Frederick County Woman Named Teacher Of The Year

FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) -- The nation's top teaching title has just been awarded to a Frederick County teacher.

As Gigi Barnett explains, the Teacher of the Year award is another feather in the state's education cap.

Three years in a row, Maryland's school system has taken the top title from Education Week Magazine: number one in the nation.  Earlier this year, the College Board named Maryland the most successful school system in Advanced Placement classes.

Now there's another honor: Michelle Shearer is the National Teacher of the Year.

"It's a tremendous honor to be the Teacher of the Year in the stage with the number one public school system in the nation. I have worked all 14 years of my career in Maryland," Shearer said.

Shearer teaches Advanced Placement Chemistry at Urbana High School in Frederick County.  She won the Maryland Teacher of the Year in October and became a finalist for the national award in January.  She says her focus is making sure all students understand science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM.

"I believe since chemistry is everywhere, chemistry is for everyone.  We need to reach out and include our students with special needs and include students from all ethnic backgrounds and include our youngest girls and view every student as a future scientist," Shearer said.

The next step now is a visit to the White House.

"I realize that everywhere I travel and speak, that I am representing tens of thousands of teachers who work tirelessly throughout the state and it really is all about our students," she said.

Shearer is the second Maryland teacher in the last five years to receive the prestigious award and the first from Frederick County.

Shearer's visit to the White House will be Tuesday.