Tag Archives: Elementary Teachers

PA’s Cynthia Stevens named a 2023 Extraordinary Educator

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Elementary math teacher Cynthia Stevens has been named an Extraordinary Educator, class of 2023, by Curriculum Associates. Photo Credit: Cynthia Stevens

There are many talented and dedicated educators working in American public schools. One of these is Cynthia Stevens, an elementary teacher from Shillington, Pennsylvania. She has been named an Extraordinary Educator for the class of 2023 by Curriculum Associates.

Cynthia teaches mathematics to fourth graders at Mifflin Park Elementary in the Governor Mifflin School District. Cynthia is quite definitely an ambassador for her subject area, and her enthusiasm for her subject is one of the greatest tools in her teaching arsenal. “Positive ‘mathitude’ is contagious. If you act like it is the best thing in the world, they will believe it!” she declares.

Cynthia says she credits her success in the classroom to data-driven instruction. “Data-driven instruction is important because children need different things,: she asserts, “and data will show us what their needs are.” She says that her motto about data-driven instruction comes from one of her favorite quotes. “Children are not things to be molded, but rather people to be unfolded,” she says.

Click on this link to learn more about Curriculum Associates. Click on this link to read about other educators who have been named Extraordinary Educators.

Ashley Lockwood named the 2023 State Teacher of the Year for Delaware

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Elementary school teacher Ashley Lockwood named the 2023 Teacher of the year for the state of Delaware. Photo Credit: University of Delaware

It is always a pleasure to share the story of an exceptional educator who has earned honors for their work with young people. One such educator is Ashley Lockwood, an elementary teacher who has been named the 2023 Teacher of the Year for the state of Delaware. Ashley earned the honor in recognition for her superior ability to inspire students with a love of learning, her exemplary demonstration of professional traits, and her strong sense of dedication and devotion to teaching.

Not intending originally to become a teacher, Ashley earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Delaware. Once she discovered her love for the classroom, she earned her Master’s degree in Education from Wilmington University.

In 2013, Ashley inaugurated her career in Maryland teaching special education. She stayed in that position for three years. In 2016, she relocated to Lulu Ross Elementary School in Milford, Delaware. There she teaches fourth and fifth grade inclusion classes. Currently, she teaches the fifth grade Spanish immersion program.

One of Ashley’s favorite books to use in the classroom is The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi. The volume tells the story of a Korean girl who moves to the United States. The girl is embarrassed to tell her classmates her name because she’s afraid they will mispronounce it or make fun of her. Ashley says this book helps her show her students how important it is for everyone to create a welcoming environment in the class.

In her continued pursuit of inclusion, in 2020 Ashley founded an Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee for the Milford Education Association. The committee is dedicated to advocating for both students and staff members of color. As the Chair of the committee, she collaborates with colleagues to work towards finding solutions to issues that have to do with inequality.

In addition, Ashley is a member of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League Young Professionals, and she serves as the Kent County Committee Chair. In this role, she develops community service programs for underserved communities. She is also a mentor for new teacher in her district, and she serves as a member of her school’s Positive Behavior Supports Committee.

To read more about Ashley Lockwood, see this article about her published by the University of Delaware.

Idaho’s E’Liane Khang garners 2022 Simplot Inspirational Teacher award

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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.

Alabama’s Kelly Parker named 2023 Elem Teacher of the Year for District 1 in

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Elementary school teacher Kelly Parker from Mobile, Alabama, has been named the 2023 Elementary Teacher of the Year for District 1 in her county. Photo Credit: Mobile County Public School System

I always enjoy sharing stories about exceptional educators who teach in American schools. One of these is Kelly Parker, an elementary school teacher from Mobile, Alabama. She has been named the 2023 Elementary Teacher of the Year for District 1 in her county.

Kelly’s career as an educator spans 14 years. She currently teaches second graders at Tanner Williams Elementary School in the Mobile County Public School System. She has also taught kindergarten and first grade.

This innovative educator enjoys designing hands-on curriculum and community service projects for her young students. She fosters a love of writing with her students by directing each class to complete a book for their successors as part of her series, Sweet Home Tanner Williams. For another project, Kelly wrote a grant for Agriculture in the Classroom to fund a greenhouse on her campus. Once the greenhouse was built, her students planted seeds to raise plants to sell to the community, and through these sales, the students raised $2,000 for the school.

In addition to her work with children, Kelly leads professional development on foundational reading skills and serves on her school’s team for accreditation. And Kelly is one of the first educators in her district to be named a Dyslexia Interventionist Resource teacher.

Kelly earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of South Alabama. She earned her degree as an Education Specialist from the University of West Alabama. She is also a National Board Certified teacher. Furthermore, she has attended Space Camp for Teachers at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.

To read more about Kelly Parker, click on this link to an article about her published by Mobile County Public Schools.

Colorado teacher Tiffany Miera garners 2022-2023 Milken Award

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Colorado elementary teacher Tiffany Miera has garnered a prestigious 2022-2023 Milken Educator Award. Photo Credit: Milken Educator Awards

There are many exceptional teachers working in our nation’s schools who are deserving of recognition. One of these is Tiffany Miera, an elementary school teacher from Durango, Colorado. She has garnered a prestigious 2022-2023 Milken Educator Award.

The Milken Educator Awards have been described by Teacher Magazine as the “Oscars of Teaching.” In addition to a $25,000 cash prize and public recognition, the honor includes membership in the National Milken Educator Network, a group of more than 3,000 exemplary teachers, principals, and specialists from all over the country who work towards strengthening best practices in education. To learn more, click on Milken Educator Awards.

Tiffany teaches mathematics to fifth graders a Needham Elementary School. Her connection to the school is a long one—she attended the school herself when she was a child, and she has devoted her entire 14-year teaching career to the school.

The honored educator, who has also taught special education, continuously strives to build the foundational math skills that her students need to be successful. In fact, as a result of her efforts, Needham’s fifth graders have risen from 25.4% proficiency in 2019 to 42.9% in 2022, outperforming both the district and state. “I teach because I love to see my kids grow and learn,” Tiffany declares. “When I see my students achieve, I’m so proud of them, because I know how hard they worked to get there.”

Tiffany is not only a leader in her classroom, but she is also a leader on her campus and in her school district. She serves on Needham’s instructional leadership, math curriculum, cultural, and gifted and talented committees. In addition, she has led professional development for elementary math colleagues and she mentors new hires and student teachers.

Tiffany earned her Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and English as a Second Language from Fort Lewis College in 2008. She earned her Master’s degree in Special Education from Grand Canyon University in 2014, and a second Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in 2022.