Decorah High School's Stephanie Steines is up for a prestigious award

Posted: Sun, Feb 16, 2020 11:54 AM

Before she even starts talking about her 22-year career as a Decorah High School mathematics teacher, Stephanie Steines' love is evident from the simple statement on her vibrant red sweatshirt: "I (heart) Statistics".

And it's Steines' passion and unquantifiable work that has recently earned her a spot on the short, selective list of only four Iowa finalists for the prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Her story of being named a finalist for this award began way back in the fall of 2018, when fellow Decorah mathematics teacher and previous 2013 winner of the award Allysen Lovstuen nominated Steines. After submitting many letters of recommendation, demonstrating the required five dimensions of outstanding teaching, and completing the narrative portion of the application, Steines was notified right before the beginning of the 2019/2020 school year that she had been named an Iowa finalist.

"It felt a lot like applying to college all over again!" Steines says.

It could take a long time for Steines to hear about whether or not she's been selected by the national selection committee. The process at the national level, where up to two finalists from each state can be chosen, can take a couple of years. Steines could hear something as early as this upcoming fall, or it might not be until summer of 2021 or longer that she finally hears anything.

The recognition could be considered worth the wait, though, as each Presidential Awardee receives a certificate signed by the President of the United States, a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation, a paid trip to Washington, D.C, and an opportunity to build lasting partnerships with colleagues across the nation.

In the meantime, Steines will keep doing what she's doing in her classroom. One of the most important things she does is to keep students interested in math. "Building interest in mathematics requires a commitment to helping students recognize mathematics is not the closed, procedural subject people often view it to be. We need to help students see that math is not just about rote memorization, but rather involves creativity and out-of-the-box thinking."

For Steines, it's about more than just coursework in her classroom. She credits the Flextime hour at the end of the day on Tuesdays and Fridays for helping her build up relationships and encourage students growth with one-on-one interactions.

Steines says, "Dynamic and effective teachers regularly find ways to show their students they care. I feel a personal stake in the progress of my students. That motivates me to reflect on my practice, and that helps me focus on how I can help my students learn and grow."

Although being named a Presidential Awardee is a commendable accomplishment, Steines says that awards and recognition are not why she is proud of her teaching career. She says, "I really enjoy working with the students and seeing them grow and learn. When you've got a student that you make a connection with and then see the lightbulb go on, it's gratifying. It's rewarding to be a small part of that." For 22 years that's what has motivated her, and, award or not, that's what will keep her teaching for many more years.