B U S I N E SS
BY: LINDSAY CUOMO
Hooked on School
Moore teacher selected as a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
S
tate Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister announced six finalists for the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). Among the six educators named was Keri Thompson, a kindergarten teacher at Byrant Elementary. Jennifer Lowery, elementary mathematics and science coordinator for the Moore school district, nominated Thompson because she said she wanted to recognize the creative and engaging ways that Thompson incorporates science into her classroom. “Ms. Thompson encourages her students to wonder about the world around them and then helps students find the answers to their questions,” Lowery said. “She makes science hands-on and memorable for students as well as teachers as she has provided several professional development sessions for teachers in Moore. She is a wonderful asset to Bryant Elementary and to Moore Public Schools.”
10 February 2021
Thompson said she uses science as a tool to get her students excited about learning. “Science is one of those things that keeps kids interested in school,” she explained. “In kindergarten, science is real life. They can apply the things we are learning and it gets them hooked on school.” The academic demands inside a kindergarten classroom are surprisingly intense, Thompson admitted. However, she has designed her science lessons to be an integrated learning experience. “Kindergarten is a whole different ballgame than it used to be,” she shared. “In kindergarten, we learn to read, write in full sentences, add and subtract. It’s a lot. Most kindergarten teachers probably don’t have a dedicated science time, but I feel it’s really important.
