Mauldin Middle’s Erica Aiken Receives Presidential Award for Excellence

Mauldin Middle Math Teacher Erica Aiken is one of six South Carolina educators to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are the highest honors bestowed by the United States government specifically for K-12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teaching. Awardees reflect the expertise and dedication of the Nation's teaching corps, and they demonstrate the positive impact of excellent teachers on student achievement. The National Science Foundation administers PAEMST on behalf of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Erica Aiken has taught sixth grade math for 13 years. Her enthusiasm, innovativeness, and genuine concern for the success of her students is unparalleled. She constantly searches for ways to make her teaching more interesting, as well as implementing grade-wide incentives to motivate all students.

Mrs. Aiken facilitates a yearly house cup in which students compete across the grade level to earn points and ultimately team rewards. This incentive has produced a significant increase in student participation and ownership of learning. She implements stations in her day-to-day instruction, providing students constant opportunities to engage with their peers, analyze real-world scenarios, and interact with their learning.

Each year the students participate in creating a gingerbread house that incorporates multiplying fractions, fractions on a number line, geometry components, and coordinate geometry. Students create blueprints, work through equations, participate in trials, and finally construct a fully edible gingerbread house.

Within her room, students use technology to participate in Mathia, math playground, XP math, and Prodigy, competing with their peers using mini dry-erase boards, or meet with Mrs. Aiken for direct practice and remediation.