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AMS teacher honored with state award
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Michelle Best, the lead English teacher at AMS, took some time to celebrate her OCTELA award win during a free period in her classroom on Feb. 14. The award is from the Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts and recognizes her work innovative and pioneering teaching.
By SARAH FOOR
Michelle Best, the lead Language Arts teacher at Austintown Middle School, has a calendar that is always full.
Between raising four kids from ages 9 to 17, she manages to apply for grants, travel to the conferences and associations she is involved in, and work with her team at AMS to make sure that Austintown students are receiving an effective and innovative curriculum.
But on March 4, her calendar is clear, as that is the day she travel to Columbus to receive an outstanding educator award from the Ohio Council Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA).
Colleague Karen Carney, the literacy coach at Campbell City Schools, was the nominating teacher for the OCTELA award and appreciated Best’s passion in pursuing innovative techniques.
Best said her techniques are a mix of her own passion for learning and her responsibility as an educator.
“An award is wonderful, but it doesn’t have me thinking I’m the greatest teacher in the world,” Best admitted. “I’d like to think I was nominated because I work hard and I’m active and vocal. I’m willing to try new things with my colleagues even if they fail.”
Best stays active with grants that have taken her to Hawaii, New York City, the Mississippi Delta and Indian reservations across the United States to study reading programs. She is involved in county, state, and regional reading and teaching organizations. However, her passion is bringing ideas and innovations from her travels to the Austintown school system.
“I love coming back to Austintown and asking the language arts staff, ‘What do you think about this idea?’ Sometimes they flop, as ideas sometimes do, but our teachers have nurtured innovative and creative ideas that we’re all really proud of.”
AMS principal James Penk appreciates the work Best does for the school and system.
“Michelle is always keeping our English curriculum fresh and our staff working hard for our students. She’s definitely an asset to AMS.”
For her March 4 weekend in Columbus, Best is celebrating her award with friends and fellow teachers from AMS and Fitch.
“I love my job, and I love this school system. It means a lot to me that I’m representing Austintown in this positive way,” she said.