Anderson, SC - Mathematics
The Presidential Award is an honor that has given me great joy. It is a confidence builder and an excitement blaster. It is rewarding professional development that encourages and motivates. I feel privileged to receive such prestigious recognition for simply doing what I love: teaching math! I am proud of my students, and I am so proud to be a teacher.
Mrs. Fricks is committed to improving mathematics instruction. For Creating Excellence in Elementary and Middle Mathematics, a South Carolina teachers' initiative that employs vertical teaming to close gaps in mathematics instruction, she created the sixth grade geometry section for the elementary and middle levels. She has served on teams as an Adept Evaluator and High, Objective, Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE) Evaluator. She also worked with a team to create the Curriculum Notebook for Math, part of the approved mathematics curriculum for Anderson District Five.
Mrs. Fricks has won acclaim for the passion, knowledge, and skills that she brings to the classroom. Her former mentor called her a wizard at forming small groups of students to create a cooperative learning environment. To promote mathematical discourse and challenge students in new ways, she uses Paideia Seminars, about which she has presented in professional development sessions. The instructional facilitator at Lakeside Middle School lauded Mrs. Fricks for consistently implementing action research to boost students' mathematical literacy. A parent praised her for setting high expectations, engaging every student, tutoring after school, and creating projects so interesting that students do not realize that they are doing mathematics.
Mrs. Fricks was a State finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2006 and was Lakeside Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2008. She also has been the recipient of two grants.
Mrs. Fricks has a B.S. in elementary education from Lander University and has taken graduate courses at Clemson University. She is certified in elementary education and is National Board Certified in Early Adolescence Mathematics.
