Angela Brooder Named Master Teacher
Making connections with students and bringing real-world experiences into the classroom is how Lancaster High School Science teacher Angela Brooder is making a difference for students and the community. She was one of just 230 teachers throughout the state inducted into the NYS Master Teacher Program for her commitment to integrating STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) into K-12 education.
The approval process to be accepted into the Master Teacher Program is very selective, making this recognition a true testament to Mrs. Brooder’s passion and hard work. Due to the pandemic, Angela’s selection was two years in the making, but her dedication to a holistic approach to teaching stood out.
Starting at Lancaster in 2003, Mrs. Brooder currently teaches Intro to Health Careers and Anatomy & Physiology to students enrolled in the high school’s Healthcare Academy. In the past, she has also taught Living Environment as well as Regents and General Chemistry.
Mrs. Brooder is a shining example of an educator who brings credibility to her lessons through her own continuous quest for learning. Before coming to LHS, she had a career in Emergency Medical Services and is still active with Lancaster Volunteer Ambulance Corp., allowing her to maintain connections with practicing healthcare professionals in the community. She is able to leverage those connections to present up-to-date practices and facilitate guest speakers or tours, reinforcing the practical uses of lessons students learn in class.
Her community and extracurricular involvement also help her to connect and understand her students’ needs and apply that knowledge to her teaching style and tools. These multiple approaches for presenting material include cooperative learning strategies, interactive notebooks, augmented and virtual reality learning experiences, traditional lectures, videos, dissections, computer games, modeling activities, and more.
“I firmly believe my biggest strength is the knowledge of my students, their families, and their community. I live here, my kids go to school here, I am part of this community in so many different ways. My relationships with my students and their friends and families are what I think makes me so successful as an educator,” she said.
The NYS Master Teacher Program fosters collaboration among New York’s outstanding STEM educators and offers high-quality professional learning, allowing Mrs. Brooder to continue to hone her skills and bring that knowledge to others in the Lancaster School District. Mrs. Brooder and other Master Teachers in the Western Region were honored at a reception at SUNY Buffalo State earlier this month.
