Teaching is a messy and nurturing endeavor! It’s all about learning and challenging yourself to dig deeper, to fly beyond any preset boundaries in order to open the world for your students. The PAEMST award helps validate and encourage those efforts of everyday exploration and rigor. The fact that I was nominated helps confirm my own beliefs about math and science education. It is a genuine honor to even be considered for such a prestigious recognition.

Laura Baker Indianapolis, IN | K-6, Mathematics, 2010

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

Laura Baker has been an educator for more than 21 years and has been an intermediate Montessori teacher for 18 years at Stephen Foster School 367 in the Indianapolis Public Schools. She has also taught in Augusta, GA, and was the Education Director for the Ft. Wayne Historical Museum. Laura finds working with 9 - 12-year-olds in a multiage classroom an ideal environment for children to reach their potential. Students are an integral part of the process, as they help plan, problem solve, and set goals for themselves. She initiated a Junior Professor program with a local university; established a popular Family Book Club, now in its 12th year; leads students in Shakespeare plays every spring; creates science inquiry projects; and voluntarily tutors in mathematics after school. Laura has served as an instructor in the Indiana Writing Initiative, been in a leadership position for the National Urban Alliance, and presented in four states and New Zealand for various national foundations in literacy and technology. Laura has a B.S. in education from the University of Rhode Island, an M.Ed. from Augusta College, a technology certification from Butler University, and Montessori Elementary I and II Certification from the Midwest Montessori Training Center. She is a certified elementary teacher.

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