Steward’s ‘math nerd’ ready to teach whatever is needed

The thing about Erin Odle is she’s prepared to step into the breach and teach whatever class is needed.

Yet at heart, she’s a self-professed “math nerd.”

She started at Steward School as a substitute. Since then, she’s taught fourth and fifth graders and was asked to be the the junior high math instructor.

I wouldn’t be the teacher I am today without all of them. We are unique in the size of our student population, and this provides all of our teachers here the opportunity to really get to know our kids on a deeper level, both academically and personally.”

—  Erin Odle, Golden Apple teacher nominee, about her fellow teachers at Steward School

This school year, she added junior high science to the list.

Her utility at Steward School District 220 was recognized by the Golden Apple Foundation, which named her as one of 30 Illinois finalists for the 2023 Golden Apple Awards for excellence in teaching.

“I absolutely love the math and truly consider myself a math nerd,” Odle said. “I strive to find ways to make it more understandable for kids. I want them to realize that with a little work – sometimes a lot – and the right techniques, they can be good at it, too.”

Steward is a school for students in grades K-8. It has an enrollment of 66.

The Golden Apple Awards honor teachers who demonstrate that they’re having lasting effects on students’ lives and their communities.

“I was quite surprised,” Odle said. “Just being nominated is an honor. It tells me that I’ve made a difference in at least one kid’s life, which is a big part of teaching for me.”

Odle credits a fellow teacher, social studies and English language arts instructor Call Stroh, for being supportive. Stroh, in fact, also was nominated for the award but wasn’t a finalist.

Steward Superintendent Steven C. Simpson has been in education for 30 years, and he’s never had a colleague nominated as such, let alone two in a single year. Given the rigor of the Golden Apple Foundation nomination process, he said he’s simply thrilled.

“We are blessed to have a highly talented group of extremely devoted faculty at Steward Elementary School, and the manner in which they continually communicate and collaborate with each other, as well as support one another, makes every member of our team better than any of us would be by ourselves,” Simpson said.

Odle said the nomination alone is a testament to the learning environment at Steward, fostered by a tight-knit staff. The average class size at Steward is seven students, according to the Illinois Report Card.

“I wouldn’t be the teacher I am today without all of them,” Odle said. “We are unique in the size of our student population, and this provides all of our teachers here the opportunity to really get to know our kids on a deeper level, both academically and personally.”

The one-on-one time teachers can have with students contributes to what Odle calls “this amazing learning environment.”

Odle, who is 40, has a bachelor’s degree in education from Northern Illinois University. She taught for one year in Yorkville.

Then she took 10 years off to raise two children.

She eased back into education, first taking on a substitute teaching position at Steward in May 2015.

The next school year, she was Steward’s instructor for fourth and fifth grades.

Odle belongs to the Paw Paw Lions Club and serves on the Lee County Fair Board. She also is co-leader of a 4-H club.

About Golden Apple

The Golden Apple Award is presented each spring. Northwestern University provides the winner with a spring sabbatical. A recipient also receives a $5,000 cash award.

The recipient becomes a Fellow of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, a community of educators who play an important role in preparing the next generation of teachers in the Golden Apple Scholars and Accelerators programs. The two programs are dedicated to addressing the teacher shortage in Illinois.

“The impact of a great teacher reaches beyond the classroom, and these finalists are proof of that,” said Alan Mather, president of Golden Apple. “Their dedication to providing an engaging, high-quality learning experience for their students and commitment to creating positive outcomes in their school communities is impressive. We are proud to highlight their important work and to honor them as finalists of the 2023 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching.”