Finding a calling in education
When bilingual science teacher Katharine Joss steps into her fourth-grade classroom at Annie Webb Blanton Elementary School, she sees stories, struggles, and untapped potential. It’s this deep belief in students’ possibilities that has shaped her path from chemistry labs to bilingual education, and most recently, receiving the 2025 William H. Cotton Scholarship.
“I did not want to be a teacher,” Joss admitted. “Going into college, I studied chemistry in undergrad. But during my postgrad fellowship, I realized I really loved education.”
As the winner of the $20,000 Cotton scholarship, awarded yearly to one district team member by the Credit Union of Texas to honor the legacy of William H. Cotton for his 46 years of dedication and service to the district and the credit union. The deadline to apply for the scholarship is March 31.
Before becoming a teacher, Joss worked through a fellowship with schools in Ghana, Ecuador, and other countries, investigating female empowerment through sports—a project born from her lifelong love for soccer. It was in Ghana, while speaking with a young girl whose life had been redirected by the power of literacy and sports, that Joss had her “aha” moment.
“I realized I really believe in the power of education as an agent of change,” Joss said. “My parents were the first in our entire extended family to go to college, and they instilled in us how much education can transform a life. Seeing that same impact in Ghana made me realize I wanted to be part of that change for future generations.”
After her fellowship, Joss found herself in Dallas and started her career as a teacher at John W. Runyon Elementary School and eventually found her way to Blanton three years later.
“I really love the community and the families. I just like the support that we have for each other here,” she said.
At Blanton, Joss faced a unique challenge: teaching in a bilingual “self-contained” model. While she had studied Spanish, it wasn’t her first language. She spent years honing her fluency, often motivated by the need to communicate with her husband’s Colombian family.
“At first, I thought it was like ESL—I was going to be teaching English. And then I just got moved to self-contained last year, so I have been teaching just math and science until they switched the whole program,” she said. As a self-contained bilingual teacher, Joss teaches all core subjects in both Spanish and English.
This personal hurdle became her greatest teaching tool. It allowed her to look at her students—many of whom are navigating the same linguistic frustrations—with a sense of empathy.
“I feel their struggle when they’re learning English because that’s exactly how I felt when I was learning Spanish,” she said. “It’s hard, and it’s frustrating. When my students see that I’ve put in the work to learn their language, it builds a bridge of trust. They realize that we’re learning together.”
This past summer, Joss discovered she had been named the recipient of the William H. Cotton Scholarship to further her educational journey with a post graduate degree. As the next step in career, Joss plans to use the funds to pursue a master’s degree in either bilingual education or cognitive science.
“I’ve been reading a bunch about how the brain stores information and memory,” she said. “It’s so important for teachers, but we don’t talk about it enough, especially in elementary schools. I want to learn the science of it so I can help students be more successful.”
But Joss’ goal isn’t just about grades; it’s about confidence. “My main teaching philosophy is believing in the potential of every child, no matter how much or how little they know when they enter my classroom,” she said. “Instilling that confidence in them so that they feel capable—that is my main goal.”
To support her students in achieving confidence, Joss has been proactive about securing resources. “I actually won a different grant to get an Accelerated Reader program to encourage kids to read more and spend less time on their phones,” she said. Her dedication also extends to building STEM opportunities through other grants.
For those considering a teaching career, Joss offers heartfelt advice: “The first year is really hard. I was humbled in the beginning because I thought it would just be fun and games, and it’s a lot harder than I imagined. But you are good enough. Keep going. You are making a difference, even if you feel undervalued.”
