The College of Education (COE) is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of impactful educators across our community. COE alum and current School District U-46 teacher Aimee Hutchison Legatzke, ’03, was honored with the 2024 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching for her profound work in her kindergarten classroom.
Legatzke’s passion for teaching came from her childhood. “I always wanted to teach. My mom taught for a short time, and my dad taught High School math for his whole career,” she said. “Education was built into my image for what life looked like: you grow up, get married, and become a teacher! I couldn’t picture anything else.”
Across her 21 years in the classroom, first in Hanover Park before moving to her current position in South Elgin, Illinois, Legatzke has only grown more sure of herself and her career. “Once I started working in the classroom, I knew there was nothing else I was fit to do.”
While her passion for teaching is at the center of her life and career, Legatzke was not looking for the acknowledgement that came with the Golden Apple Award. “I saw the email notification in November of 2023, and my first reaction was to say no, not doing it!” she said. “But I waited a week and told a colleague, who then told me I had to follow through. I knew I would have regretted not trying, so I moved forward with the application thinking nothing would come of it.”
Golden Apple’s Award for Excellence in Teaching has an intensive application process. After teachers are nominated, they must submit video recordings of their instruction, and five separate essays related to their teaching before the end of the fall semester.
As a National Board-Certified teacher, Legatzke has experience with similarly involved applications. “When I did the National Board work, I did so much reflective work on who I am as an educator, and how to sharpen my skills into becoming even better,” she said. “I got my certification many years ago, but it is a deep dig into who you are as a teacher. It was a consuming but very rewarding process, and having completed something so substantial before helped me feel capable when it came to applying for the Golden Apple Award.”
After completing the rigorous process just before Christmas, Legatzke focused on the accomplishment of completing the intensive application. “I didn’t think I would ever hear anything back about the award, but it was rewarding enough to have been nominated, and taking a dive back in to who I am as a teacher,” she said. “While applying I learned that there was only a five percent chance of even being a finalist, so when I heard in February of this year that I had been selected, I finally thought I had a shot!”
“During that time, I learned I was nominated by a parent. Being celebrated by a colleague or administrator is still great, but they see you every day and get to know you as a professional. For someone to know about my teaching capabilities not through classroom evaluations, but through how a child was learning and growing – that’s a true honor.”
“Once I started working in the classroom, I knew there was nothing else I was fit to do.”
Instead of a traditional award presentation, the Golden Apple Foundation surprises their award recipients by bringing the award to the winning teacher’s school and celebrating with their colleagues and students. Legatzke spend the week before receiving her award following these celebrations on social media.
“The day of my surprise I didn’t think they would come. I saw one earlier in the day on Facebook, so I was relaxed,” she said. “Actually, I was a little frustrated – my principal called me while I was in the library with my students to tell me there was an issue in my classroom and I had to stay put! The kids were wanting to go back, and I had to keep coming up with new things to entertain them, so I was a little annoyed until I knew what was going on!”
“It was overwhelming, but very exciting,” Legatzke said of the surprise. “When I attended the finalists’ banquet earlier in the year, I heard one of the founders speak about Golden Apple, and how they wanted to create something like the Oscars, but for teachers. It’s incredible to feel celebrated in that way.”
Legstzke’s award is a source of pride and excitement, but it is also representative of her achievements in her classroom. She uses a relaxed structure that prioritizes student choice, fostering a love and curiosity for learning in her kindergarteners. “I use flexible seating in my room, some kids sit on the floor or in bean bags, some use tables and desks, whatever is most comfortable for their learning,” she said. “I just provide them with clipboards or other tools they need for success in whatever space they find themselves in.”
“I run my class using a workshop model built around ‘must do’ and ‘may do’ sections to let my students explore what topics or activities they like within the parameters of our learning standards,” she said. “Most teachers really struggle with letting go, myself included. But learning to give my kids these options has helped them grow because they actually want to. Once I dove deep into my teaching, I learned that facilitating my class by meeting my students where they are helped grow my instruction and their learning.”
Legatzke’s teaching pedagogy has helped keep her passion for teaching alive as she continues in her career. While her students exhibit better self-regulation, problem-solving skills, and autonomy over their learning, she gets to enjoy watching her favorite part of her job as an educator. “Seeing the progress and connections being made is just so rewarding. Every day is hard, but every year is wonderful, since I get to see a class grow into a group of proud, independent learners.”
Her drive to be a skilled educator was already clear during her time at Illinois State. As a Professional Development Schools (PDS) student, Legatzke chose to spend a full year in the classroom, combining her clinical hours with her student teaching before she graduated for the betterment of her teaching.
“Once I was into my career, I really didn’t feel like a first-year teacher! For educators, experience is always the best teacher,” she said. “Getting to spend an extended period of time getting to know a group of students before I lead my own classroom taught me so much about how I could be the best teacher I could, and I’m so glad ISU supported me in that opportunity.”
Congratulations to Aimee Legatzke on her achievement, and for her incredible contribution to the growth of all her students.
