2007 PAEMST Winners Announced
Ninety-nine middle and high school math and science teachers were invited to Washington, DC, last week to receive the 2007 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).
The PAEMST is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House. Each year, state officials are asked to nominate the top science teacher and math teacher in their state. From year to year the program alternates in honoring elementary-level or secondary-level teachers. In the citation from the president, winners are commended “for embodying excellence in teaching, for devotion to the learning needs of the students, and for upholding the high standards that exemplify American education at its finest.”
Read more about the 2007 Presidential Award Winners on NSF Website!
APAST Member Ohio Teacher of the Year!
| 2008 Ohio Teacher of the Year: Deb Wickerham |
| Deborah Wickerham, 2008 Ohio Teacher of the Year, was honored at the State Board of Education meeting on February 11.President Jennifer Sheets presented her with a Board resolution that said Deborah Wickerham is a committed teacher who believes that a “teacher is someone who changes or influences the lives of others.”
Governor Ted Strickland then presented Wickerham with a proclamation praising her achievements, saying that “all teachers will be elevated in their profession by your example.” Wickerham, from Findlay City Schools, has been a teacher for 32 years. Since 1979, she has been at Chamberlin Hill Intermediate School and is currently teaching both deaf and hearing children in her fifth-grade inclusion classroom. She teaches all subjects except mathematics. In 2001, Wickerham achieved National Board Certification, widely accepted as the highest credential in the teaching profession. She recruits and helps other teachers achieve National Board Certification as a facilitator and mentor. She has received numerous awards and recognition for her teaching including: the Presidential Award for Elementary Science Excellence; Vernier National Science Teacher of the Year; Rotary Golden Apple award; Jaycee Teacher of the Year; and, in 2007, the VFW Regional Teacher of the Year. In addition to her regular duties at Chamberlin Hill, she spends many after-school hours tutoring students who struggle with homework, organizational skills and test preparation. Since 1999, Wickerham also has been an adjunct professor in middle childhood science at the University of Findlay, using her skills, best practices and insight to help prepare future teachers. She lends her expertise to her profession through her work on the Ohio Resource Center Science Review Board and the McGraw-Hill National/State Science Advisory Board and by serving as a Northwest Ohio Science/Mathematics facilitator and teacher. She is an international, national, regional and state science presenter. Deborah Wickerham has a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Findlay, and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education/deaf education from Bowling Green State University. |
Learn about NSTA Science Objects
Ready When You Are — for Free! You’re teaching a subject for the first time, or for the first time in a long time. You need a content refresher now. Where can you find help that’s engaging, high-quality, easy to access—and affordable, too?
From NSTA’s latest ready resource: Science Objects!
With support from sponsors, including NASA, NOAA, FDA, the NHTSA, the Hewlett Foundation, and the GE Foundation, Science Objects provide all teachers of science open access to these valuable new resources—at no cost!
The FAQs on Science Objects
- What are Science Objects? Free learning experiences available online anytime, anywhere. They’re specifically designed to help teachers understand a prescribed set of ideas based on the science literacy goals in the Standards.
- What do Science Objects cover? Each one focuses on a key content idea—such as Newton’s First Law or Mendel’s Principles of Heredity. Right now there are 33 content ideas with more on the way.
- How will Science Objects help me learn? Interactive simulations get you engaged; embedded questions make sure you understand and remember. The style and tone are lively—even entertaining.
- How will Science Objects help me teach? They challenge you to explore and explain real-world phenomena, and offer student misconceptions to watch out for and practical ideas for addressing them.
- How much time will it take me to work through a Science Object? Just one to two hours, at your convenience. You can start and stop at any point.
- What do Science Objects cost? Best of all, they’re free, thanks so support from sponsors including NASA, NOAA, the FDA, the National Highway Safety and Transportation Administration, the Hewlett Foundation, and the GE Foundation. All teachers of science have open access to these valuable new resources.