YWLA educator wins award for outstanding teaching

YWLA Educator Wins Award for Outstanding Teaching

Feb. 8, 2012

Carrie Pullins, a math teacher at the Young Women’s Leadership Academy, was awarded a Mayoral/County Judge Outstanding Science and Mathematics Teaching Award, which honors outstanding new math and science teachers in public schools.

Representatives of the San Antonio Math & Science Education Coalition paid Pullins a surprise visit Wednesday morning, presenting her with an over-sized $1,000 check.

Pullins teaches 7th- and 8th-grade math at the school, an all-girls, college preparatory school with a focus on math, science and technology.

In her fourth year as an educator, she describes her teaching philosophy as “Pretty simple: “whatever it takes for me to get to every kid.”

“Like I tell them all the time: It’s not an option,” Pullins said. “One way or another, we’re going to learn it.”

Principal Delia McLerran said Pullins is dynamic in the classroom.

“Her passion is kids and doing whatever it takes to engage students, to motivate students and doing whatever it takes to ensure not just their academic success, but their personal success,” McLerran said.

Pullins was one of 12 math and science teachers selected from throughout San Antonio and Bexar County to receive the recognition and prize money.

Teachers in grades Pre-K through 12th are eligible to be nominated if they are currently teaching math or science and are within their first five years of teaching. School districts submit nominations to the San Antonio Math & Science Education Coalition, and finalists’ applications are reviewed by a panel of judges comprised of business and community leaders and educators.


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