Elementary school teacher E’Liane Khang of Pocatello, Idaho, has been named the winner of the 2022 Simplot Inspirational Teacher Award. Photo Credit:
It is always my pleasure to share the story of an exceptional educator who has earned accolades for their work in the classroom. Today, I share the story of E’Liane Khang, an elementary school teacher from Idaho who has been named the winner of the 2022 Simplot Inspirational Teacher award.
E’Liane teaches fifth graders at Tyhee Elementary School in the Pocatello-Chubbuck School District in Pocatello, Idaho.
It is easy to see why E’Liane is noted for her ability to inspire her students. She works very hard to develop relationships with her kids. “The first several months of school are spent eating lunch with each of my students so that I can get to know them better,” she explains. “Outside during recess, I play games and encourage shy kids to walk and talk with me. Some days, I can be silly, dance, sing, or poke fun at myself for attempting to play four square or sharks and minnows. By Christmas, my class will hopefully have a very strong sense of community and be ready to tackle difficult assignments or projects,” she continues. “These relationships help me to build trust, so that I can eventually request my class to try harder, take risks, and not fear making mistakes,” she concludes.
In addition to her work in the classroom, E’Liane participates in a variety of workshops, book studies, and math mentoring programs. She has brushed up her knowledge of new technologies by spending her vacations attending Summer STEM programs for Idaho State University. This is important, she says, because when teachers implement new technology in their lessons, reluctant learners don’t want to miss school.
E’Liane was selected for the SImplot Inspirational Teacher award from a pool of 379 nominated teachers. Council Members selected 20 finalists based on the teacher’s ability to inspire their students, their use of innovative methods in the classroom, and their impact on students’ life-long skills. As the winner of the award, E’Liane received $500.
To learn more about E’Liane Khang, click on this link to the Simplot Award.
