Science teacher Chanda Jefferson, South Carolina’s 2020 Teacher of the Year.

I always enjoy sharing stories about exceptional classroom teachers who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Chanda Jefferson, who has just been named South Carolina’s 2020 Teacher of the Year.

Chanda teaches at Fairfield Central High School in Winnsboro, South Carolina. She serves as the Chair of the Science Department, the STEM Lead teacher, and a science teacher there.

“Teaching is in my DNA,” Chanda once declared. “My mother stressed the importance of education, and I developed a love for school and learning — especially science,” she continued. “I discovered I loved getting kids excited about science, sharing my passion with them. I realized that my true calling was to become a teacher. Teaching would allow me to help create opportunities for many children,” she concluded.

In the classroom, this outstanding educator is known for using real-world science experiences to engage her students and inspire them to become future leaders in STEM fields. When Chanda designs her lesson plans, she uses inquiry-based and culturally-relevant teaching strategies, STEM practices, and emotional intelligence strategies. “The first moment I walk into the classroom I try to figure out my students’ likes and dislikes. I learn about their families. I tell them about my family,” Chanda once explained. “As I learn about them, I use that information in the classroom. So if they like football, I try to incorporate sports into the lesson or music – whatever it is that piques their interest, including pop culture,” she continued.

In addition to being named South Carolina’s 2020 Teacher of the Year, Chanda has garnered many other accolades. She earned the South Carolina Educational Policy Fellowship, in which she works with the legislature to develop solutions to promote diversity and access in education. She also received the South Carolina Outstanding Biology Teacher Award and the Phi Beta Sigma Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, she was selected as a participant in the Princeton Molecular Biology Teacher Institute.

Chanda earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology in 2009 and her Master’s degree in Teaching Secondary Sciences in 2011, both from the University of South Carolina. She also earned a Master’s of Educational Leadership from Columbia University in New York City in 2019.

To read more about this amazing educator, see this link at Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement, also known as CERRA.