Canadian teacher Marsha Macaulay has been named Teacher of the Year at Stonewall Tell Elementary School in College Park.

Macaulay, a second grade teacher, came to the U.S. through the Visiting International Faculty Program, the leading cultural exchange program for international educators. She is one of 56 VIF participants teaching in Fulton County this school year.

"Ms. Macaulay demonstrates a sincere commitment to student achievement," said Principal Shannon Flounnory. "She instills high expectations in her students."

The award selection process was an intensive one. Teachers at the school nominated their colleagues and the five teachers with the most nominations became finalists. Then, a committee composed of parents, the principal and curriculum support teachers observed each finalist's class and conducted a personal interview.

The Teacher of the Year was announced at a faculty meeting.

"I am honored to be recognized," Macaulay said. "The teachers at my school do such hard work and all the teachers who were nominated are fantastic."

As an undergraduate, Macaulay studied drama in education, a unique four-year honors program offered at the University of Windsor in Ontario. In this program, Macaulay learned how to create a student-centered classroom and plan lessons that utilize story telling, dance and music as well as drama. For example, during a math lesson, Macaulay might ask students to act out a word problem rather than just reading it off the page.

"She uses a very hands-on teaching approach," Flounnory said. "Her classroom has an exciting environment. Learning is fun for her students."

Involving parents also has been a key element of Macaulay's success.

"This year, I made it a priority to involve parents in my class," Macaulay said. "I gave parents my e-mail address and they e-mail me all the time. I encourage parents to visit the class. And I am honest with them; I tell them, 'I need you, I need your support.'"

Macaulay herself has received support from her fellow teachers ever since she arrived at the school in the fall of 1999. They often share ideas and work together on projects. For instance, Macaulay and one other teacher developed and run an after-school language arts enrichment program for students in grades three to five. Students learn about the writing process and then put their skills into practice by creating the school newspaper, Tiger Tales.

Founded in 1987, VIF brings hundreds of international educators to the U.S. each year to teach regular classes and share their culture with elementary and secondary school students. In addition to elementary school educators such as Macaulay, VIF participants also offer instruction in subjects including math, science, foreign language, special education and English as a second language.

This year, more than 1,300 VIF participants teach in K-12 classrooms in North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, Kansas, California, New Jersey and Colorado.