Macie Kathleen Wolfe
2003 Utah Teacher of the Year
Ms. Wolfe currently teaches Science to seventh grade students at Mount Ogden Middle School in Ogden, Utah. She has been teaching for eighteen years.

What are your beliefs about teaching?
“I believe that students require active learning and problem-solving experiences in order to learn. I also think that we don’t just teach the subjects we love – we teach kids to love learning”

How are your beliefs incorporated in your teaching style?
“By creating the right kind of learning environment, any teacher who wishes to increase student’ engagement in their own learning can do so successfully. By utilizing a wide variety of strategies such as team problem-solving, active science and service learning, I am providing my students with life skills and experiences, and together we are a teaching and learning team.”

What is your greatest teaching accomplishment?
“My students are my greatest accomplishment. As they come back to visit me, they reflect the excitement for learning that I have tried to instill in their hearts. I feel proud knowing I have helped them to become productive and positive contributors to society.”

What's the most critical issue facing educators today and what do you think can be done to resolve this issue?
“Poverty levels in our urban neighborhoods are the greatest barrier to student achievement and our current reform efforts in our schools.”

What do you think can be done to resolve this issue?
“Creativity, courage and unity of purpose shared by all players in the game of education will help us find solutions to this daunting problem. It will be a costly endeavor but one in which the investment will have a wonderful return.”

One thought to inspire teachers to excel
“We are changing the world – one student at a time.”

One lesson every student should learn
“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes and having fun.”

Favorite Tool:
“Nature, neighborhoods and the out-of-doors"