Sarah Flippen

Ruther Glen, VA | K-6, Mathematics, 2022

What motivates you to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching?

The students are the biggest motivating factor for me. I want to provide opportunities, encouragement, and exploration for students when working with STEM skills. I recognize that my actions and the opportunities I create could ignite a lifetime of passion in the field for my students.

What has been the most transformative moment that affirmed your impact on STEM education?

There has not been one moment specifically but working with young students and seeing them realize that they have the creative and critical thinking power to solve a problem independently is extremely rewarding. Seeing a student share why they chose to solve a problem a certain way and hearing them justify their reasoning is always a rewarding and reaffirming moment for me.

Using your platform as a Presidential Awardee, how do you hope to advance our nation in STEM?

I hope that we as a society can see the value and importance of education and allow that to shape the way we prioritize school funding and support.

Biography

Sarah Flippen has taught for 10 years at Madison Elementary School. She currently teaches all subjects as a second grade teacher. Previously, Sarah taught all subjects of kindergarten and then served as a mathematics coach, where she focused her expertise on supporting the primary grades and encouraging a love of mathematics. Sarah challenges her students with mathematics tasks, number sense routines, different manipulatives, and real-world connections to help students feel excited and value their mathematical learning. In past years, with the influence of some of her fellow educators, Sarah planned and implemented a mathematics day for her kindergartners. The students engaged in mathematics games, activities, and challenges while celebrating their love for the subject. Sarah also led the kindergarten Professional Learning Community in their focus on data and instruction. She designed engaging lessons and provided hands-on learning experiences for the grade level. Sarah has led professional development sessions at the building, division, and state levels and collaborated with teachers across her building. Sarah received her B.S., summa cum laude, in liberal studies from Longwood University with a concentration in middle and elementary education and a Master’s of Interdisciplinary Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University. Sarah is certified in elementary education pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, mathematics specialist for elementary and middle education, and middle education sixth through eighth grade English.

High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph

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