- January 4, 2025
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Darla Beck never wanted to be a teacher.
“I actually have a degree in French,” Beck said. “So everybody was like, 'you should be a French teacher.' I said, I don't want to be a French teacher. I'm going to go into international business or something, and then I ended up being a stay-at-home mom.”
Beck did work in the corporate world for a time for Citibank. But while raising her children she started substitute teaching to earn extra money, and she discovered she loved it.
“I never thought that I would love teaching, but I just really made connections with the kids,” she said.
Now in her 13th year at Imagine School at Town Center, she is still making connections with her students. Beck is the charter school’s Teacher of the Year.
She is in her 10th year sharing a class as a co-teacher. Beck and Stephanie Reyes teach a third-grade class with 46 students.
“We co-teach (English Language Arts) together at the same time with the whole group,” Beck explained. “Then we pull for small groups. For math, we do two groups. I do a larger group of about 34 and Stephanie does a smaller group that needs some extra support. For science and social studies, we teach together. We do whole group and then small group.”
Beck and Reyes are in their second year teaching together. Beck previously shared a class with Colleen Fonte. This is Beck’s first year teaching third grade. Last year, she and Reyes taught fourth grade.
“Ms. Beck has seamlessly managed a dual-classroom model, which has been highly valued by both students and families,” Principal Rachel Spires said.
Beck focuses on developing student character. She and Reyes do several character projects with the class throughout the year.
Everything that we do, we relate back to character,” Beck said. “Like, do you need to show perseverance in this situation? Do you need to show responsibility?
— DARLA BECK, Imagine School at Town Center Teacher of the Year
“Everything that we do, we relate back to character,” Beck said. “Like, do you need to show perseverance in this situation? Do you need to show responsibility? And we even make a struggle time poster where, good productive struggle is an important thing. We know it's frustrating but as an adult we're not always going to be able to get the answer. And so if we don't learn those coping skills and mechanisms, then as smart as you are or as much information that you have, if you don't know how to have productive struggle you’re not going to be the most successful version of yourself. And because we teach them how important it is to have self-accountability and responsibility, they really shine academically.”
Spires said Beck brings a calming presence to the classroom.
“Beyond the classroom, she supports her students by guiding them through service-learning projects, teaching the importance of giving back to their community,” Spires said.
Beck has never been a French teacher, but she has used it over the years. She traveled to France. And knowledge of the language has helped in some of her ELA lessons.
“It's a Latin-based language, so it helps me pass on my knowledge about Greek morphology, Latin-based morphology. It helps to know the word parts,” she said.
When she’s not teaching, Beck likes to travel, spend time with her boyfriend, Rodney Harshbarger — who is a music teacher at old Kings Elementary School — watch her younger son, Noah’s soccer games at Matanzas High School and visit her older son, who is a freshman illustration and graphic design major at UCF.
“We are proud of Ms. Beck and her unwavering commitment to our school, students and families,” Spires said.
