honesty and high expectations mixed with humor is a combination that always wins,” said Chaffee.

Cox Media Group