Theodosia Ballard, Porter Elementary
5th Grade Teacher
Theodosia Ballard lives by the words of Maya Angelou, “Pursue the things you love doing, and do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you. All other tangible rewards will come as a result.”

As a young child, she was a volunteer tutor for the Girls Club of San Diego, where she learned the value and rewards of helping others learn. But her path through the educational system didn’t lead to her own classroom until she conquered her own fear of failure. Growing up, she believed what others told her -- that she did not have what it would take to go to college, yet alone graduate.

Theodosia has now spent 14 years as a teacher, all at Walter J. Porter Elementary School and its predecessor, John F. Kennedy Elementary. She’s also a resident of the Lincoln Heights neighborhood.

“I believe that students will rise or fall to your expectations,” she said. “Many have labeled the students that I have the privilege of serving as “low” achieving. The truth is, my students are under-achieving. They have the ability to do well, yet don’t believe they can.”

Theodosia – Theo to her friends – is determined to create achievers in her classroom. “I want to provide students with an experience different than the one I had encountered in school,” she said. “ I want to be the catalyst that plants the seeds of change. I want to touch lives, influence minds, motivate hearts, encourage self-confidence and instill a life-long love of learning.”

Her passion for education comes through in any conversation with the fifth-grade teacher; her will is strong and dedication to the profession deep. Her roles at Porter/King have included staff development and mentoring her fellow teachers; she’s currently a member of the school’s Instructional Leadership Team.

Fellow Porter teacher Sheila Kramer said that Theo’s energy swept her off her feet on her first day of teaching more than nine years ago. Since then, they’ve become professional colleagues and friends.

“She lives in the neighborhood and is extremely involved,” said Kramer. “She’s sacrificed her personal time and funds to attend non-school sponsored events with her students.”

Her dedication has even extended to visiting students’ homes and occasionally purchasing shoes, clothing and supplies.

Ballard graduated from SDSU in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies and an emphasis in Elementary Education, following it up with a curriculum and instruction master’s degree in 1998. She’s currently in the joint USD/SDSU Ph.D. program.