Hoover teacher served in Marines to get to classroom
Thursday, May 10, 2007
ERIN STOCK
News staff writer

A Hoover teacher recognized for her enthusiasm for learning, passion for geology and personal journey into teaching was named the 2007-08 Alabama Teacher of the Year on Wednesday.

Pamela Harman, who teaches Earth science classes at Spain Park High, will serve as an ambassador of education over the next year and represent the state as a candidate for National Teacher of the Year.

State Superintendent Joe Morton made the announcement at a reception in Montgomery for 16 finalists. He also named Christine Sealy of J. Larry Newton Elementary in Baldwin County the Elementary Teacher of the Year, as well as the Alternate State Teacher of the Year.

Morton said Harman enables students to meet her expectations through her teaching.

"She absolutely advocates for every student to do his or her best and she doesn't take any excuses for why they can't perform," he said.

The Hoover resident always knew she would be a teacher. But Harman, who was the first in her family to graduate from college, faced economic barriers in reaching her goal.

She worked as soon as she was old enough. Her father left when she was 12 and her mother worked for a fabric supply company to support Harman and her younger brother.

Harman earned a scholarship to a junior college, but it ran out and she was working three jobs. She enlisted in the Marine Corps, taking classes when she was not in field training or deployed.

Ten years later, Harman graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and taught at Hoover High until 2002, when she went to Spain Park. She completed a master's of science in geosciences at Mississippi State University and also became a National Board Certified Teacher.

"She has taken a most miraculous journey to get to the classroom," Morton said.

Harman runs a structured class and has high expectations of her students, her colleagues and students say. Harman has a passion for "regular" students, who she says are not always held to high standards or are adequately challenged.

She wrote in her application essay that as teacher of the year, her message would center on raising standards and expectations for students and teachers.Harman is the sixth Hoover teacher to be named teacher of the year since 1996. The 2006-07 teacher of the year, Cameron McKinley, is a technology teacher in Hoover elementary schools.

E-mail: estock@bhamnews.com

Ellie