Eau Claire Memorial Biology teacher honored with Golden Apple award

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - We wrap up week two of our Golden Apple awards with a trip to Eau Claire Memorial High School to salute an Old Abes instructor that is beloved by her students and colleagues.

“Not only does she know her content and her materials but she cares deeply about your learning and because of that she has been selected as the Memorial High school teacher of the year and win our Golden Apple, congratulations!”

Congratulations to Nicole Anderson for her excellence in the classroom helping jump start Memorial’s A-P biology program several years ago that has helped students achieve high test scores and prepare them for college. Anderson says she’s thrilled to be recognized by her peers, adding she takes pride in watching her students reach and exceed their potential.

“It’s really important that we can produce children who head into the world as young adults with critical thinking skills, problem solving skills so they can use evidence to make decisions. And kind of be able to weed through some of the nonsense or fake news that might exist,” says Anderson. “So I think it’s really important that they not necessarily leave with all the details of gene expression like we’re studying but really science skills and processes that can help them in their lifelong kind of journey in making decisions.”

“Provides rigor in her classroom, there’s not wasted time, her students are there to get things done to learn. But on top of that she makes sure than she cares for all her students and meets them at the entry level of where they’re at,” explains Memorial principal, Dave Oldenberg. “Maybe a student comes in with not a lot of prior learning or a non-eager learner and they also get a robust experience. So I’m really expressed with her ability to differentiate and the acknowledgement she gets from her peers. She really is an educational leader in our building.”

Congratulations again to Mrs. Anderson, she and Eau Claire Memorial will each receive $500 from the Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation to help support their science program. And thanks to Nicole’s husband and twin boys for stopping by to share in their mom’s special day.

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