When Andrea Peterson landed her first teaching job, she faced the task of creating a music program with almost no money for equipment or supplies in a climate where standards-based learning was the focus and music just provided a break for students and teachers. For her drive and creativity in overcoming those challenges, she's been name national teacher of the year. Principal Waynes Kettler said he's worked with many outstanding teachers in his 22 years as an educator, but Peterson is "just that one step above anybody I've ever worked with before." Kettler and others at Monte Cristo Elementary School talk about the ways she has introduced the learning from other classrooms into her music program and her creativity in working around things such as the lack of money for new music. When students were reading S.E. Hinton's novel in their regular classroom, Peterson helped them write a 30-minute play with scenes from the book. Then they chose three Broadway tunes that focused on race, equality and social justice, the themes of the book. Peterson composed two other sons herself after classroom discussions about the play and the book. The honor means a lot to residents of Granie Falls. It's inspiring to know that people from small towns can even win national honors. As national teacher of the year, Peterson will spend the next year outside classroom, as a national and international spokeswoman for education. Not surprisingly, she is a big believer in the value of arts education. She said it's essential for schools to offer classes such as art or music and physical education because for some kids one of those subjects is the only thing that motivates them to come back to school day after day. In Peterson's opinion,    _   .
art, music and PE classes are all important. more subjects should be offered to students. students should be motivated to attend art classes. arts education is more important than other subjects.