Shirley Yuan, second grade teacher and team leader at Flora M. Singer Elementary School in Silver Spring, is the winner of this year’s Shirley J. Lowrie “Thank You for Teaching” Award. Additional information below, courtesy of MCPS:
A 21-year veteran of MCPS, Yuan is described as a master of teaching. She has a calm and unique way of explaining concepts to her students in a way they fully understand. She naturally differentiates instruction to meet the needs of all learners without creating educational disparity. She is constantly coming up with new ways to present the curriculum to ensure all students are learning, and empowers students to find alternate ways to demonstrate their understanding.
Her classroom is highly structured. There are well established routines and expectations with no wasted minutes. She even reinforces concepts such as fact fluency, sight words and vocabulary during arrival, dismissal and transition times. Singer Elementary is a highly diverse school community, with a population of students who receive English Language Development services and an Elementary Learning Center, a self-contained special education program. Yuan’s class has a strong emphasis on inclusivity. Her classroom is always the first choice for as a host teacher for full inclusion. She modifies instruction and behavioral support strategies to foster student success. As a result of her efforts, multiple students have successfully transitioned from a self-contained special education program to being successful in the general education program.
Parents say she is patient, persistent and has an intuitive ability to understand the needs of every child. She never misses a chance to build bridges between students’ lives at home and in school. Yuan began her career as a first grade teacher at Rockview Elementary School, where she taught for 10 years. In 2011, she helped open Singer Elementary as the second grade team leader.
At both schools, she spearheaded the creation of variety shows, encouraging students to display their talents and unique skills. She has co-led Girls on the Run, PTA bingo nights, math and reading family nights and after-school homework clubs. For many years, she tutored at the George B. Thomas Sr. Learning Academy, also known as Saturday School. The “She does so much for everything because she loves and cares about all aspects of her job,” wrote a former colleague. “Going that extra step for anyone—student, colleagues and parents—is not extra for her. It is just who she is.”
Yuan received a $2,500 prize for being named the winner. The annual “Thank You for Teaching” awards are made possible through the Shirley J. Lowrie Memorial Fund, established at the Community Foundation for Montgomery County. Featured photo courtesy of MCPS.