Michel Allen Long

Michael Allen Long teaches a combination fourth and fifth grade at Carmela Elementary School in Whittier in the South Whittier School District (Los Angeles County).

“Mr. Long is an extraordinary teacher who puts in long hours both in and out of the classroom as he instills in his students a love and respect for education, especially for the written word as his parents had instilled in him,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell. “He finds fulfillment in knowing that he has taught students to write, a skill, he says, with the ‘capacity to give voice to the masses.'”

In Mr. Long’s application for the California Teachers of the Year Program, he wrote:

“The issue of failing writing scores is not new to public schools in the United States, especially among upper grade students. However, experts are baffled by the fact that students, who are making gains in reading and other aspects of language, simple cannot seem to make the grade when it comes to composition. I believe this trend threatens the geo-political success of our future leaders, and if they are to become globally competitive, they must be able to master the written domain. Technology will change, as will the needs of the job market. The need for competent writers, however, will always exist, increasing simultaneously with the demands of the information age.”

Mr. Long earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies in 1994 and Master of Art’s degree in Education in 1999, both from Biola University, where he also received a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. He received a Cross-cultural Language & Academic Development certificate from the University of San Diego in 2005.