Local teacher wins national award
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on January 21, 2005 2:09 PM
Cathie Hooks, a fifth-grade teacher at Tommy's Road Elementary School, has won a technology leadership award from the AOL@SCHOOL National Education Association Foundation.
Mrs. Hooks is the first recipient of the national award that recognizes teachers who have demonstrated a unique and original approach to the implementation and use of instructional technology. She received the honor during the NEA Foundation Gala last month.
Cathie Hooks
Representatives from AOL will present the award to her at the school on Jan. 31. Local and state educators and politicians have also been invited to attend.
As part of the award, Mrs. Hooks will receive a financial award plus an additional $2,500 for classroom technology. She will receive certificate and recognition plaques.
"It was humbling, but such an honor," she said. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would pioneer a first award."
Mrs. Hooks' class will also have the opportunity to appear in a national commercial for AOL .
Mrs. Hooks, who was named Wayne's teacher of the year two years ago, won the award based on her innovation with a project she calls "Literacy through a Lens." Students use equipment with different lenses, such as digital microscopes hooked up to computers, and then insert text upon the images. The materials are then used to produce articles, books or writing kits.
Mrs. Hooks has developed what she calls the three R's of technology: resources, roles and results. She said teachers play a variety of roles in a student's education and that there are many ways for educators to achieve desired results.
She said she plans to use the award money to buy computers, digital cameras, LCD projectors, printers and scanners for her students to use.