Surprise! Adams Middle English Teacher Jennifer Williams Receives $25,000 Milken Educator Award
Jennifer Williams wins Milken Educator Award: Full Ceremony from Jefferson Parish Schools on Vimeo.
Jennifer Williams is a meticulous planner at John Q. Adams Middle School, where she teaches sixth grade English. From rubric-guided class discussions and data-driven professional development to leading “Test Fest” — the school’s biggest event of the year — Williams makes sure to cross her t’s and dot her i’s. Yet today Williams was thrown for a loop when a visit from State Superintendent John White turned into a celebration in her honor.
Before a room filled with cheering colleagues, students, state and local officials, White joined Milken Educator Awards Founder Lowell Milken to present Williams with the prestigious Milken Educator Award, which comes with a $25,000 cash prize that she can use however she chooses.
Williams is among up to only 40 honorees nationwide to receive the recognition during the 2019-20 season, and the second recipient from Louisiana. Steven Gamache, an eighth grade English teacher at Paul Habans Charter School in New Orleans, earned the Award earlier this morning.
“Outstanding teachers like Jennifer Williams ignite a passion for learning in their students and create a nurturing environment for them to thrive,” said Lowell Milken. “Jennifer’s enthusiasm, attention to data and high expectations transfer to her work outside the classroom, where she helps drive the school’s instructional program and guides and supports fellow teachers. Her leadership plays an important role in affording all students quality educational opportunities.”
Hailed by Teacher magazine as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the goal of the Milken Educator Awards is to celebrate, elevate and activate the American teaching profession and inspire young, capable people to join it. The Milken Educator Award is not a lifetime achievement honor. Recipients are heralded while early to mid-career for what they have achieved — and for the promise of what they will accomplish given the resources and opportunities inherent in the Award.
“Teaching and building the foundations of reading ranks among the most essential of our missions,” said State Superintendent John White. “Louisiana is proud to have an educator like Jennifer Williams who does this in a way that is not only creative but highly effective.”
Williams’ classroom features flexible work stations: exercise balls near the computer writing research center, a large carpet where students spread out their materials and work on assignments, and a corner with easy chairs and coffee tables where students collaborate and discuss books and writing projects. On “Flashlight Fridays,” the class reads and works together by flashlight, enjoying the change in atmosphere. Schoolwide data shows writing as a target growth area, so Williams reverse-engineers quizzes and assessments to make sure each one has a writing component. Her classes engage in student-led conferences throughout the writing process, starting with conversation stems and a rubric to guide their discussions. Williams’ students function at a high level and feel safe taking academic risks.
“I've played a small role in recognizing several Milken Educators during my career,” said Jefferson Parish Schools Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley. “Jennifer is another stellar example of excellence in teaching and deserves all accolades bestowed upon her."