Excellent Educators is a WAVY-TV 10 initiative to celebrate local teachers who have gone above and beyond for their students and communities during the coronavirus pandemic. These Excellent Educators were nominated by their school divisions. Congratulations to these educators for all of their hard work and accomplishments!

Name: Amanda Greenwood

Division: Newport News Public Schools

Position: First grade teacher at George J. McIntosh Elementary School

What the school division said about this Excellent Educator: Amanda Greenwood is a first grade teacher at George J. McIntosh Elementary who said the conversion to virtual learning has been a challenge but she was determined to get it right.

“Making the transition to teaching online was a huge adjustment,” Greenwood said. “I missed the energy that I used to feel the second I walked into my classroom. Through continuous reflection, soul-searching, and inviting others to come in and provide feedback, I added to my teacher toolbox and began to feel the energy virtually! My teaching philosophy is that if my students come to school and feel loved and supported, then the learning will happen.” 

Some of her classroom techniques translate well to the virtual environment. After seeing students at the Ron Clarke Academy in Atlanta use hand signals in the classroom, Greenwood brought the idea back to McIntosh, where her students now use the signals every day.

“It looks like a dance party with everyone shaking their hands to show their agreement, holding up their numbers to represent a portion of math equation, or giving a virtual high five to celebrate their classmates,” Greenwood said. “Using these hand signals has really brought in the fun, and allows me to feel the infectious energy that 6-year-olds bring!”