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Five of six teachers statewide honored for their skills teaching geography were from Sussex County. Two were from Cape schools.
Third-grade teachers Wendy Harrington of Milton Elementary School and Mary Matthes of Rehoboth Elementary School were given Distinguished Teaching Awards from the Delaware Geographic Alliance at a ceremony Feb. 21.
Both teachers say learning geography has never been more important.
“We are trying to raise these children to be responsible citizens. We can’t do that if they don’t understand what’s going on in the world around them, how everything is connected, how other cultures that may be different from ours still have similarities,” said Harrington.
Matthes agrees. “Geography helps promote a better understanding of others,” she said. The principals of both schools described Harrington and Matthes as passionate instructors and said the awards are well deserved.
“I’m really pleased and very proud of her for being one of six teachers in the state recognized as a distinguished teacher of geography,” said Milton Elementary school principal Sheila Baumgardner of Harrington.
Baumgardner said Harrington has a multifaceted approach – Harrington uses group work, map study and lots of projects to teach. “She is a believer in the effectiveness of teaching geography and has been very active on social studies committees in the state,” Baumgardner said. Geography cannot be disassociated from other disciplines, said Matthes.
Rehoboth Elementary School principal Mike Dmiterchik said Matthes taught children about pirates to help them understand the geography of the Eastern Shore.
“Geography is her passion. She loves teaching the social studies side of it,” he said.
The Delaware Geographic Alliance is a group of teachers, administrators and university geographers that works with the National Geographic Society to promote education in public schools. Both teachers said they were surprised and honored to have been recognized.
Find the Delaware Geographic Alliance at www.degeog.org.
Contact Leah Hoenen at leah@capegazette.com
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