Wadsworth Elementary's Teacher of the Year, Stacey Smith, focuses on STEAM project-based learning

Smith teaches all subject areas for fifth grade.


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  • | 7:30 p.m. December 22, 2017
Stacey Smith interacts with her students, Anthony Lamoureaux, Shane Blackwell, Mykayla Brown-Taylor and Alena Ahelezoglo, as they work on a hands-on project. Photo by Paige Wilson
Stacey Smith interacts with her students, Anthony Lamoureaux, Shane Blackwell, Mykayla Brown-Taylor and Alena Ahelezoglo, as they work on a hands-on project. Photo by Paige Wilson
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Stacey Smith teaches fifth grade at Wadsworth Elementary School. Photo by Paige Wilson
Stacey Smith teaches fifth grade at Wadsworth Elementary School. Photo by Paige Wilson

Q: Why do you think you've been awarded Teacher of the Year?

A: I believe I have been awarded Teacher of the Year because my colleagues wanted to highlight my commitment to education and helping children achieve their highest potential.

Q: Why do you love teaching?

A: I love teaching for so many reasons. I love that I get to be part of students' lives and am able to give them great memories for years to come. I truly believe in students. When I get to enrich their lives with education, and they get to enrich my life with their humor and love for learning, it is a recipe for success.

Q: How long have you been teaching at Wadsworth, as well as in general?

A: This is my 15th year of teaching. I have taught at Wadsworth for 11 years. I have taught third, fourth and fifth grade while at WES. I have been teaching fifth grade for the last four years, in all subject areas. I most recently have taught the accelerated DREAMS program at WES for the past three years.

Q: How would you describe your teaching style? What's unique about you and your classroom that could have contributed to you earning Teacher of the Year?

A: I think my teaching style is more project-based. We take the current standards for Florida, and we incorporate them into project-based learning. Unique to my classroom has to be our flagship program of STEAM. I gear (pun intended) my class into building robotics, computers and learning coding. We strive to do as much hands-on science, engineering, art and math integrated with technology as possible in this room. We strive to learn with 21st-century skills. Our class, each year, organizes a school-wide talent show. Students learn the behind-the-scenes of stage production, getting brochures created, creating playlists and manipulating the music for student performances. All in all, they really band together through projects and persevere. They are amazing; I am just the guiding force behind their product.

 

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