Eshleman Elementary School fifth-grade teacher, Aliza Becker, is one of 24 Semi Finalists for the 2027 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year Award.
Aliza was nominated by Elizabeth Raff, PMSD K-12 Learning Facilitator. She was notified of being selected as Semi Finalist on Tuesday, February 17.
Becker studied education at Messiah University and received a middle level education certification in social studies and science. She earned her master’s degree from Millersville University in Curriculum Design, Instruction, and Assessment, with a STEM certification.
Following graduation, she became a long-term substitute at Eshleman. In 2017, Aliza joined the Eshleman Elementary School staff full-time as a fifth-grade teacher.
Growing up, Aliza had not always envisioned herself being a teacher. Rather she thought she would go into the fields of marine biology, German, or Archeology — all topics that interested her. She chose education because it allowed her to remain a lifelong learner, alongside her students.
Her favorite thing about teaching is having a good rapport with her students. Becker thrives on meeting her students where they are and what accommodations they need to succeed in the classroom.
“Mrs. Becker is a very humble individual,” explained Dr. Mealy, Eshleman Elementary School principal. “When we discussed the potential benefits of being a PA Teacher of the Year candidate, [Becker] was most excited about the networking that she could do to get new ideas to improve instruction and engagement for her students.”
With 28 students in her class, she implemented a ‘Genius Hour’ this school year and plans to continue integrating it within her classes. During this time, students are encouraged to complete their own research on a project or topic they’re interested in.
Aliza said, “I implemented Genius Hour for my class because I wanted to create learning experiences that make my students want to come to school and learn.”
Becker knew one student was passionate about dog grooming and suggested the student do some research during Genius Hour on what it entails to run a dog grooming business. Throughout the year, the student has conducted research, created and printed flyers and brochures, and began offering dog grooming to her neighbors and teachers.
One of the most important traits to Aliza is being an educator that values feedback and reflection. Throughout the next few months, she will go through an extensive process to be in the running for the final round. Each Semi Finalist must submit a recorded lesson, with a video explaining the process of creating and delivering the lesson, and complete a phone interview to be considered as a finalist.
“What makes Mrs. Becker so special is that she is continually seeking to improve her practice. She is an exceptional educator, but she does not remain stagnant. I do have to say, that is something that happens often at Eshleman. Teachers are never satisfied with the status quo,” said Mealy.
In 2019, Penn Manor High School Psychology teacher, Maria Vita was selected as a Finalist. Elizabeth Raff, who taught at Pequea Elementary prior to taking on the role of Learning Facilitator, was honored as the Teacher of the Year in 2022.
We are so proud of Mrs. Becker and all of her hard work! We look forward to continuing to cheer you on throughout this process.