Chemistry Teacher Named Top in Nation
Who says science is for nerds? Not the Council of Chief State School Officers, which just named chemistry teacher Michelle Shearer the 2011 National Teacher of the Year.
The 14-year classroom veteran, who teaches Advanced Placement chemistry at Urbana High School in Frederick, Md., was recognized for her passion, her embrace of technology, and her focus on teacher-student interaction. Shearer, the Maryland’s 2011 Teacher of the Year, holds a master’s degree in deaf education from McDaniel College and is fluent in American Sign Language. She taught chemistry and math at the Maryland School for the Deaf for four years before returning in 2006 to Urbana High, one of the nation’s top schools.
Don’t look for Shearer in her classroom today, however. On May 3, President Obama is hosting a White House ceremony to honor her and the nation’s other state teachers of the year.
Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley called Shearer “a national example for educational excellence,” citing her commitment to the STEM disciplines. Three other teachers were named finalists, including a science teacher from Bozeman, Mont., a Florida elementary school teacher, and an Illinois journalism and English teacher.
Shearer was named Maryland Teacher of the Year last October. Here’s a video from that ceremony.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYa-OVFhxFo[/youtube]
Filed under: K-12 Education News
Tags: Science, Science Teachers, Teacher Awards, Teachers
