Over a 19-year teaching career, Mr. Robinson has taught in several middle and high schools in Richmond City. Since 2015, Robinson has taught social studies at Virgie Binford Education Center, a school inside the Richmond Juvenile Detention Center. Robinson's work at Virgie Binford has provided him the opportunity to learn more about the school-to-prison pipeline, and to commit his efforts toward expanding the horizons of his students. He describes his teaching as a whole-child approach that helps his students gain both the academic and socio-emotional skills that will allow them to move beyond past mistakes and pursue their dreams for a better future.
The National Teacher of the Year is awarded by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), which wrote in their award announcement that Mr. Robinson "creates a positive school culture by empowering his students-many of whom have experienced trauma-to become civically-minded social advocates who use their skills and voices to affect physical and policy changes at their school and in their communities." After the award was announced in April, Mr. Robinson said, "[The award] means my students have an advocate who is going to tell their stories and fight for the resources they need to be successful. I didn't get into [teaching] for this. I just got into it to help students and fight for them."
The event is sponsored by the College of Education and Human Services, the College of Graduate and Professional Studies and the Math and Computer Science Colloquium.
7:30 pm February 24 Maugans Blackwell Ballroom The event is free and open to the public.