Bishop Flaget teacher recognized for excellence in the classroom
CHILLICOTHE— Every month the Partners in Education Teacher of the Month through the Ohio Lottery recognizes K-12 teachers who have done an amazing job inside and outside of the classroom.
In March Casey Teets, a middle school math and social studies teacher at Bishop Flaget School was one of these outstanding teachers.
According to Partners in Education, teachers must show excellence in the classroom, motivational skills, leadership, a passion for community service, creativity, imagination, communication skills and dedication to become Teacher of the Month. Nominations can come from a teacher's principal, peers, parents or students.
Teets has been an educator for several years, teaching for nine years as a long-term substitute and two years as a full-time teacher. He said after having his life positively impacted by his teachers in seventh and eighth grade he knew he wanted to become a teacher to positively impact others.
"Those teachers really affected my life and how I saw the world," said Teets. "From that point on I knew that's what I wanted to do."
Outside of school Teets also works as an actor at Tecumseh! Outdoor Drama, where he is going into his ninth season. He brings this acting into the classroom to help students better connect with the materials through different simulations. These classroom simulations can range from historical events to teaching life skills like how to budget money. Teets said he enjoys having an interactive classroom that engages students.
"They seem to learn better that way," said Teets.
Teets' favorite part of being a teacher is seeing when the lessons finally click for a student and they are able to take what they have learned to the next level.
He was nominated to be Teacher of the Month by principal Laura Corcoran who said the students enjoy Teets' class as he brings lessons to life. Teets, who did not know he was nominated, was very surprised to win. He believes the school and the students should get the credit for all their hard work, still, he said it feels amazing to be recognized and receive the prizes.
"I think the school, and the students here at the school, deserve more of the credit than I do," said Teets.
Winners of this award receive merchandise of Partners in Education from the Ohio Lottery, a gift card and a Certificate of Excellence.
As a teacher, Teets said he hopes that he can help prepare his students for real life. He hopes that in the future his students can take a nugget of information he taught them to make a wise decision that helps them succeed. While the awards and recognition are nice he said the best recognition is a student coming back to him and saying he helped them.
Shelby Reeves is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. You can email her at SReeves@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @Shelby_Reeves_
This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Bishop Flaget teacher recognized for excellence in the classroom
