By Mary Ellen Zangara, Special Writer
Teachers Who Make Magic is very special group that has gone above and beyond and have not received adequate recognition. Radio station Magic 98.3 in Somerset believes that these teachers should have the honor of recognition.
For the fourth year, Magic 98.3 has sponsored Teachers Who Make Magic along with the New Jersey Education Association.
Laura Landau, a 13-year teacher here in the Manville school district, has been selected for this honor. Ms. Landau is one of 24 teachers to receive this award this year. She now becomes a life member of the Teachers Who Make Magic Class.
In order to be considered for a Teacher Who Makes Magic Award, a teacher must be nominated by a superintendent, principal, co-worker, or parent. Then the committee picks out the two featured teachers for each week. The nomination period runs from Nov. 15 through March 4.
Ms. Landau was nominated by Weston School Principal Don Frank.
”I am extremely honored in receiving the award, especially since my principal, Mr. Frank, nominated me. His kind words made me feel valued and appreciated,” said Ms. Landau.
Each Friday morning, Magic 98.3 announces two of the special teachers to be recognized. This past Friday, Jan. 14, the whole Weston School tuned into the radio as it was broadcast over the loud speaker to hear Ms. Landau’s nomination and name announced.
”I was completely surprised and found out about the award the same as everyone in the school by listening to Magic 98.3 in the classroom. My class was very excited, as were students who had me the previous year. All my colleagues were very supportive and congratulated me on this honor,” she said.
In Mr. Frank’s nomination for Ms. Landau he wrote, “Who travels to New Zealand so her second graders can learn about endangered species there and all around our world? Who travels to mainland China and helps her pupils learn about cultures from far away? Who is old enough to be a digital immigrant but works with children in a manner that makes her appear to be a digital native, doing vodcasts, wikis, e-mailing England and other 21st century activities every day? Who, you may ask? Well, at Weston Elementary School, that person is our Teacher Who Makes Magic, Ms. Laura Landau.
”Year after year, Ms. Landau works magic for each and every child in her care. She takes them academically from wherever they are to new heights. If you lived by Gov. Christie’s definition of an effective teacher, Ms. Landau’s photo would be next to it in his dictionary. Her ability to individualize instruction allows her to meet with almost every child almost every day. She zeroes in on their areas for growth and attacks them with a variety of approaches. Her expectations are high and even if it means giving up her lunch time, she does everything she can to help students of all abilities — low, middle and top — reach those goals.
”Magical teaching is more than high academic achievement. It is delivering lessons that become lifetime memories for students. One year may mean coming in dressed as an astronaut ready to orbit the earth. Other years it may mean becoming teachers themselves by creating and presenting research via PowerPoint to students in other grades.
”Magical teachers cast their spell over a whole school. In this, Ms. Landau excels. She’s been a mentor to most teachers. She takes in students who are ready to be mainstreamed from the special education setting. She teams with the ESL (English as a second language) instructor to provide in-class instruction for our bilingual students. She applied for and received an antique grant that allows her to expose every second grader to items they may not come in contact with like typewriters and rotary phones.
”Ms. Landau founded the Weston School Literacy Club, an organization of four groups, one each for kindergarten through third grade. There is magic in the children’s section of Borders books every year around Dr. Seuss’s birthday as the club members read their original books aloud to an audience and then celebrate with a birthday cake.
”Ms. Landau and our PTA won a grant to form after-school enrichment groups. Teachers and parents select an area of interest and then offer three, one-day-a-week, six-week sessions of their club. This allows our students to enjoy a broad range of activities — crafts, sports, performing arts and games that our school district could never afford. This is another piece of magic from Ms. Landau’s wizard-like repertoire.
”In summary it is the endless time, effort and energy possessed by Ms. Landau that contributes to making her classroom and Weston School such magical places.”
Ms. Landau said she chose teaching because “I wanted to make a difference and help students grow and learn so they can successfully face the challenges of life. I feel a strong early elementary education lays the foundation for learning in the future,” she said.
” I have taught kindergarten, first, and second. I also taught a summer program pre-school handicapped and a period zero. I am lucky in being able to do the job that I love. I am inspired by my students and learn something new each day and I hope inspire them in the joy of learning.”
Selected as the Weston School Teacher of the Year in 2004, Ms. Landau also participates in many activities and events at elementary school.
”I am involved in the Weston School Literacy Club, After School Clubs, part of the PTA and Manville Education Foundation, and help coordinate special events at the school like Math and Science Day, Science Fair, Holidays Around the World, Charity Walk, Book Swap and I participate in MSD Teacher-Student Academy,” she said.
Still very humbled about the recognition, Ms. Landau said, “The most important thing is that I am deeply honored by Mr. Frank’s belief in me and my teaching and that I am proud to receive this award.”
Ms. Landau will be honored along with the other recipients at the Teachers Who Make Magic Dinner on March 10 at the Pines Manor in Edison.

