Spotlight: Derrick Winn (LA '23)

Louisiana Milken Educator Derrick Winn is a visible leader both in and out of the classroom. Derrick sees the positive impact that active involvement has on relationship building with students, parents and the community at large. His own eighth grade teacher inspired his creativity and hands on learning approach through trips across the country and abroad. He hopes that his students feel safe, welcomed and loved. “I want students to remember me like I remember the best teachers I’ve had. I remember those teachers because of their warmth, creativity and positivity.” Derrick received a 2023-24 Louisiana Milken Educator Award in Baton Rouge on February 6, 2024.

Milken Family Foundation: How have students responded since your Milken Educator Award surprise?

Derrick Winn (LA '23): The students in my school have responded very positively to my award. I'm already known by my own students and students I haven't taught due to my involvement with different school programs, so it was no surprise that they were genuinely excited to see me get the award. Even though it's not surprising, their response has been heartwarming and amusing.

MFF: Who are your role models as an educator?

Winn: One of my role models as an educator is my eighth grade English teacher. Her name is Allison Adams el Koubi. She is originally from Newfoundland, Canada. Inside the classroom, I remember her being loving, welcoming, and intentional about our learning. She made learning exciting and fun through games and planned activities. What is most memorable about Mrs. el Koubi are the experiences she provided for us outside of the classroom. She took a group of us to Newfoundland, Canada to participate in an international music festival that was directed by Bobby McFerrin! That experience is one I'll never forget. It was my first time on a plane and my first time leaving the country. It allowed us to see and experience cultures that we wouldn't have been able to otherwise. We also took a trip to New York where I was able to see a Broadway play and explore New York. Mrs. el Koubi helped develop my writing and poetry skills as she took me to poetry slams and speaking engagements along with putting on productions of our own. She inspired me to be creative with how I interact with my students. 

MFF: Tell us about your first year of teaching. 

Winn: My first year of teaching was challenging. I dealt with discipline issues and with a lack of resources, but it was also a learning experience. I had a mentor who helped me balance being firm and loving as she guided me on class expectations and other advice that helped me grow.

MFF: What do you hope students remember from their time with you?

Winn: I hope students look back on their time with me as one where they felt welcomed, safe, loved, cared for, and where they found confidence that they may not have had before. I still have students who bring up memories from my class and I feel blessed to know that I've had a positive impact on them. I have classroom memories that I look back on and they make me smile, but I also have some that are sad. I want students to remember me like I remember the best teachers I've had. I remember those teachers because of their warmth, creativity and positivity.

MFF: You are a visible leader in the school and community. How does your active involvement enhance your practice? What does teacher leadership mean to you?

Winn: Active involvement enhances my practice because it gives me the opportunity to build relationships with students, parents, and my community. I have found that parents trust me more when they get to know me. For example, I am visible because I am the Class Dojo mentor for my school, so parents expect communications about school events from me. This helps me engage with those I don't teach. I also am heavily involved in the student government association (SGA), homecoming, and other events that have made me even more visible. When communicating with parents and the community in these different roles, I strive to engage them in polite, professional, and personal ways so they know that their children are being cared for when they are in our school. 

MFF: What initiatives or strategies have you found most impactful in fostering collaboration and professional growth among your colleagues?

Winn: I've found that both formal and informal meetings among colleagues have been very beneficial. As a school, we have professional learning communities where we share and discuss data, challenges, and opportunities for growth. I've also found our unscheduled meetings to be helpful. I, as well as others in my school, regularly engage in conversations where we share thoughts and ideas that work for us. Those meetings help build relationships and help us grow as educators.

MFF: What advice would you share with people who are interested in becoming teachers?

Winn: I would encourage those interested in becoming a teacher to first understand that they will be entering one of the most noble professions in the world. I would advise them to sit in classrooms and seek out the kind of teacher they want to be and learn from that teacher. They will have to understand that it takes continuous growth and persistence, but the rewards of the hard work they put in far outweigh the challenges. 

MFF: Are you working on any interesting initiatives or new projects these days?

Winn: I'm excited that our school will be using the book, "The Energy Bus" to help develop our environment into an even more positive and collaborative one. I have been asked to give a presentation based on the energy stick presentation I saw at the Milken Educator Award Forum. I've also been asked to be a mentor teacher for this year, which I have accepted.

Watch our interview with Derrick Winn (LA '23) on the day of his Milken Award notification: