Education
Sunrise Middle School Social Studies Teacher Nominated for National Award
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ebekah West Keur, M.Ed., a Digital Learning Center (DLC) social studies teacher at Sunrise Middle School, is nominated for the 2021 Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year Award in the junior division of the National History Day (NHD) National Contest.
a commitment to engaging students in historical learning through innovative use of primary sources, implementation of active learning strategies to foster historical thinking skills, and participation in the National History Day Contest. All nominees will receive $500 as a result of their nominations.
“While I am very honored to be nominated for this award, as it pays tribute to my hard work and dedication to my students and their learning, it is only part of the reward I receive from this experience,” says West Keur. “Honestly working with my students in such an authentic way and helping them grow as passionate learners who are falling in love with history and the learning process is the most rewarding thing.”
West Keur will use the award money to further her education, as she is currently a doctoral student at Arizona State University (ASU). “In addition to my role as a middle school gifted specialist teaching in the DLC program at Sunrise Middle School, I am also an adjunct professor with Maricopa Community Colleges and an Academic Associate with ASU, teaching in their Master’s of Education in Gifted Curriculum and Instruction program under Dr. Dina Brulles,” she shares.
Nominees’ work must clearly illustrate the development and use of creative teaching methods that engage students in history and help them make exciting discoveries about the past.
The national winner will be selected by a committee of experienced teachers and historians, and announced on Saturday, June 19, at the National History Day National Contest Awards Ceremony.
“The nominees for the Behring Award have shown a dedication to teaching that goes beyond the classroom,” says Dr. Cathy Gorn, National History Day executive director. “These educators are
Each of the 58 National History Day affiliates may nominate one middle school teacher for this award, and West Keur is the junior division nominee from Arizona. Every nominee for the $10,000 award is a teacher who demonstrates
leading examples for their peers and invaluable resources for their students. I congratulate Mrs. West Keur on her welldeserved nomination.” West Keur has been a teacher in PVSchools since 2014, having been recruited from Cartwright School District. Previously she was a teacher in Michigan and has been teaching for 12 years, in total, including internationally.
PVSchools in the Top 5 Districts in Arizona for Number of National Board Certified Teachers
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he National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has released its state profiles. For Arizona, PVSchools has made the
list of Top five districts for the total number of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) and the number of current candidates.
According to the statistics released for Arizona, PVSchools currently has 103 NBCTs and 36 current candidates.
“PVSchools is proud of our National Board Certified teachers and candidates. These teachers represent the best of the profession. Their professionalism, dedication to student learning, and commitment to exceptional practice impact their students, schools, and community each day,” says Dr. Dan Courson, PVSchools’ assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. National Board Certification is the highest certificate an educator can achieve in the United States. Administered by the National Board for Professional Teaching
12 • June/July 2021 • THE SCOTTSDALE STANDARD
Standards, Board certification is a rigorous and reflective process that requires teachers to showcase the National Board Standards in their practice. Teachers often take up to three years of continual work to achieve certification. Research shows that students of NBCTs have improved learning outcomes. Since 1996, teachers throughout Arizona have been seeking and achieving National Board Certification. The Arizona K12 Center provides support and resources for teachers to pursue National Board Certification. This year, 48 Arizona teachers achieved certification. Altogether, Arizona is home to 1,576 NBCTs with 660 teachers currently pursuing National Board Certification. myhyperlocalnews.com
