I am honored to represent elementary teachers who have a passion for math and who teach all subjects well. Every day, my colleagues and I teach students to reason, justify, and communicate. This award belongs to the children of Sierra Elementary in Alamogordo, NM, who believe in themselves, take intellectual risks, and show daily that perseverance starts when a task gets hard and stops when the goal is achieved. I thank my principal Paul Sena, my mentor Pam Abreu, and my sister Bobbie Kellner.

Diana Fesmire Alamogordo, NM | K-6, Mathematics, 2008

The official biography below was current at the time of the award.

Diana Fesmire began teaching in 1987 and has taught at Sierra Elementary School since 1996. After eight years of teaching fourth grade, she currently teaches fifth grade. She is the school's Mathematics Lead Teacher. Mrs. Fesmire also teaches Elementary Math and Science Methods for New Mexico State University, working with the Alamogordo Cohort. In addition, Mrs. Fesmire is a part-time instructor for Math Solutions, formerly Marilyn Burns Education Associates. Mrs. Fesmire possesses a thorough understanding of the pedagogical framework and developmental processes that students must experience in order to achieve high levels of mathematics understanding. Her classroom is a model learning environment that reflects the passion and excitement for learning that she shares with her students each day. Mrs. Fesmire capitalizes on the learning styles and strengths of each student to develop their learning to the fullest. Her forms of assessment--whether formal unit tests, games, hands-on activities, or simply asking the whole class a question and having them respond on their white boards--are among the most successful ways she teaches every student based on their individual needs. Using this information, she creates flexible groups of students that concentrate on a particular math strand or process. Additionally, Mrs. Fesmire mentors intermediate students during an after-school program, exploring meaningful mathematics to deepen the concepts learned in the classroom. Her teaching style is as a facilitator, encouraging students' thinking as they build their understanding of mathematics and learn to communicate that knowledge to others. Mrs. Fesmire also provides exceptional support to the school district. She has been instrumental in working with all the teachers in the district to ask the hard questions and reflect on goals to assist schools in making good decisions regarding the adoption and implementation of new mathematics curricula, supporting teachers in creating standards-based learning environments, and establishing a vision of high achievement for all students. Mrs. Fesmire has a B.A., summa cum laude, in teaching/elementary education and mathematics from Sam Houston State University and an M.A. in mathematics education from the University of Texas. She is a certified kindergarten through eighth grade classroom teacher, a certified teacher of K-12 mathematics, and a certified instructional leader working extensively with the New Mexico State Math Leadership Team and on the New Mexico Standards Based Assessment.

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