Shawna Sterling

Teacher: Shawna Sterling

Subject: 7^th grade Science

School: Harlem Middle School (Loves Park)

Teaching experience: 13 at HMS, 15 total

What did a nominator or recommender say about this teacher?

• “She is so welcoming and does a garden sale every year that the students help make possible, which creates a partnership between students, staff and community. She is always making sure students and their parents know what is going on in the classroom and responds promptly.” – from a nomination from a student’s parent
• “Mrs. Sterling designs instructional experiences that challenge students to think deeply, ask questions and apply scientific reasoning, all while ensuring the learning is accessible to students of all backgrounds and abilities.”

What does this teacher say? Shawna had a rough childhood. Many of her students face challenges that echo hers. One teacher made all the difference to her. She has become the teacher she once needed. She promises her students, “I will show up – consistently, wholeheartedly – with high expectations and unwavering belief. In my classroom, this commitment helps students who have never passed a science assessment begin to see themselves as capable.” She says she differentiates learning like coaches differentiate drills – with enrichment, scaffolding or by re-writing “the playbook.” “But none need lowered expectations. Students know I push them because I see their potential – often before they see it themselves.” She works hard to celebrate diversity and to make all students feel seen. She lets students know that “who they are is not a barrier to learning – it is an asset.”

What else do we know? With grant money, Shawna was able to fund a student-centered greenhouse program. Students grow plants from seed and manage all aspects of the greenhouse. They are engaged as they actively learn the science, responsibility and teamwork required to sustain the program. The plants are sold to the community. A science instructional coach shared that this project builds both “scientific competence and civic pride.”