Ciesla said the job of an instructional coach is not so much about teaching teachers as it is about working collaboratively with them.

Johnsburg Elementary School teacher Kara Lentine graduated from Judson University just two years ago, but brings new excitement and ideas to her classroom, her principal said.

Turning recyclables into carnival games, building robots, and making coffee creamer explode. These are some of the lessons Ally Egert, a teacher at Montini Catholic School in McHenry, uses to help her students learn concepts within her engineering and STEM classes.

At an American Airlines hanger at O’Hare International Airport this spring, Amanda Henk’s students got to see up close what they’d been learning in their aerospace class.

“People underestimate what children their age can do on their own. They can come up with their own solutions,” Wheatley said, adding that the key is to give students the confidence to do so.

It only takes walking into Janet Moritz’s classroom to see her approach come alive, with kids helping one another and cheering each other on, Verda Dierzen Principal Tricia Bogott said.

Kate Kramer said the best part of her job as a geology instructor at McHenry County College – where she was named 2023 Faculty Member of the Year – is her students who she strives to inspire to “make a positive difference in the world.”

Pat Frederick is retiring as a Geneva High School band director this year after 29 years with District 304.

Lisa Hatfield is Batavia Public School District 101's fifth grade band and orchestra teacher.