Heather Shaw, a first grade teacher at Canal View Elementary School in Spencerport, is a state finalist for the 2006 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the nation's highest honor for K-12 teaching in these fields. The PAEMST program identifies outstanding mathematics and science teachers from each of the 50 states. Winners of the 2006 Presidential Awards will be announced during the week of recognition and professional development events May 14-19 in Washington, D.C. "I am thrilled to be a finalist," said Shaw. She is one of the three mathematics New York state finalists for the 2006 Presidential Award. "As a first grade teacher, I want my students to be good thinkers. I try to model this for my students by reflecting on my own thinking. In class, we discuss the strategies we used to solve a given problem, and talk about what worked and what didn't. The process is as important as the product," said Shaw. Canal View Principal Daniel Milgate said Shaw is a teacher that is committed to her career and is consistently looking for "cutting edge" strategies to instruct her students. March 18, 2007 |
