Andrea Payan has been teaching in Milwaukee Public Schools for 20 years. She has taught many different grade levels ranging from 1-8. She is now an instructional technology coach working at Audubon Middle School. Her job is to help support and implement the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools initiative at that school.Â
At her time of award, Fifth-grade teacher Andrea Payan's effectiveness as a teacher had led to high student achievement at Morgandale Elementary School in Milwaukee. Nearly every one of her students is reading at or above grade level, and on one particular math assessment she helped them improve their scores in one semester by an average of 45 percent. Ms. Payan was instrumental in writing and earning a grant for a multidisciplinary project in which students wear pedometers while exercising and graph their progress, simultaneously learning lessons in math, science and health. She also co-wrote and received a grant for a computer-based writing project that has increased achievement among low-level and special education students. Ms. Payan is the math lead teacher for the school, serves as a mentor to new teachers, and has helped develop the school's education plan for the past four years. As long as she remains part of that plan, there is sure to be more teaching excellence and high student achievement to come.
