Thursday, May 13, 1999
Ashland honors 2 N.Ky. teachers
BY SUSAN VELA and PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Two Northern Kentucky teachers were among 10 educators from across the state who were honored in Frankfort Wednesday because of their teaching skills and the joy for learning that they instill in their students.
Shannon Schumacher, a sixth-grade math teacher at Rector A. Jones Middle School in Florence, and Lisa Faulhaber, a kindergarten teacher at St. Anthony School in Taylor Mill, were recognized as two of 10 recipients of 1999 Ashland Inc. Teacher Achievement Awards during a ceremony in the State Capitol.
The teachers received $2,500 cash awards in recognition of their work.
“Teachers must not only teach,” said Ashland Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Paul W. Chellgren, who presided over the awards ceremony.
“They must challenge, be cheerleaders, counselors and themselves be committed to lifelong learning,” he said. “Foremost, they must have a passion for their profession. The teachers we honor today share their passion for curiosi ty and learning with all their students.”
Among those attending the ceremony were: Gov. Paul Patton and his wife, Judi; Lt. Gov. Steve Henry; state Education Commissioner Wilmer S. Cody; and Dr. Marlene Helm, secretary of education, arts and humanities for Kentucky.
“This is very exciting,” said Ms. Faulhaber, 31, of Melbourne, who has taught school for 10 years. “I want to just thank everybody who made this possible for me, but especially I want to thank the kids. They made it possible.”
“This award is just great,”
said Ms. Schumacher, 28, of Alexandria, who has been a teacher for six years. “I'm surprised, and I'm very honored.”
All certified Kentucky teachers instructing kindergarten through 12th-grade students were eligible. A panel of education experts from Kentucky, West Virginia and Ohio selected them.
Nominated teachers had to provide materials that delved into their teaching philosophy and experience, involvement in their communities and letters of recommendations from peers, students and administrators.
Ms. Schumacher aims to help students express themselves while teaching sixth-grade math to Florence students.
“I promote explaining and questioning concepts and ideas as opposed to simply performing algorithms,” said the teacher, who admits to struggling with math throughout her own elementary school days. “Each day, I begin class with a problem-solving activity. I encourage students to share multiple ways of approaching and solving each problem.
“There is no greater joy than to watch a student with poor self-esteem glow with pride when he or she can explain an alternative solution to the class.”
Ms. Faulhaber also shared her philosophy.
“I believe children are naturally curious and eager to learn,” she said. “The most challenging and rewarding parts of my job are understanding and empathizing with the needs of the whole child. I believe "job' is a poor choice of words, because I view teaching as much more than that. It is a way of thinking, feeling and living — a call to a special way of life.”
Ashland Inc., which has its headquarters in Covington, has been awarding and honoring teachers for excellence for at least 10 years.
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