GRANDVILLE, Mich. — 13 ON YOUR SIDE got to hang out with some high school engineering students for this next Teacher of the Week. It was a successful surprise even though this was only students’ second day with this teacher after starting a new semester in the new year.
After the reveal, Amanda Swem said she was “super surprised. A new class and I come in and everybody’s all huddled up and it’s just really neat to see how people are appreciative of what we do. It doesn’t always feel like it but we know in our hearts that it does make a big difference.”
She says it’s an honor not just for teachers.
“I think it’s important, one, for the students to see things that are done around them matter,” said Swem.
Adam Lancto is the principal at Grandville High School Principal. He said, “It’s always great when teachers can be recognized and to have someone nominate her was super special.”
Swem is new to Grandville High, but not new to teaching.
She said she’s “been teaching for years and I absolutely love it. It’s one of my favorite things to do.”
Now she’s teaching high school technology and said, “Teamwork is huge out in the world and problem-solving, also. So, we’re really going through the engineering design process, building prototypes for different goals and tasks and ideas and then seeing what works and what doesn’t work.”
Plus, it's about more than just the task at hand, but also about “learning how to communicate and deal with different differences or struggles or just being able to work as a team and collaborate together,” said Swem.
“I have tremendous respect for all of our teachers not only here in Grandville High School, Grandville Public Schools, but across West Michigan and the state. My own wife is a teacher,” said Principal Lancto.
Swem told 13 ON YOUR SIDE, “I wanted to be a teacher at age five because I had an amazing kindergarten teacher. We still get together today, 32 years after kindergarten.”
“Looking out for the students of West Michigan, Grandville High School is always a tremendous opportunity,” said Lancto.
If you have someone you’d like to nominate as our next Teacher of the Week, just text “teacher” to 616-559-1310.
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