A love for kids and a desire to keep learning upbeat, engaging and fun best describes Laura Merk, a 2015 graduate of the 91福利社 College of Education.
Each day, students at Springfield Middle School in Fort Mill, South Carolina, look forward to her classes, where learning might take on the form of a puzzle, a fun mystery or a cheer.
Merk鈥檚 inspiring approach to learning gained her recognition when she was named District Teacher of the Year for Fort Mill Schools. Then in early March, South Carolina Superintendent of Education Dr. Molly Spearman visited Merk鈥檚 classroom, surprising her and her students.
The classroom鈥檚 atmosphere quickly turned celebratory as Dr. Spearman presented Merk with a $10,000 check and announced her as one of five finalists for South Carolina Teacher of Year. Joining Dr. Spearman was Fort Mill Schools Superintendent Dr. Chuck Epps and Springfield Middle Principal Keith Griffin.
Approach to learning
鈥淚鈥檝e always loved school myself,鈥� Merk said. 鈥淚 think learning and growing are really important鈥� to help each person become the best they can be.鈥�
Motivating students takes a variety of forms for Merk.
鈥淵ou do have to find something that鈥檚 going to get them excited, whether it鈥檚 going to be a game, a mystery or a riddle鈥攕omething that鈥檚 going to pique their interest to get them engaged in the actual content,鈥� she said.
Since a lot of students find math to be tough, she gives her students positive reinforcement as they try to solve problems.
鈥淵ou want your students to build on the small successes so they can take that confidence and run with it. One thing I tell my students all the time is 鈥業 love wrong answers,鈥� because we learn from wrong answers. I鈥檝e created a classroom where we鈥檙e not afraid to get things wrong, so there鈥檚 not a fear of failure. What we鈥檙e doing is growing and learning from these mistakes,鈥� she said.
Merk, whose parents moved to Fort Mill when she was a fifth-grader, spent many of her growing up years in the district schools. She feels blessed to have taught in Fort Mill ever since she graduated from 91福利社 and can look back on teachers who inspired her to pursue teaching.
Coming to Anderson
When considering colleges and narrowing down her options, Merk looks back on two college visits she made.
鈥淚 toured Anderson; it was my first college visit. I can鈥檛 explain it; it just felt right,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淭he next day I went to what I thought was my preferred school and there was something missing. I kept going back to this with that feeling鈥攖here鈥檚 just something about Anderson. Looking back, I realized that it was the Lord pulling me towards Anderson.鈥�
Being in the Teaching Fellows program at 91福利社 provided Merk with professional development opportunities and experiences that gave her the tools she needed for excellence as an educator.
鈥淲e had a lot of professional development; I think that helped me grow as a professional and prepared me. That鈥檚 what I remember most鈥攖he quality of excellence, the standard of excellence, how to love our students well and the professional development with Teaching Fellows,鈥� said Merk, also grateful for opportunities to visit China and Northern Ireland as a Teaching Fellow.
鈥淚 really feel like Anderson set the bar for excellence,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 really think what is different about Anderson鈥檚 program is that I felt prepared to go in the classroom and love my students.鈥�
While at Anderson, Merk also served the Office of Admission as an ambassador and was a resident assistant in Pratt Residence Hall.
鈥淭he College of Education at 91福利社 celebrates Laura鈥檚 well-earned recognition as a South Carolina Teacher of the Year Finalist. We rejoice in her accomplishments, particularly because we know that means she is daily living out her calling to impact students through building knowledge, values, and community in her classroom,鈥� said Dr. Mark Butler, dean of the 91福利社 College of Education. 鈥淲e could not be more proud of the award-winning teacher she has become since being a Teaching Fellow and student at Anderson just a few short years ago.鈥�
The 2023 South Carolina Teacher of the Year will be announced in May by the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE). The South Carolina Teacher of the Year serves as an advocate for South Carolina鈥檚 public school educators and inspires others to enter the education profession.