A teacher in the Maize School District has won a national award for her work in the classroom.
Crystal May teaches 4th grade at Pray–Woodman Elementary in Maize. She is the recipient of the the National Education Association Foundation’s Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence.
May is among only five teachers recognized for the award nationally. She was nominated by the Kansas National Education Association.
KNEA President Mark Farr says May is a teacher who values every student.
"Crystal believes in each student’s ability to achieve," Farr says. "She works hard to make sure each student feels respected and important in her classroom. That’s why she was selected for the Kansas Teacher Excellence Award and how she became our nominee in the NEA Foundation Award for teaching excellence. She is an outstanding educator."
May is known for her alternative teaching style. Her classroom doesn't have desks, and most of her teaching is small group instruction rather than lecturing at the front of the class.
May’s students are producing a video to honor their teacher. It will debut at the Feb. 9 gala in Washington, D.C., and will be live-streamed at NEAFoundation.org.
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Carla Eckels is assistant news director and the host of Soulsations. Follow her on Twitter @Eckels.
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