GMercyU Alumna Receives Excellence in Teaching Award
Gwynedd Mercy University alumna Jacqlyn Gallagher '16 was selected as one of 20 teachers in the region for the 2019-2020 Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award.
Jacqlyn has been fifth-grade teacher at Blue Bell Elementary since 2016. According to a release published by the Wissahickon School District, Jacqlyn "represents and models the character traits that are so important for students to learn: kindness, contentment, grit, patience, honesty, courage, and compassion. She helps the children work through issues or disagreements and determine how to interact with each other. She knows everything about her students, both academically and personally including their reading level, strengths, needs, interests, learning style, what they did this weekend, their favorite color, food and sport."
Jacqlyn also serves as a mentor to new teachers within the district and others from outside the district come to observe her teaching skills and strategies. She serves on the district's Language Arts committee, helping to research and write curriculum for the district.
Recipients of the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award receive $1,000 towards classroom expenses and the recipient's school also receives a $1,000 award.
Jacqlyn credits her experience at GMercyU for shaping her into the teacher she is today.
"GMercyU was one of the best decisions I've ever made," Jacqlyn said. "Our professors took the time to mold us not only into teachers, but also professionals by holding us to high standards and creating experiences for us to interact and learn from professionals. I truly credit GMercyU with preparing me to be the best teacher I could be and providing me with a toolbox of strategies for the large repertoire of skills it takes to be an effective teacher."