Teachers Who Inspire: Alum Barbara Gerber Nourished by Student Relationships

SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN -- The 52-year-old teacher earned her Bachelor’s degree in English at San Francisco State University in 1987, and then spent about 15 years as a journalist and freelance writer before turning to teaching in 2003 — first at the Santa Fe Community College and then at De Vargas Middle School and other public schools in the city. In 2007, she went to work for Santa Fe High School teaching English and journalism, and running the student newspaper. Last year, Terra Nova Books of Santa Fe published Gerber’s first novel, “Love and Death in a Perfect World.” Since 1992, Partners in Education, a nonprofit that supports Santa Fe public schools, has presented the Teachers Who Inspire award to more than 140 teachers. Each recipient gets $1,200 and a glass apple. Gerber’s nomination letter praised her work prepping her students for advanced placement courses, assisting her colleagues and participating in professional-development institutes for high-school English teachers.