The Presidential Award validates that I am doing things that help kids learn to love learning. Teaching is both an art and a science. The science part we can measure--look at test results and judge whether students meet academic standards. The art of teaching is less tangible. Winning the Presidential Award indicates I am touching students' hearts as well as their minds. It shows that experts who care and know about science education believe I am helping my kids learn to love learning science.

John Hushek Franklin, WI | K-6, Science, 2010

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

John Hushek teaches fifth and sixth grade at Orchard Lane Elementary School. He previously taught third through eighth grade at Indian Community School in Franklin, WI. He has also taught at Camp Invention hands-on science camp for the last 10 summers. John loves teaching critical thinking and problem solving. These skills are essential to success in mathematics, are the basis for organizing writing, and help engage students in reading. But science is John's favorite forum for applying and building these skills. Connecting science procedures and content to other disciplines is a fundamental part of teaching science. John uses these connections to stimulate interest and build students' confidence in their abilities to question, test, and analyze. John believes that the processes of science inquiry intrinsically differentiate in the classroom. All students, regardless of background, learning styles, or abilities, have questions. Teaching science starts with helping students identify their questions. John sees his role as helping students identify their individual questions about the given topic. John relishes helping students find their own answers to their own questions. John has bachelor's degrees in education and philosophy and a master's degree in curriculum and development.

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