Diocesan teacher finalist for presidential award

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
October 6, 2005

CARROLL - A diocesan teacher at Kuemper Middle School in Carroll is a finalist for the President Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching (PAEMST).

Diane Royer has been teaching at Kuemper for three years. She teaches general eighth grade math, seventh grade accelerated math, math strategies class and eighth grade speech. Prior to the unification of Kuemper she taught at Holy Trinity in Templeton. She has been teaching in the diocese for seven years.

Royer was nominated in the summer of 2004 by the president of the Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics. She noted that about 28 candidates were nominated for the award in the seventh through twelfth grade mathematics category. She was one of the three that is a finalist for the math award. There are also three finalists for the science award.

"I serve as a regional director for Heartland AEA 11," said Royer. "I had worked closely with the Iowa Council, so they were familiar with my teaching philosophies and practices."

On Aug. 18, 2005, she was honored by Governor Vilsack as one of the three teachers in the state of Iowa as a finalist for the presidential award in mathematics.

"It is very humbling," said Royer. "It is exciting to know that people have noticed the great items that my students can accomplish. The philosophies of my teaching are very much student led and student discovery."

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are the nation's highest honor for teachers of mathematics and science. The presidential awards demonstrate the value and appreciation the nation has for the teaching profession.

Each year the program recognizes outstanding mathematics and science teachers from across the United States and four U.S. jurisdictions. In addition to honoring individual achievement, the goal of the awards is to expand and exemplify the definition of excellent science and mathematics teaching.

Mathematics and science teachers from kindergarten through 12th grade are eligible for the award. Teachers that receive nominations are contacted by the Department of Education, where the nominees are invited to submit lesson plans, teaching videos and correlations to best practices in science and/or mathematics.

Royer's teaching videos and nomination packet have been sent to the White House where it is being judged. Only one of the three teachers nominated by Iowa will be selected as the national awardee.

In the lesson that Royer sent to the judge, she asked her students to find out if a double stuffed Oreo cookie truly had double the amount of filling compared to an original Oreo cookie.

"The students had to prove that using math - area and volume and measurements. They were looking at the contents of nutrition," said Royer.

The teacher who receives the national award will be notified in late March or early April of 2006 by the White House. The winning teacher will be flown to Washington, D.C. to meet with the president, as well as join in meetings with the National Department of Education.

"You only get just a day or two, maybe three, days notice before you are whisked off to Washington," said Royer. "The trip to Washington, D.C. will not be until April, so we are just in the process of waiting."