Focus on Educators

Tracy Jackson
Beginning her 6th year of teaching this fall, Tracy Jackson exemplifies all the best qualities of the talented teachers that are just entering the profession. In her five years of teaching biology at Neville High School in Monroe, LA, Tracy has incorporated a number of technologies incorporated a number of technologies into her lesson plans, including the use of Vernier data-collection equipment.

Tracy (who is a National Board Certified Teacher in Adolescent/Young Adult Science) has won a number of teaching awards, including the 2002 Louisiana Public Broadcasting National Teacher Training Institute “Technology in Education Award,” and the 2004 RadioShack® National Teacher Award. She has also been named the 2004-2005 Teacher of the Year at Neville High School. What is her secret for success?

Tracy’s approach is to give her students a brief, directed, hands-on introduction to data-collection equipment. Following this experience, they are asked to design and carry out an experiment using one or more sensors. Aft er participating in this inquiry-based approach to training, students have enjoyed great success using the probes to conduct subsequent investigations.

We wish Tracy continued success in the years to come, and look forward to watching her as she achieves it.