Virginia middle school mathematics teacher YuJeong Julia Shin has garnered the 2023 Region 5 Outstanding Secondary School New Teacher award from Fairfax County Public Schools. Photo credit: Fairfax County Public Schools
It is always my pleasure to call attention to exceptional educators who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. Today, I shine a spotlight on Mathematics Teacher YuJeong Julia Shin of Fairfax County Pubic Schools (FCPS) in Fairfax, Virginia. She has garnered recognition as the 2023 Region 5 Outstanding Secondary School New Teacher.
Julia teaches mathematics at Frost Middle School. She also co-advises who school’s MathCounts team, connecting with students who strive to become better collaborators and problem solvers.
The selection of Julia was announced at the annual FCPS Honors event held at George Mason University Center for the Arts this past June. The recognition is given to one elementary teacher and one secondary teacher within their first three years of teaching who demonstrate superior performance and instructional skills. The award celebrates excellence in achieving successful academic outcomes for their students.
Julia says she places special emphasis on demonstrating and practicing the school motto: Work hard, be nice, and widen your circle. She works diligently to connect with her students. Her goal is to develop strong relationships while dedicating herself to fostering a welcoming classroom community where every student feels safe to ponder, question, explore, make mistakes, learn, and grow. In addition, Julia constantly recognizes and celebrates her students’ achievements and successes, encouraging students to take pride in their learning experiences and reach their highest potential.
“Not only can Ms. Shin thoroughly teach me Algebra, in a way that is interesting and understandable, she also takes time to get to know me on a personal level,” says a student in the honored teacher’s class. Another student agrees. “I really enjoy being in Ms. Shin’s class. She explains difficult problems and breaks them down in such a way that makes them feel easy and I can always understand the content,” declared the student.
Julia is a graduate of the Secondary Education program offered at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. To read more about Julia Shin, click on this link to Frost Middle School.
