Congratulations to Jeffrey Chou - sixth grade teacher at Highland Elementary School in Abington Township School District - for being named Pennsylvania’s Teacher of the Year! Chou was chosen in part for his use of technology tools in the classroom, including wikis, Skype and podcasts. He also mentors new teachers and serves on the board of the Briar Bush Nature Center in Abington and Children's International Summer Village.
Chou was shocked when he learned of winning the award “because the other 11 finalists are all amazing educators and innovators in their disciplines.” He credits the Abington Township School District for providing the latest technological tools to best reach his students and for supporting new strategies and ideas, while still sustaining traditional, proven methods that provide results.
Chou said, “Public education has evolved as times change and we are in a time of rapid change. With the advent of the internet and networking technologies, the world is a smaller place. People from across the globe can now interact, learn and collaborate together. We are charged with the task of making everyone ready to be productive citizens, but we must also ready every child to be a productive member of this growing global community.”
He hopes to use this award to illustrate how public education is working. “To me, public education is the most important government institution,” Chou said. “We not only inform our citizenry, but also teach them how to think critically so they can make decisions that shape the future. We do all this regardless of who walks through our doors, and give everyone a chance to rise above their current status. Without this, can you have a true democracy for the people?”
View the Philadelphia Inquirer article about Chou
