It is an incredible honor to be considered for the Presidential Award, the highest recognition a mathematics or science teacher may receive, and one I share with my kindergartners. I am proud of my students’ willingness to take risks, problem solve, and share their thinking with one another. I am most excited that mathematicians and scholars recognize the importance of early childhood mathematics. Early counting serves as the foundation for the development of more advanced skills in coming years.
LeAnn Uhling has been an educator for 25 years and has spent the last 9 years teaching kindergarten at Saratoga Elementary.
LeAnn embodies the creative spirit of an inquiry-based classroom and thrives on the intrinsic rewards of teaching. Communicating a love of learning and developing innovative activities to capture the attention of all students are her hallmarks. LeAnn’s Brain Blasters Club engages kindergarten through second grade students in higher-level math skills as they develop critical thinking and are challenged to investigate, discover, and communicate their thinking.
LeAnn’s background in English learner instruction, brain-compatible practices, and Add+VantageMR certification have helped her grow in expertise and have given her opportunities to develop a repertoire of best teaching strategies, examine them as models of learning, and design assessment rubrics to inform and improve student performance. She has been asked to demonstrate inquiry-based instruction for district employees.
LeAnn has a B.A. in psychology from the University of Colorado and an M.A. in curriculum and instruction from the University of Wyoming. She is certified in kindergarten through sixth grade elementary education, English as a second language, middle school, and psychology.
- High-resolution version of the official portrait photograph
- Awardee holding Presidential citation between Associate Director for Science of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Dr. Carl Wieman and Deputy Director of the National Science Foundation, Dr. Cora Marrett
- High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph
