Columbus State University issued the following announcement on April 1.
Lisa Seegar is a “homegrown” teacher.
She attended Jordan Vocational High School, where she was an exemplary student. She then enrolled at Columbus State University, where she attained a degree in middle grades education with an emphasis on math and science in 2000. And upon graduation, she immediately launched a career with the Muscogee County School District, teaching at Aaron Cohn Middle School and Midland Middle School before taking on the role of MCSD regional gifted facilitator. Her love for student interaction and shaping the minds of tomorrow would eventually lure her back to the classroom, where she has taught fifth-grade science at Britt David Magnet Academy since 2016.
For 22 years, Seegar has dedicated her life to educating our children and making our community a better place to live. Last year, the Muscogee County School District recognized her outstanding contributions by naming her its 2021 Teacher of the Year.
“When I found out about the Teacher of the Year award, I was just so grateful,” recalled Seegar. “I was so honored to represent my colleagues, because teachers are amazing people, especially after the year that we had had with COVID-19. I have even more respect for teachers when I saw them just be able to—on a dime—invent how to teach virtually, and to do it so well. So, I was just really grateful to represent such an amazing group of people in our community.”
High praise coming from someone seen a change agent herself.
“Lisa is a transformer, an agent of change who recognizes that she must transform herself as a professional with the latest data and research,” said Dr. David Lewis, superintendent of the Muscogee County School District. “More importantly, she is a transformer of the lives of her students, deeply believing in her students and their abilities. Lisa knows that she is the catalyst in their transformation to be the people she helps them to be.”
And, while considered an extraordinary educator, Seegar wasn’t always on the track to become a professional educator.
“I had several different majors during my time at CSU,” she admitted. “I was really just trying to figure out what to do with my life, because my parents and grandparents owned a business and I thought that I would just get a business degree and work with them, but they wound up selling it. I was kind of floundering around for a while, but I was working part time at an after-school program and I just fell in love with that, and fell in love with the children there, and the relationships I could build with them. So, I decided to pursue a degree in education.”
Once she discovered her love for teaching, her path became clear and she pursued a career in education.
“I am so grateful for the College of Education [and Health Professions] at CSU,” said Seegar. “They did a fantastic job of preparing me to be an effective teacher, because they gave me so many opportunities. I was able to get into the schools of the Muscogee County School Districtand kind of get my feet wet, and that was even before I did my student teaching at Richards Middle School. After my student teaching experience, I was prepared to walk into the classroom and it wasn’t a shock.
“We see some people starting out in our profession who aren’t as prepared as the students who came from CSU,” she continued. “They’re shocked and start to think, ‘This is not what I thought it would be!’ So, CSU did a fantastic job of preparing us for the real world of education.”
In the eyes of those who see her in action in the classroom, it’s obvious that Seegar is prepared for whatever challenges arise.
“Seeing Lisa in the classroom is a case study in how to be an exceptionally effective teacher,” according to Marquette McKnight, executive director of the Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation. “While maintaining rigor, she makes lessons relevant on so many levels. She enables children to challenge themselves and develop critical thinking skills because of her holistic approach to learning and teaching.”Seegar exemplifies the notion that teaching is one of the noblest professions a person can undertake, and she has some sage advice for those who hear the calling.
“Go for it!” she exclaimed. “It is the most amazing, rewarding profession that I know of. Teachers have the ability to transform lives. Teachers are some of the builders of this nation. They build this nation with every relationship they build with students. So, if you want to make this world a better place, if you want to make an impact on your community, I can’t think of a better profession for you to go into than teaching.”
Seegar was recently announced as a finalist for 2022 Georgia Teacher of the Year. State School Superintendent Richard Woods is impressed with Seegar and her colleagues.
“The 10 finalists for Georgia’s next Teacher of the Year represent the very best of our state’s public education system,” Woods said. “They are hardworking, innovative, skilled, and—most importantly—focused first and foremost on students. I am immensely proud of each of them and honored to recognize them as finalists.”
In a recent interview with Ledger-Enquirer’s Mark Rice, Seegar expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to represent the state of Georgia.
“Our nation depends on its teachers to prepare her future even in the face of extreme hardships,” Seegar said. “I am honored to be a part of this amazing profession especially at this time in our history and grateful to have the opportunity to represent the Muscogee County School District as a finalist for the Georgia Teacher of the Year.”
The 2022 statewide Teacher of the Year winner will be announced April 30.
Original source can be found here.
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