- Outstanding Elementary Level Social Studies Teacher of the Year
- Outstanding Elementary Level Social Studies Program of the Year
- Outstanding Elementary Social Studies Project of the Year
- Outstanding Secondary Level Social Studies Teacher of the Year
- Outstanding Social Studies Teacher of the Year
- Outstanding Social Studies Student Teacher of the Year
Outstanding Elementary Level Social Studies Teacher of the Year
Lillian E. Hynes, Simon Butler Elementary School
Central Bucks School District has profited from Lillian Hynes for many years. She has made consistent and long-lasting contributions in numerous ways. A few are as the district’s administrative liaison to the Social Studies Committee, her sustained involvement with the Governor’s Institutes, the Pennsylvania Geographic Alliance and Summer Geography Institutes and Pennsylvania Geographic Society. She has worked tirelessly at helping teachers to understand the state standards and integrate social studies into their daily environment. Her list of accomplishments and awards in this area must be accompanied by the acknowledgement of her collegial commitment to her staff, and her enormous creativity and ability to excite students about social studies.
|top|Outstanding Elementary Level Social Studies Program of the Year
Joyce L. Rodgers , Pleasant Valley Elementary School
A parent shared this experience about Joyce Rodgers impact: “I’m writing to express my delight in my son David’s experience with the social studies curriculum at Pleasant Valley Elementary School . The other night at the dinner table, my husband and I were discussing a current political event and our son offered his opinion on the subject. We were astonished at how well versed he was on the topic and how well reasoned his opinion! Even though he is only eight years old, it was like having a third adult at the table.”
Joyce has contributed to the social studies program in innumerable ways. She has served admirably on the district social studies curriculum committee for 15 years, is a teacher leader, involved in both community and parental issues. She consistently engages her students with essential citizenship efforts such as the Tsunami Victim fund, collecting hats and mittens for a local women’s shelter, collecting supplies for local flood victims, and magazines and food for American soldiers in Iraq .
Her classroom is active! She integrated math and social studies by analyzing the Electoral College, built a twelve-foot replica of the Plymouth Plantation complete with buildings and crops, and arranges visits to local landmarks such as the Fort Pitt Blockhouse, Fort Necessity , and the Oliver Miller Homestead.
|top|Outstanding Elementary Social Studies Project of the Year
Susan Sanger, Twin Valley Elementary Center
Susan Sanger brought the Royal Court to the third and fourth grade Twin Valley Elementary Center ! This integrated unit incorporated state standards on civics and government, economics, geography and history by constructing a castle. The unit of study covered key ideas from ancient civilizations to the middle ages. Students constructed a castle entranceway according to what they learned. Shared and individual reading materials provided background that connected with a particular part of the castle (for example: knights, coats of arms, stained glass windows). Once the castle was constructed, children continued their research and recorded verified facts of interest. These facts demonstrated how even these young students became experts within their “fields”. Through organizing these facts, students were able to learn the connections between different ideas, concepts and principles.
|top|Outstanding Secondary Level Social Studies Teacher of the Year
Jeffrey S. Mummert, Central York Middle School
Central York Middle School enjoys the many talents of Jeff Mummert. Jeff’s dynamic, interactive and creative approach to his daily lessons motivates not only his students, but also his colleagues.
Mr. Mummert’s students rave about his innovative instructional techniques, which often use the newest technology. His creative hands-on projects tap into real world connections. Whether it is planning the ideal vacation, “playing the stock market”, or using newspaper advertisements to find business types to fit certain vocabulary terms, the students are actively engaged and eager for more. When asked what they enjoy most about Mr. Mummert’s class, the students invariably mention his inclusiveness of learning styles and differentiated instruction.
|top|Outstanding Social Studies Teacher of the Year
Stroudsberg Area Social Studies Teachers , Stroudsberg Area School District
Although the title of the award emphasizes secondary social studies, Ira Hiberman’s leadership should be recognized for the extensive Stroudsburg Area School District K-12 social studies curriculum development. The project focus was to empower stakeholders to critically examine the district’s social studies scope and sequence. A committee consisting of representatives from each elementary grade level, secondary teachers and administrators examined what was actually happening in the classroom. The group conducted an intense examination of national and state standards, developing an inventory of key concepts. Models and programs from the National Council for the Social Studies as well as programs from over 50 different school districts provided considerable gist for discussion.
Best instructional practices such as “Understanding by Design”, “Multiple Intelligences”, “and Constructivist Learning Theory” were considered within the context of “change theory” and the impact that change would potentially have on the staff and students. Throughout the process, committee members were expected to act as a cadre of key communicators supporting the flow of information in multiple directions. Several months ago, the School Board approved the scope and sequence without one dissenting voice. This clearly shows a reformation in the climate of making curricular change and a greater receptivity to critically examine social studies instructional practices.
|top|Outstanding Social Studies Student Teacher of the Year
Thomas Kaminiski, Peters Township Middle School
Tom Kaminski’s superb student teaching performance at Peters Township Middle School demonstrated many professional qualities. Some notable accomplishments were:
- As a member of the Peters Creek Historical Society, which is the sponsor of an annual Civil War encampment for seventh graders. In the context of this living history weekend, Tom played the role of a news correspondent for Harper’s Weekly.
- During his first week of student teaching, Tom assumed the role of George Washington in his final hours, submitting himself to seventh grade physicians bent on bleeding him. He also gargled the same solution used by Washington before he died, namely vinegar, molasses and butter.
- Presented at the annual National Council for History Education demonstrating how to incorporate the History Day program into the social studies curriculum.
- He used numerous online and primary source materials in his courses.
- Integrated and engaged the social studies curriculum with Inspiration software, created an “ABC booklet”, played music appropriate to his class, and created attractive hallway displays.
|top|