Christy Brown, a science teacher at Putnam City Academy, has been chosen as winner of the Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching Award from the Oklahoma City Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association. Brown will receive $500 for instructional supplies and will be honored at a luncheon on T
uesday, Feb. 13, at the Tinker Club at Tinker Air Force Base.
Criteria for the award include outstanding integration of technology into the classroom and student instruction focused on experiential, hands-on learning.
Putnam City Academy Principal Janet Oden says the award is well-deserved.
"Her classroom transforms biology, anatomy and physiology concepts into incredible hands-on learning labs. It’s not unusual to walk into her classroom and find yourself in a giant cell with all the parts created, labeled and described by the students. Beyond that kind of creativity is the challenge of researching and debating environmental issues, testing water, growing bacteria and recycling to keep students engaged daily in understanding their relationship to the world in which they live," Oden says.
Brown says good teaching begins with good relationships with students.
"I begin each term by building trusting relationships and continue to take a personal interest in their lives as the semester progresses. By knowing about their lives, their interests, and history, I can better form the details of my lessons to not only engage students in active learning, but also challenge them to apply science to their everyday lives," Brown says.
Brown has taught in the district for five years at Putnam City Academy, the district’s alternative high school. She was recently named the school’s Teacher of the Year by her colleagues.
"Ms. Brown's students are challenged with high expectations and rigorous curriculum in a caring and supportive classroom. She has all the qualities of a master teacher and has truly blessed our students, staff and district with her caring nature, challenging classroom and creative spirit," says Oden.