Every year a “New Teacher of the Year Award” is awarded to a new staff member at Lenoir City High School. LCHS teachers vote for a colleague to receive this award, and it is always well deserved. The 2021-22 award was presented to Ms. Amyee Alexander, an Eleventh-grade Algebra II teacher.

“Honestly, I think any teacher on the ballot could have won, and it would have been very well-deserved. These have been a rough 2 years, and all of the teachers here have been giving 110% to try and keep students moving toward individual and school-wide goals,” Alexander said.

While these past 2 years have been harsh, Alexander still prioritizes the ambiance and comfort of her classroom. In fact, structure is one of the most important things you can harbor in times like these.

“I just like my classroom to be a comfortable space. As long as that’s happening, I think everyone can learn in whatever style best suits them; I try to be flexible to student suggestions. I like to take the structure of a daily format (taking notes, doing practice) and add in more fun elements, like playing music and handing out stickers as motivation,” Alexander said.

Alexander also celebrates the differences in teaching styles among her fellow staff members. These differences are what makes each and every one of them impactful in their teaching careers, including Alexander herself.

“To be honest I think all of us [teachers] are unique from each other, but the cool thing about that is that we can use it to inform our own ideas and gain a different perspective,” Alexander said. 

Alexander’s perspective on teaching is exactly what landed her this well-deserved award. Flexibility, understanding, and kindness are all traits that Alexander continually shows in her classroom; she believes that every teacher should show these exemplary traits as well.

“If I had to offer advice to a future teacher, I would want to let them know that reading about pedagogy and taking courses on it is a great first step, but no amount of preparation can make you an all-star teacher until you’re actually in a classroom. It’s really important to be flexible with your teaching style and your plans. I’ve only had 2 years of experience, but even from the first year to the second, it’s been important for me to adapt my style to diverse sets of learners,” Alexander said.

So, congratulations to Lenoir City High School’s newest new teacher of the year: Amyee Alexander!