Ryan Kaiser was honored as the Baltimore City Public School System’s (BCPSS) 2015 Teacher of the Year.
Ryan Kaiser, a social studies teacher at the Mount Washington School, is Baltimore’s 2015 Teacher of the Year. (AFRO Photo/Roberto Alejandro)
Kaiser, who teaches sixth and seventh grade social studies at the Mount Washington School, was surprised by Baltimore public schools CEO Dr. Gregory Thornton on April 16 and presented with the award.
“Ryan Kaiser exemplifies what effective teaching looks like,” Thornton said in a statement. “By connecting classroom learning to real-world experiences, he makes learning fun, engaging, and memorable for his students. And that kind of learning pays off in student achievement and success.”
Kaiser specializes in what is known as outdoor experiential learning, which looks to provide real world experiences to students that connect to what they’re learning in the classroom.
“Without those important connections, social studies becomes meaningless facts and statistics in textbooks,” Kaiser said in a statement.
In addition to his innovative approach to teaching social studies, Kaiser is his school’s coach for the Baltimore Urban Debate League, author of a weekly blog that keeps parents informed of assignments, events, and projects, and serves as the communications coordinator for the Maryland Council for Social Studies.
As a result of his BCPSS recognition, Kaiser advances to the 2015-16 Maryland State Teacher of Year competition, whose winner will represent Maryland at the national level.
ralejandro@afro.com