Students at Mayflower High School are connected in one unique way: They have social studies teacher Andrew Harrison guiding them through not only the depths of history, but also the trenches of high school. As a Mayflower alumnus, Harrison is a product of the very community he now serves. Students are accustomed to his cheerful presence in the classroom, football field, track, or even the bowling alley. He often uses a coaching approach when teaching, emphasizing a teamwork-driven culture while maintaining healthy competition in the classroom. Harrison leads by example and is always willing to go above and beyond to grow as an educator. Whenever new strategies or concepts are implemented, he videotapes his lessons and sends them to administrators for constructive feedback. One of his recorded lessons explaining the Restate, Answer, Cite, Explain (RACE) writing method was sent as an example to other teachers on how to implement the practice in their classrooms.
Through a partnership with the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET), Mayflower High School has built an instructional leadership team (ILT) for maintaining continual growth of instructional excellence. Harrison is heavily involved in Mayflower’s ILT, meeting weekly with colleagues to analyze student data, develop standards-based success criteria, lead professional development, and more. He also leads a Professional Learning Community (PLC) for physical education, health, social studies teachers and athletic coaches. NIET’s Arkansas
Rural Educator Network has allowed Harrison to lead a virtual 2023 statewide social studies educator collaboration, giving rural educators a network in which to reflect and discuss standard-based successes. As a coach, Harrison ensures his players grow up to be active community leaders by organizing volunteer events like “Pink Out” breast cancer awareness nights, elementary school reading visits, and local cemetery cleanups with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which he also sponsors.
Harrison is a graduate of Arkansas Tech University, earning a bachelor’s in professional studies in 2015. In 2020, he earned a master’s from Arkansas State University in educational leadership and administration.
Press release: Mayflower Hometown Hero Andrew Harrison Surprised With $25,000 Milken Educator Award
