Seventh grade science teacher Kristin Burrus of the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences is recognized as the Tennessee Department of Education Southeast Regional Teacher of the Year for Grades five through eight.
Hamilton County Department of Education Interim Superintendent Dr. Kirk Kelly said, “This recognition of Kristin’s leadership in the classroom is a validation of the efforts we have made over the last year to allow our teachers to show their leadership skills. I could not be more proud of the way Kristen has shared these values in our classrooms to create the next generation of critical thinkers.”
Ms.
Burrus said, “When students can rely on their strengths to demonstrate learning, they become more confident.”
She cites an important lesson she learned at a leadership seminar about a decade ago: teacher efficacy is the number one factor in determining student success.
Now Ms. Burrus focuses on meeting her students wherever they are academically, and then doing whatever she can to lead them to success.
As a STEM Fellows Program member, Ms. Burrus works to include critical thinking and problem-solving in every classroom lesson.
Ms. Burrus is also a cabinet member participant in the CSAS Shared Leadership Team, a presenter at the National Paideia Conference and Magnet Schools of America conference, and the facilitator of the CSAS Earth Club.
Ms. Burrus will now advance to the state level competition, representing the southeast region.