Moses Lake teacher honored by Obama
North Elementary Kindergarten teacher Barbara Franz is a recipient of the 2010 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
MOSES LAKE - When Barbara Franz received the email last Thursday, she tried to call her husband. She was so excited, she forgot his number.
Once she finally got in touch with him, she couldn't talk.
"I was really excited," she said.
The email revealed that Franz was a recipient of the 2010 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), a program administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Franz, a kindergarten teacher at North Elementary, is one of only 85 recipients in the country to receive the award, which recognizes teachers for their contribution to teaching math and science. Each recipient receives a citation signed by President Obama and $10,000 from the NSF.
A state evaluation committee chooses two math and two science teachers as finalists for the award, Franz said. A national committee reviews all the state finalists and selects up to two teachers for the award from each state, one for science teaching and one for mathematics teaching. The science teacher selected from Washington state was Dawn Sparks of Thorp.
Debra Knox, the mathematics curriculum specialist for the Moses Lake School District, nominated Franz.
From there, Franz had to complete a rigorous application process. She had to videotape a lesson - she chose to submit a lesson on subtraction - and then write about three aspects of the lesson: content (what was learned, what skills students needed to know ahead of time and how the lesson would benefit them in later learning); instructional strategies that were used, and how she conducted assessment of the students for that lesson in particular and in general for math curriculum throughout the year.
Her leadership within the math department and professional development - courses taken, degrees, etc. - were also factors taken into consideration for the award.
"Several years ago, I kind of came to the realization that there was a disparity between my ability to teach reading and writing and my ability to teach math," Franz said. "I want to be as good at teaching math as I am at teaching reading and writing."
She set out to accomplish that goal. One of the most helpful tools was a series of courses she took from Knox called, "First Steps in Mathematics." The curriculum is research-based and discusses key understandings students need from very early on and the progression the students go through as they learn to understand mathematics, she said. It revolutionized how she looked at teaching mathematics to students at an early age.
"To get all those key understandings in and get them to understand at a conceptual level was more complex than I thought it was," she said.
Franz was asked to provide a quote on what the award means to her to accompany her biography at the award ceremony. The one she provided said, "The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching is an incredible honor, the highest a teacher can receive. Receiving recognition for work that I am passionate about is humbling. Representing accomplished classroom teachers who reflect on and refine their practice every day is a privilege."
Franz will receive her award May 18 in Washington, D.C. On May 20, the recipients will possibly tour the White House and meet with President Obama if his schedule permits, Franz said.
As for her plans for the $10,000?
"I have two daughters in college," she said with a laugh.
Become a Subscriber!
You have read all of your free articles this month. Select a plan below to start your subscription today.
Already a subscriber? Login
