Angela Trent, a sixth grade Geography Teacher at West Intermediate, was named the Secondary Teacher of the Year by the Oklahoma Council for the Social Studies.
“It's an incredible honor to be chosen for this award, especially because the educators of OKCSS are the best of the best in the state,” said Trent. “The fact that they chose me for recognition is humbling.”
The award is given to an educator who incorporates innovative strategies in the classroom, utilizes recent scholarship for effective Social Studies instruction, and fosters a spirit of inquiry and critical thinking skills within the classroom to help students become future leaders and decision-makers.
"I truly believe geography is one of the most important subjects our students will study because it's really the only time that kids focus solely on the world around them, discover a wide variety of places and people groups, and develop an understanding of their responsibilities as local, national, and global citizens,” stated Trent.
“I try to use as many hands-on activities as possible, like exploring giant floor maps and giant, inflatable globes to develop curiosity and facilitate student discoveries. My students also participate in inquiry learning projects, task centers, virtual field trips, charades - anything to spark their curiosity and make learning personal.”