Tag Archives: STEM teachers

New York STEM teacher Kimberly Lau garners 2022 Sloan Award

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New York City teacher Kimberly Lau has garnered a 2022 Sloan Award for Excellence in Teaching Science & Math. Photo credit: The Midwood Argus

I always enjoy sharing stories about excellent educators who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Kimberly Lau, a STEM teacher from New York. She has been named a recipient of the 2022 Sloan Award for Excellence in Teaching Science & Math.

The Sloan Awards recognize the exceptional work of educators in New York City public high schools. The awards cast a spotlight on educators who achieve superb results while inspiring youth to excel in science and mathematics and pursue careers in related fields. Kimberly is one of seven New York educators who have been honored this year.

Kimberly teaches Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, Ocean Science, and Culinary Science courses at Midwood High School. Midwood is a public high school located on the campus of Brooklyn College. The school partners with the college to offer courses in Advanced Placement in three main programs: Medical Science, Humanities, and Liberal Arts.

It just so happens that Midwood is Kimberly’s high school alma mater. After seeing the dedication of her teachers when she was in school, she knew she wanted to follow in their footsteps. After her graduation from college, she substituted at Midwood, and in 2013 she was offered a permanent position teaching chemistry.

Kimberly is well-liked and highly-respected among her students. “I learned a great deal about science in the classes I took with Ms. Lau,” expresses former Midwood student Alyssa Kattan. “But she also taught me so much more, including how to aim high.” Student Faith Matthew agrees. “When we make a mistake, Mrs. Lau doesn’t correct us in a way that’s discouraging,” Faith declares. “She does it in a way that makes us want to do better next time. So every time I’m in one of her classes, I always see a linear increase of how well I do because she makes me want to try harder,” Faith continues.

In addition to her selection for a Sloan Award, Kimberly also garnered the Sidney Millman Award in 2021. Since 2017, she has also served as a Master Teacher for Math for America.

 

CT teacher Lori Durocher earns prestigious PAEMST honors

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Kindergarten teacher Lori Durocher from West Hartford, Connecticut, has earned a prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Photo Credit: we-ha.com

Many excellent classroom teachers are working diligently to train students in skills they will need to succeed in the 21st century. One of these is Lori Durocher, an elementary school teacher from West Hartford, Connecticut. She is so good at her job that she earned a prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

Lori has spent the last 26 years teaching in a full-inclusion kindergarten program at Norfeldt Elementary School in West Hartford. Before joining the staff at Norfeldt, she taught for five years at Bethany Community School in Bethany, Connecticut. In all, her career as an educator has spanned 31 years.

In the classroom, Lori works to incorporate science and engineering applications into all areas of the curriculum. In this way, students see themselves as scientists and engineers, not only during “science time,” but also throughout the entire instructional day. She specializes in developing innovative science adventures that appeal to young children and opportunities through which students work collaboratively to theorize, construct, and test hypotheses. In addition to her classroom instruction, Lori is an active member of the Faculty Advisory Committee and the Technology Committee. She also presents at early childhood education forums and mentors early childhood student teachers.

For her work as an educator, Lori has garnered West Hartford Foundation Grant Awards, not just once, but six times. Four of those occasions she received the award for science. She also serves her district as a Seesaw ambassador, and as an ambassador for Go Noodle. Twice she has been named a finalist for West Hartford Teacher of the Year, in 2004 and again in 2021.

Lori earned her Bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in Elementary Education with a minor in Psychology in 1990, and her Master’s degree, magna cum laude, in Early Childhood Education in 1994, both from Southern Connecticut State University.

Riya Nathrani selected 2022 Teacher of the Year for CNMI

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Middle school teacher Dr. Riya Nathrani has been selected the 2022 Teacher of the Year for the American Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands. Photo Credit: Riya Nathrani

I am always eager to share information about exceptional educators who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Dr. Riya Nathrani, a middle school teacher who has been named the 2022 Teacher of the Year for the American Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

Riya teaches career technology, computer literacy, automation, robotics to seventh graders at Admiral Herbert G. Hopwood Middle School in Afetna, Saipan. Her employment in CNMI public schools has spanned seven years.

In her classroom, Riya explores her passion for using digital tools and research-based practices to design lessons and activities. And she does this not only for her students, but also for her colleagues. She is a lead instructor for her district’s educational technology program, through which she showcases best practices for using technology and to enhance learning experiences for students.

In addition to her selection as Teacher of the Year, Riya earned the Education Technology Teacher of the Year award for supporting technology advancement in 2020. She also garnered the Environmental Champion Award for designing environmental conservation projects in collaboration with environmental nonprofit organizations.

A beneficiary of the DACA system, Riya was raised in the Northern Marianas and graduated from public schools there. After high school, she attended Northern Marianas College, where she was named the valedictorian of her class when she graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Education. She earned her Master’s degree in International Teaching from Framingham State University in Massachusetts. In 2017, she was selected to participate in the Teacher Ranger Teacher program. The purpose of the program is to provide teachers an opportunity to learn about National Park Service educational resources and themes.

 

NM teacher Silvia Miranda earns prestigious PAEMST Award

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New Mexico educator Silvia Miranda has garnered a prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Photo Credit: PAEMST

Congratulations to New Mexico educator Silvia Miranda, who has garnered a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). This prestigious award honors the dedication, hard work, and important role that America’s teachers play in supporting learners who will become future STEM professionals, including computer technologists, climate scientists, mathematicians, innovators, space explorers, and engineers.

Silvia currently works with kindergarteners through second graders at Mesa Elementary School and James Bickley Elementary School in Clovis, New Mexico. In her classroom, Silvia sets high standards for herself and her students. In her curriculum, she emphasizes whole brain strategies, a growth mindset philosophy, interest-based learning, and data-driven instruction.

During the pandemic, when her students were told they could not use the school playground for safety reasons, Silvia designed a lesson that asked her students to plan a playground that would allow for social distancing, using their newly-acquired multiplication and division skills to compute areas and to stay within a budget. In another lesson, she established a weather station and led her students in discovery learning about the links between water and weather and life. As part of that lesson, her students became “weather pals” with students in Africa, where they talked about wells and water issues.

In addition to her work in her school, Silvia is a Khan Academy Ambassador and a Statistics in our Schools Ambassador. She has served as a Clovis Municipal Schools Teacher Leader since 2018, was a state ambassador for the NM Teacher Leader Network for two years, and served on the state Secretary’s Teacher Advisory.

For her work as an educator, Silvia has earned many accolades. She is a 2020 NSTA Teacher Awards finalist, a 2018 Milken Educator Award recipient, was Clovis Teacher of the Year in 2018, and was a NM Teacher of the Year finalist. She has been awarded many grants for STEM education.

Silvia earned her Bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in Elementary Education from Eastern New Mexico University. She earned her Master’s degree, summa cum laude, in Education Literacy from Wayland Baptist University. She is a National Board Certified Teacher for early and middle childhood literacy, and she is certified in kindergarten through eighth grade elementary education with an endorsement in bilingual education.

Matt Nielson: STEM teacher, veteran, and finalist for 2022 Minnesota Teacher of the Year

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Science educator Matt Nielson from Valley City, Minnesota, has been named a finalist for the honor of 2022 Minnesota State Teacher of the Year. He is also a member of the National Guard. Photo Credit: US Army

There are many dedicated, and, I dare say, heroic teachers who work diligently in American schools. One of them is Matt Neilson, a science teacher from North Dakota who is also a member of the Minnesota National Guard.

Matt currently teaches chemistry, physics, and STEM courses to 11th and 12th graders at Valley City High in Valley City, North Dakota. He also serves as the Head Coach for both the boys’ and girls’ tennis teams. His work in his school is so highly respected and appreciated that Matt has been named one of four finalists for 2022 North Dakota Teacher of Year honors.

Matt’s curriculum emphasizes problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration. For example, he developed one lesson that required students to create a periodic table based on fictitious elements. In collaborative learning pairs, the students looked for a pattern, debate their proposed solutions with each other, and then justify their conclusions. This Chalkboard Champion also promotes the value of relationships. “The more adults that they know that care about them, that kind of helps them along their path,” declares Matt. 

In addition to his work in the classroom, Matt serves as a Captain in the North Dakota National Guard. His military occupational specialty is a chemical, biological, radiation, and nuclear officer. For his service, the exemplary educator has earned a Meritorious Service Medal for completing 20 years of service. “I served over in Iraq in 2003-2004,” reveals Matt. “In 2006, I re-enlisted, and in 2009 I talked with my wife and we decided, you know what, we’re going to make a career of it and stayed in for 20,” he continues. “I believed in what we were doing. I believed in the mission. I believed in our state and our country,” he says.