Katherine Princiotta, a biology teacher at High School South, was honored at Princeton University’s commencement on June 6 by Princeton’s Program in Teacher Preparation. ##M:[more]##She was one of four teachers selected from among 68 nominations from public and private schools around the state. Each of the four teachers will receive $5,”000 as well as $3,”000 for his or her school library.
Princiotta graduated from Princeton University, Class of 1996, with a bachelor’s degree in ecology and evolutionary biology and then taught at Grover Middle School for two years.
In her five years at High School South, Princiotta has developed such a strong reputation that many parents call the school requesting that their students be placed in her classes, said Rob Richard, district high school science supervisor.
Princeton has honored secondary school teachers since 1959 when it received an anonymous gift from an alumnus to establish the program. The staff of the Program in Teacher Preparation selected 10 finalists, each of whom was visited at work by an observer.
Princiotta seeks insights from her students when she is devising lesson plans for her biology and human anatomy and physiology courses. The flexible environment has led to Princiotta’s students composing and performing songs about organic compounds, creating artwork based on microscopic images of human tissue, and designing their own scientific investigations for a “Young Naturalist” competition sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History.
“By using a wide variety of teaching methods and approaches, such as a mix of labs, lectures, activities, written assessments, and projects, Mrs. Princiotta has made learning fun again,” said student Cosmo Kwok. “It’s no longer just about getting a good grade; the joy of learning and understanding — that spark and thrill of knowledge — is back.”
“Kate is the kind of teacher who memorizes the names of all of her students by the second day of classes, who goes out of her way to learn about her students’ lives so that she can make personal connections with them, and who enriches her science lessons with French, with history, and with readings from literature,” Richard said. “Princiotta also builds a strong rapport with her students’ parents, sending them weekly E-mails with a synopsis of lesson plans for the week ahead.”
Holly Crochtiere, a colleague from High School North, noted that in monthly gatherings of biology teachers in the school district, “Kate is always a leader in these meetings, even though she is not the oldest or most experienced teacher there. She is respected by all.”
“I never take for granted that all of my students will think an assignment I have dreamed up is a good idea,” said Princiotta who received a master’s degree in science education in 2004 from Rutgers and is pursuing doctoral studies in social and philosophical foundations of education there.said. “I welcome their input in the creation of many learning experiences. It turns out that when given a say, students will take the opportunity to share what matters most to them and what would make them happiest to pursue.”
