GEORGIA – JoAnn Harvey, a second-grade elementary and middle school teacher in Georgia, received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in Vermont.
After making it through the selection committee and being awarded at the state level, Harvey is now competing for the national award against other teachers from around the country.
According to the PAEMST website, the award is the highest honor a K-12 teacher can earn from the United States government.
Started in 1983, the Presidential Awards are presented to 108 teachers each year for exemplary teaching. Teachers in all 50 states receive awards that recognize their knowledge of the subject they teach, as well as their ability to motivate and engage students.
Harvey said the award was a good achievement for his years of teaching.
“I felt a little bit celebrated for having dedicated my time to teaching science like I do,” she said.
GEMS teacher JoAnn Harvey accepting her award in Vermont.
Photo courtesy
Harvey has been an educator for 40 years and a staff member at Georgia Elementary School for 21 years. Harvey, a 1984 graduate of the University of Vermont, has transitioned throughout her educational career, starting as a preschool teacher in 2002 and before moving to kindergarten in 2008.
In 2012, Harvey became a STEM coach and math specialist before eventually becoming a second grade teacher in 2022.
Harvey describes his teaching style as more hands-on with integrated units. She will choose a science topic and then have students explore other subjects, such as reading and math. Having these hands-on activities helps your students become more engaged in lessons and learning.
“I think when you think about your own experience in elementary school you don’t remember worksheets and day-to-day things, so when I base things on a scientific idea, that’s the point,” Harvey said. “Very few children do not like scientific experiments; It is an advance that helps to involve and give memory. “He is connected to his world.”
The work Harvey puts into her students’ learning extends outside of the classroom. She leads extracurricular programs at GEMS, including STEM clubs. Harvey created a planetary walk within the building and worked to engage the local community by creating experiences outside of school.
For example, he built a bird sanctuary and maze outside the school building so the community could participate in alternative educational experiences.
During her time as a STEM coach, Harvey said she was able to recognize students who were not engaged during her science lessons, and when she was moved to elementary school teaching, it was an issue she set out to address.
“Hopefully kids will even come back from college and say, ‘I remember when we built a windmill and designed an airplane in grade school,'” Harvey said. “It really engages them and keeps a strong memory that they carry through middle school and high school. That’s exciting for me.”
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