State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Announces California 2010-11 Nominees for Mathematics and Science Teaching Awards
Congratulates California's Newly Announced Recipients of 2009-10 Award
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced that three California elementary teachers have been selected as California's 2010-11 state nominees for the prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) Program.
"This Presidential award is the highest recognition that a math or science teacher can receive. I am pleased to recommend such outstanding teachers for additional consideration in the PAEMST process," said O'Connell, who called each of the finalists to congratulate them on their impressive and well-deserved honor.
"California and the rest of the nation need many more qualified math and science teachers to prepare students for success in the competitive global economy, and so we are able to meet the needs of growing industry sectors in California. Skilled and engaged teachers can help students develop interest and confidence in science and mathematics that will open up many new possibilities for them," he said.
California's 2010-11 state finalist in mathematics is Kathleen Martin McCarthy, a second grade bilingual teacher at Washington Elementary School in the San Leandro Unified School District, Alameda County, and who in 2009 earned a National Board Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
"I teach in a self-contained, bilingual (English/Spanish) second grade classroom at a school in an urban neighborhood in the East Bay. The school is currently in Program Improvement and is also a Title 1 school," McCarthy said in a PAEMST statement. "All of my students are native Spanish speakers who struggle solving word problems. When asked, ‘How do you know your answer is correct?' some students would answer by shrugging their shoulders and some would naively respond by counting on a number line. They lacked strategies to effectively solve word problems. To help students understand how to solve story problems with a graphic organizer, I modeled the entire process before the whole class. Then I organized the students into groups of four and had each group use graphic organizers to strategize about problem solving."
California has two 2010-11 state finalists in science and they are:
Anne Marie Bergen, a district science teacher for grades kindergarten through sixth (K-6), in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District, Stanislaus County and was one of five California Teachers of the Year in 2003.
"I primarily work with K-6 students and teachers at four schools to deliver and model effective and engaging science instruction employing hands on laboratory experiences. Science experiences emphasize Physical, Life, and Earth sciences aligned with State and National Science Standards. I also provide professional development in the form of science seminars to our district teachers and have developed a leadership team called the Science Cadre made of K-6 teachers interested in improving science instruction," she wrote in a PAEMST statement.
Nathan Richard Fairchild, a sixth grade science teacher at North Woods Discovery Charter School in the Gateway Unified School District, Shasta County.
"Before becoming a full-time science teacher, I was a Wildlife Naturalist and an Interpretive Ranger, so I really believe in making connections to the ‘real world' for my students. Teaching at North Woods Discovery School gives me ample opportunities to make connections between the elements of nature that we see outside and the science we need to learn in the classroom," he wrote in his PAEMST statement.
Earlier this month, President Obama announced that 103 recipients from around the country were selected as winners of the 2009-10 PAEMST awards. Included are two California winners:
Sean Nank, who teaches at El Camino High School in the Oceanside Unified School District, San Diego County, received a PAEMST award for excellence in mathematics.
Mark Fairbank, who teaches at Northridge Academy High School in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles County, was the recipient of a PAEMST award for excellence in science.
Both Nank and Fairbank will receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation to be used at their discretion. They also receive an expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for an awards ceremony and several days of educational and celebratory events, including visits with members of Congress and science agency leaders.
The PAEMST awards are the nation's highest honors for teachers of mathematics and science and recognize outstanding K-12 teachers for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession. The National Science Foundation administers PAEMST on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Since 1983, more than 4,000 teachers have been recognized for their contributions to mathematics and science education.
The California Department of Education (CDE) partners with the California Science Teachers Association and the California Mathematics Council to recruit and select outstanding science and mathematics teachers for the PAEMST program. Since the program's beginning 27 years ago, 80 California teachers have been named PAEMST recipients.