Micaela Malachowski '20, elementary education major, was recently selected at the 2021 Cabarrus County Schools Beginning Teacher of the Year.
Elon alumna Micaela Malachowski ’20, a teacher at R. Brown McAllister STEM Elementary School in Concord, N.C., was selected as the 2021 Cabarrus County Schools Beginning Teacher of the Year.
Superintendent John Kopicki surprised Malachowski ’20 with the news at her school on Aug. 31, according to a release from the school district.
Malachowski graduated from Elon with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and while an undergraduate, she presented her research, “Impact of Teachers’ Disposition on Student Mindset,” at the North Carolina Education Conference at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C. Before coming to Elon, she took a gap year to work with City Year Philadelphia, an Americorps program that focuses on helping students in low-income communities achieve academic success.
In its announcement, Cabarrus County Schools noted that Malachowski’s instructional philosophy emphasizes the importance teaching the whole child. The district notes that she utilizes morning meetings and the selection of books to help make connections between the stories and the students’ personal backgrounds and experiences.
“Ms. Malachowski has worked to get to know her students and families individually and is able to help them make connections that are meaningful in texts, topics, and content,” Principal Jessica Blanchard said in the release. “She has a ‘can-do attitude and is a true problem solver. She is always receptive to feedback and eager to grow her practice.”
The Beginning Teacher of the Year program is sponsored by the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching.