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Throughout the past four years, the Virginia Lottery has honored 32 outstanding educators. Narrowing to just eight teachers each year out of more than 1,000 nominations is no easy task!
If you are ready to recognize a teacher for this award, first take a look at excerpts from past winning nominations that helped shine a spotlight on a Super Teacher's commitment, passion and dedication in the classroom. |
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Super Teacher 2008: Tina Bowman, Special Education Grange Hall Elementary School in Moseley |
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Tina Bowman works with special education students, but don't tell her that. Her children are as bright as all the other students in the school. They just didn't have a teacher who could reach them and teach them. Tina reaches in and finds what is important to each and every child with whom she works. She works with children in Kindergarten through grade five. Learning goes on in every corner of her "designer" room. She incorporates all the modalities into her lesson plans including technology; books on tape; clay, play dough, shaving cream. Music and body movements are used to teach angles, letters, numbers, the writing process, and spelling. |
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Super Teacher 2008: Martha Kelly, Kindergarten Mount Pleasant Elementary School in Roanoke |
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Walking into Martha's classroom, one cannot help but notice her antique bathtub painted in bright blue and filled with pillows. Students are encouraged to hop in and relax the day away by reading their favorite books. Because many children in our school's demographics are not exposed to books regularly at home, and some parents cannot read themselves, this comfortable reading tub is exactly what her students need to enjoy, relax and shape their early reading experiences with a good book.
This year, Martha has collected over 200 empty milk jugs from parents during the fall to build another "cool" place for her children to learn. Students are able to sit with a partner in this new large igloo and learn a valuable lesson in recycling and reusing products to reduce waste. Once the igloo was torn down, the students even reused the milk jugs to make bunny baskets for their spring egg hunt. |
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Super Teacher 2009: Joel Block George Mason High School in Falls Church |
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Mr. Joel Block makes math "fun" for many students. Fun is not a word normally used to describe math except when he is teaching it. Block understands that students can go into a slump during third quarter. He deals with it head on with"RoPaSci." Students may remain potential members of his society (based on the rock/paper/scissors game) as long as they turn in every single homework assignment during third quarter and maintain their grade. Those who do are eligible to be a part of the RoPaSci competition. The winner of this Rock/Paper/Scissors game wins a ride a ride home in a limo with a stop at the winner's favorite fast food restaurant! |
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Super Teacher 2009: Shannon Knight, 1st grade Holland Elementary School in Virginia Beach (Super Teacher 2010 Judge ) |
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She planned a first grade reading night to explain to parents the way reading instruction is delivered and how parents can assist their child at home. She uses a food activity every week to assist with learning. The edible center integrates reading, writing and sequencing. The class also made edible flowers using licorice, frosting, rice cakes, candy corn and pretzels to meet the objective of constructing a plant. |
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Super Teacher 2010: Brian Peterson, 4th grade Signal Hill Elementary School in Manassas |
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My child struggles with math, and Mr. Peterson created a Math Breakfast Club, where he meets every Friday morning before school with a handful of students who need extra help. They have breakfast together and work on trouble areas in a fun way (one week they played math battleship – my daughter loved that!). The club has been fantastic for my daughter, and her whole attitude about math has changed – rather than dreading it, she now looks forward to it! He finds unique and interesting ways to teach the children by using many hands-on activities in the classroom. The class plays putt-putt math and Jeopardy. He teaches with a Smart Board and plays music. |
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Super Teacher 2010: Kimberly McKnight, Kindergarten Robious Elementary School in Midlothian |
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I admire her creativity. She rarely uses worksheets, focusing on creative, interactive learning methods. A few examples … The kids get to write words in shaving cream, learning to sound out words and practice their fine motor skills. They play sight word bingo, practicing reading and recognizing words. Once, she let the kids volunteer to tell a knock-knock joke. The kids were roaring with laughter but also were learning to publicly speak, to listen, to respect another classmate and to wait their turn patiently. It speaks volumes to the culture Mrs. McKnight nurtures in her classroom. |
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