Longtime Washington-Caldwell middle school teacher Toby Thompson is one of 100 Wisconsin teachers recognized for their superior ability to inspire the love of learning among students, motivating others and providing meritorious service inside and outside his classroom.
On April 19, Thompson was presented with the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation 2015 Fellowship Award during a recognition luncheon hosted by former U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl at Monona Grove High School.
Dena Brechtl, who teaches at Waterford Union High School, was also honored April 19. Information about her award and a picture of Brechtl with Sen. Kohl, ran in the April 24 edition.
Thompson said he is humbled and grateful for the nominations and the award. Besides the recognition, Thompson will receive $3,000 for his fellowship, and an additional $3,000 grant will be awarded to the school for use in innovative educational projects.
The former senator has tripled the amount of the fellowship and grant in celebration of the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation’s 25th anniversary. In previous years, $1,000 was awarded.
Thompson said he has no immediate plans for spending his award money yet, but noted that his Milwaukee home was built in the 1920s “so there is always something to fix or update.”
Thompson, who has been educating for nearly two decades, teaches middle school English, literature and social studies. He is also the school’s Talented and Gifted Coordinator, leading up the National Junior Honor Society, forensics, drama and the student-run newspaper, among other activities.
Thompson’s personal teaching philosophy is “that learning is fun, so school should be a fun place to learn.”
“Students should look forward to coming to school,” Thompson said. “I strive to make my classroom a warm, inviting place.”
His “fun” philosophy is a reason former student Alyssa Rohner said has inspired her love of writing.
“Before Mr. Thompson, I had little interest in English or writing,” she wrote in her nomination letter. “After graduating from Washington-Caldwell, I love to write. My dream job is to be a writer – either a journalist or an author of fiction.”
Thompson’s teaching career stemmed from an early career in business administration. “I was working at Wendy’s International in Chicago training restaurant managers,” he said. “I taught weekly classes at their headquarters, and I found that I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the teaching, but I did not enjoy the restaurant business and I wanted a job where I made a difference.”
Soon after, he moved back to Wisconsin, where he attended UW-Stevens Point to become a certified teacher.
The change proved to pay off and for the past 18 years he has been rewarded with watching his students at Washington-Caldwell grow and succeed.
His passion in the classroom doesn’t come without a challenge, but is one he is eager to overcome – reaching all students.
“Students come to school with all sorts of backgrounds and some kids have problems that make it difficult to reach them,” he said. “Luckily we have a wonderful staff that makes it possible to reach all students.”
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