EL MONTE — After two decades of helping students find their voices, English teacher Jorane Barton has earned one of her school district’s highest honors.
The longtime El Monte Union educator was named the district’s 2026-27 Teacher of the Year, recognizing her creative teaching methods and commitment to helping students build confidence, express themselves and succeed in the classroom.
District officials celebrated Barton during the Oct. 7 Board of Trustees meeting, presenting certificates from the board and state Sen. Susan Rubio’s office, along with a commemorative plaque.
Barton received certificates from the Board of Trustees and state Sen. Susan Rubio’s office, along with a commemorative plaque recognizing her contributions to education.
Coming from a family with a tradition in education, Barton has continued that commitment through an approach that places students’ individual needs at the center of learning.
Creating A Classroom Where Students Feel Welcome
For Barton, helping students succeed begins with creating a space where they feel safe, supported and ready to learn.
Following the pandemic, she transformed her classroom with colorful decorations, tissue-paper flowers and encouraging posters. The welcoming atmosphere reflects her belief that students benefit from an environment that supports their emotional and academic needs.
She also developed a creative way to encourage classroom participation, particularly among students who may hesitate to speak.
Students earn raffle tickets when they contribute to class discussions. Barton holds two gift-card raffles per class period each month, giving students an incentive to share their thoughts.
Her creative writing students experience another opportunity to express themselves through poetry.
Each quarter, Barton collects their poems and binds them into a book, creating a collection of student writing that recognizes their creativity and individual perspectives.
Principal Freddy Arteaga praised Barton’s ability to understand students’ needs while helping them develop confidence and creativity.
Helping Students Find Their Own Voices
Barton’s English instruction combines literature, discussion and writing to strengthen students’ communication and critical thinking skills.
Her freshman and sophomore classes explore novels, poetry, short stories, articles and essays. Students read together, discuss ideas and develop written responses that demonstrate their understanding.
Nonfiction assignments introduce subjects including health, careers, technology, current events and social responsibility.
Through paragraph and essay writing, Barton encourages students to examine information, form opinions and support their conclusions with evidence.
Her daily classroom routine includes short writing exercises, opportunities for students to share their work, group reading and reflection.
These activities provide students with regular opportunities to practice communicating their ideas while developing essential academic skills.
The district’s recognition highlights how individual educators can make meaningful contributions through patience, creativity and consistent encouragement.
For the El Monte Union community, Barton’s honor celebrates an educator who helps students recognize that their ideas matter and their voices deserve to be heard.
More information about the recognition is available through the El Monte Union High School District.
