Central Intermediate Teacher Honored

James Pratt, a 5th-grade teacher at Putnam City’s Central Intermediate School, has been selected by the Mathematical Association of America (MMA) as winner of the 2008 Oklahoma Elementary Mathematics Teaching Award.

Only one elementary teacher in the state receives the MMA award each year. Pratt will receive the award at the MMA Oklahoma-Arkansas Section Meeting banquet that will be held in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, in late March.

Dr. Diane Welker, Central Intermediate principal, says Pratt’s students excel in math under his tutelage.

“James uses a wide variety of very creative methods to find ways to help all students understand math concepts that they may have never previously grasped. He takes students who are weak or average in math and turns them into confident and high-achieving math students. They pass their state math tests, often scoring high enough to be considered ‘advanced.’”

In addition to helping students in his own classroom, other students in the school and school district benefit from Pratt’s influence.

Pratt has taken part in the district’s Lesson Study Training to learn how to most effectively present all components of a math lesson for the greatest possible student learning. He has presented workshops on Lesson Study methods as well as mentored other teachers who have gone through the same training. Pratt has served as the math/science team leader and grade level chairperson for several years and has conducted professional development at the school, district and state level.

Pratt has been teaching for nine years, the last eight of them at Central Intermediate School. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Central Oklahoma.

“James works hard to find the strengths in each child and use them as a starting point to build a foundation where they can feel successful. He’s great at building relationships with students and does an awesome job with instruction in the classroom. He is an extraordinary person who serves as an outstanding role model not only for the students, but also for teachers,” says Welker.