Keenan Teacher Recognized for Outstanding Teaching Innovation

Did your teacher ever teach you about quadratic equations by having a punter kick a football across the class and then having you make a graph of it? That type of exciting, real-world learning happens everyday in the classroom of DeVonne Smalls, a math teacher at Keenan High School in Richland One. Smalls’ innovation in the classroom is being rewarded by her recognition as a one of six South Carolina finalists for the 2005 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The Presidential Award is the nation’s highest honor for K-12 teaching in these fields.

Smalls says her 20 years of teaching experience have taught her that she has to make learning interesting for students. "This award is confirmation that what I do is making a difference. I try to involve all of my students and try to make it fun. You have to get them hooked. Once you do that, they can learn anything."

Presidential Awardees represent teachers who are highly qualified in their fields, extremely knowledgeable about their subjects, and using methods that improve teaching and learning in science and mathematics. Recipients of the 2005 Presidential Awards will be announced in March at a conference which will be held in Washington, DC.

For more information, please contact the Richland One Office of Communications at 231-7510 or 231-7504.