2008 Teacher of the Year
Congratulations!         
         
Joan I. Sharperson is Miami-Dade's 2008 Teacher of the Year.  Sharperson, a fourth grade science and math teacher and a UTD member, received the Francisco R. Walker Golden Apple Trophy at the awards ceremony on Tuesday evening.  As Teacher of the Year, she also won a $5,000 scholarship from Nova Southeastern University, a $7,000 cash prize from United Healthcare and a new car from Expressway Toyota.  The runner up was Catherine Conkling-Wagner of Miami Killian Senior High and received a $2,500 scholarship, also from Nova Southeastern University and a $2,500 cash award.           

Winner

Region I
Joan I. Sharperson
Joella C. Good Elementary

An outstanding example of a professional educator, Joan Sharperson is inspiring, motivating, caring, and above all, possesses the unique ability to make learning accessible to all.

 As a fourth grade mathematics and science teacher, she uses a wide variety of resources and materials to conduct hands-on , minds-on learning experiences that allow her students to be actively engaged in the learning process and that foster an environment that helps students think critically.  In observing her classroom, one will find students who are completely engaged, on-task and highly motivated.  Her seamless integration of technology into her lessons adds an extra dimension that leads to greater understanding of concepts being taught. 

 Runner-up  

Region V
Catherine Conkling-Wagner
Miami Killian Senior High

Warmth, laughter, kindness, guidance, family, commitment and progress are the recurring messages one hears when speaking to Catherine Conkling-Wagner’s supervisors, colleagues, students, and their parents.  She expertly weaves a variety of learning activities into her carefully crafted Language Arts lessons, always setting a literary tone.  Acting, movies, music, and working in cooperative learning groups are all parts of her action-packed, sensory-rich classes.  Her leadership has made her a unifying force at her school (also her alma mater) by recognizing the need for improvement, even when things have never been better.  She is painstakingly thorough and deliberate when planning opportunities for professional dialogue or staff in-services.  Ms. Conkling-Wagner comes from a long line of teachers in her family and has herself become the consummate teachers’ teacher.

 UTD Congratulates all the 2008 Teacher of the Year finalists.   

Click here to view all finalists