2012 National Teacher of the Year
Rebecca Mieliwocki will present a
Gerald H. Read Distinguished lecture on
Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 4:30 p.m. in the Kent
Student Center Kiva.

Rebecca Mieliwocki, who was recognized by President Barack Obama as the 2012 National Teacher of the Year, will present a Gerald H. Read Distinguished lecture on Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 4:30 p.m. in the Kent Student Center Kiva. This lecture is free and open to the public.

Mieliwocki teaches seventh grade English classes at Luther Burbank Middle School, in Burbank, Calif. Mieliwocki, who has taught for 14 years, is known for inspiring and motivating students, often using the Socratic method of questioning to stimulate students' critical thinking and create dynamic lessons. She hosts family nights, sends out weekly memos to parents and maintains a Facebook page for her class.

Mieliwocki explained that when she was 18, the last thing she wanted to be was a teacher. As the daughter of two public school teachers, she rebelled by studying to become a lawyer. She eventually went on to try a few different careers — in publishing, floral design and event planning — before becoming a teacher.

The National Teacher of the Year Program, sponsored by Target, is a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers in partnership with the ING Foundation, the University of Phoenix and People to People Ambassador Programs.

For more information, contact Linda Robertson, Ph.D., director of the Center for International and Intercultural Education in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services, at lfrobert@kent.edu or call 330-672-0563.