Wiscasset Elementary School’s Becky Hallowell told Wiscasset Newspaper Aug. 28, she is ecstatic to be a finalist for Maine Teacher of the Year. The news came hours earlier from Maine Department of Education, in the latest development since Hallowell became Lincoln County teacher of the year in May, and then made the cut to the top eight.
Now it’s down to four. While the public learned it Aug. 28, Hallowell recalled finding out Aug. 9. “I had just come home from Mardens with a big stash of fiber to spin so it was a doubly exciting day!”
In email responses to questions, the fourth grade teacher said she looks forward to the next step for finalists, the selection team’s site visit to “meet the wonderful students, families, and staff of Wiscasset Elementary School. It will also be exciting to show the team how we use the riverfront outdoor classroom,” she said. “My family, colleagues and administrators have been wonderfully supportive by videotaping lessons, reviewing presentations, and encouraging me every step of the process.”
Townspeople have also been cheering her on. “Folks from the community have reached out to support me, which feels great. The whole teacher of the year experience has helped me examine my practice and grow as an educator,” she added.
Also asked for comment Aug. 28, Wiscasset Superintendent of Schools Kim Andersson wrote, “The whole school department is so proud of Becky. She exemplifies excellence in education. She’s a leader in our district, for sure, and she’s a leader in the State, too. I’m so glad and grateful she chooses to work at Wiscasset Elementary School!”
MaineDOE’s announcement listed the other finalists as high school science teacher Allyson Gilbert from Sagadahoc County, high school science teacher Katie Strait from Cumberland County, and high school English language arts teacher Emilie Throckmorton from Penobscot County.
Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin states in the release, “Allyson, Becky, Katie, and Emilie are extraordinary educators who care deeply about their students, schools, and communities. They lift up everyone around them, are passionate about their profession, and are true champions of all students and schools in Maine. These four finalists represent the best qualities of Maine’s amazing educators, and I congratulate them on this well-deserved honor.”
Teacher of the Year will be announced in October, according to the release. In it, Hallowell states: “The Maine Teacher of the Year process has allowed me to honor past teachers, like my mother, who dedicated her career to her first-grade students, as well as current teachers like my colleagues in Wiscasset and those who taught my sons. Most importantly, celebrating Maine’s talented educators plays an important role in inspiring our current students to become our future teachers.”
The release notes Hallowell’s education, her personal life and her approach to teaching. Hallowell earned her bachelor of arts in early childhood education from University of Maine at Farmington in 1994 and then received her master of science in educational leadership from University of Southern Maine in 2011, it states. “Hallowell embraces a pedagogy that honors nature and place-based learning, establishing connections between students and the local, state, and global community. She believes learning is more powerful when linked to content that students personally value and find meaningful as they engage in project-based learning. While she finds great joy in supporting student learning, Hallowell commits to her own learning and that of her colleagues both as a mentor and a mentor trainer. She has teamed with the Maine Math and Science Alliance in a research project connecting place-based learning and science sense-making, presenting her work to other educators at conferences.
“Hallowell also collaborated with her teaching partner and a University of Maine at Farmington professor to connect preservice teachers with fourth-grade students to discuss literature. She presented this work with her partners at the National Council for Teachers of English conference in 2023.
“Hallowell enjoys exploring new trails in her free time, often finding a lesson in a unique mushroom or rock formation. She lives in Whitefield with her husband, three sons, and pesky kitty.”
Maine’s Teacher of the Year advocates for the teaching profession, Maine schools and students, and represents Maine in the National Teacher of the Year program, the release said. For more, visit
http://www.mainetoy.org
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