[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14864]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     IN RECOGNITION OF KAREN McCANN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SANDER M. LEVIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 12, 2003

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the long career of 
Karen McCann as she retires from teaching in the Troy Public Schools 
District in June, after 35 years in the classroom. Beginning in 1968, 
Karen McCann brought dedication and innovation to teaching which 
continue unabated. Throughout her career, she has been a model for 
teachers, new and old alike, as well as a role model for her students.
  After graduating from Michigan State University in 1967 with a degree 
in Elementary Education, Karen McCann began teaching English and Social 
Studies for seventh through ninth grade in the Farmington Public 
Schools District. She eventually taught all subjects for students in 
grades ranging from fifth to ninth before moving to Bemis Elementary in 
the Troy Public Schools District in 1985.
  During the course of her career, she has been nominated for numerous 
awards, including the Disney American Teacher Award in 2000 and the 
WDIV Outstanding Teacher Award in 2001, and was selected as a Mentor 
Teacher/Trainer by EDS for the MI JASON Project from 1997 through the 
present.
  That she is a good teacher is evident from what her students have 
said about her; that she is a great teacher is evident from the remarks 
of parents and colleagues. Parents frequently expressed admiration for 
her positive attitude, her willingness to communicate with them, and 
her ability to challenge each child regardless of their initial 
interest in learning. Her colleagues have praised her for her 
enthusiasm and creativity.
  She brought programs to the classroom that gave her students the 
opportunity to learn in creative ways and offered them unique 
educational experiences. She integrated Hyperstudio, multimedia, 
Internet, and videoconferencing into her lesson plans, allowing her 
students to teleconference other students so that they could learn from 
each other. She also succeeded in making learning about science and 
technology fun for all of her students, through her work with the JASON 
Project and the First Lego League.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 
important contributions Karen McCann has made to so many children and 
their families during her long and celebrated teaching career.

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