- December 20, 2024
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When her children had Christopher Knox as a social studies teacher at Old Kings Elementary, dinner conversations at teacher Stacy Johnson’s house started to change.
“Our dinner discussions were about ancient history, the Babylonians, or BreakoutEDU boxes,” she wrote in a letter of recommendation for Knox’s Teacher of the Year application. One of Johnson’s sons told her, “He made history interactive and memorable. His teaching kept me engaged, and I still remember things from his class years later.”
Knox, Old King Elementary’s Teacher of the Year, also takes his students on “virtual field trips” of historic sites in Florida, personalizing his lessons with photos and videos of the sites he’s visited, wrote Flagler Schools K-12 Social Studies Curriculum Specialist Amy Ferrer.
“By making learning relevant and exciting, he ignites his students' curiosity and fosters a deep love for learning that extends beyond the classroom,” Ferrer wrote.
Knox began teaching in 2004, first at Indian Trails Middle School, then later at Belle Terre Elementary, Bunnell Elementary and Rymfire Elementary before he came to Old Kings Elementary in 2016, teaching English language arts and social studies.
He has a unique way of bringing history and social studies alive through his dynamic and interactive teaching style.”
— TARA OSSLER, Old Kings Elementary School assistant principal
He believes engaging students’ creativity is an important part of preparing students for society.
“We are continually faced with new problems that require inventive solutions,” he wrote in his application for the Teacher of the Year award. “While experts argue about whether creativity can be taught, there is no doubt that innate creativity can be enhanced through practice.”
He assigns projects that foster innovation, like creating a “Choose Your Own Adventure” story in which the students write a story with choices readers can make that take them down different paths.
“Devising these paths helps students to develop divergent thinking,” he wrote. “Because the stories are created in Google Slides, they become interactive, with the reader clicking buttons to make their choices.”
Making those buttons involves basic coding.
“Over the years, students have added combination locks, games, and even driving simulations to their stories. They do all of this through trial and error. I love seeing the look on their faces when they work to create something, test it, and find success. Equally inspiring is when they initially fail, but persevere until they get it right! They are honing their skills while having fun doing it.”
Knox led an initiative to help teachers improve writing instruction at the school, instituting “Wednesday Writing Workshops.” He also served on the textbook adoption committee, helping select a new social studies textbook, then served on a district committee to revise the social studies curriculum map to align it with the new text.
His dedication to fostering a positive and engaging learning environment has not only contributed to my children's academic success but has also instilled in them a genuine love for learning.”
— STACY JOHNSON
In 2022, Knox won the Florida Council for the Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award and received $5,000 for winning Gannett's National Amazing Teacher, Old King Elementary School Assistant Principal Tara Ossler wrote in a letter of recommendation for Knox’s Teacher of the Year application.
“Mr. Knox makes learning relevant and fun by engaging students through real-world applications,” Ossler wrote. “He has a unique way of bringing history and social studies alive through his dynamic and interactive teaching style. He is also able to connect with his students on a personal level, creating a sense of community within the classroom that encourages open dialogue and active participation.”
