![\"Natalie](\"https:\/\/www2.baylor.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/chou-dec23.jpg\")
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When the State of Texas seeks to honor the state\u2019s top student teacher, they often find that young educator at Baylor. That\u2019s the case again this year — the fifth time in the last seven years!<\/p>\n
Debbie Chou (BSEd ’23) earned top honors this year as Texas’ Clinical Teacher of the Year<\/a>. Chou, who says two of her main driving factors are \u201cto love others and impact the next generation,\u201d is living out that calling in the classroom. As a Baylor student teacher, she worked with first graders at Waco ISD\u2019s Hillcrest Professional Development School, where her teaching skills and impact impressed — enough that university faculty across the state, who select the honorees through the Texas Directors of Field Experience organization, recognized her from among her statewide peers.<\/p>\n As the child of educators herself, Chou chose Baylor because she wanted extensive in-class experience — a distinct strength in the Baylor School of Education<\/a>. There, she worked with faculty and her supervisor, Darlene Bolfing, to develop the skills and tools needed to effectively serve her first graders.<\/p>\n Of course, Chou doesn\u2019t have to look far to find peers who set the standard in student teaching. She joins a growing list of Bears who have won the same award in recent years, following in the footsteps of Stephanie Wright<\/a> (BSED ’16, MSED ’17), Rachel Vaughn<\/a> (BSED ’17),\u00a0Lauren Hornbeak<\/a> (BSED ’19) and\u00a0Alexandra Ronnenberg<\/a> (BSED ’21). That’s five of the last seven winners (no award was given in 2020 due to COVID)!<\/p>\n