NEW PALESTINE — Two advanced-placement educators from New Palestine High School have been chosen as finalists for state AP teachers of the year by a program at the University of Notre Dame.
Mark Blachly and Lisa Hardin were honored by the university Advanced Placement Teacher Investment Program, known as AP-TIP. Winners will be named in virtual ceremony on Friday, Nov. 6.
Since 2012, the AP-TIP program has worked with high schools in Indiana to increase student enrollment in AP math, science, and English courses and to increase the number of qualifying scores on AP exams for those courses. Over those eight years, Indiana high schools participating in AP-TIP have repeatedly shown gains in enrollment and scores.
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Blachly and Hardin were named as two of the four finalists for the teacher of the year in the math category. Blachly teaches physics and computer science classes. Hardin teaches calculus.
“I have been teaching various AP Courses for the past 20 years, and my favorite part is when students come back from their first year of college and tell me that my course really helped prepare them for college,” Blachly said.
He’s attended conferences, both local and national as well, as countless professional development programs, to be a better AP teacher. He also has a Ph.D. in physics from Purdue University, which helps him to be a better teacher, he said.
Hardin is teaching AP Calculus AB, and AP Calculus BC, and said educators who take part in teaching advanced-placement classes really enjoy watching students learn and understand what can be a complicated topic.
“The teachers who participate in AP-TIP are some of the best teachers in the state of Indiana, so I was completely honored to be a finalist for this award,” Hardin said.
Hardin has been teaching AP calculus for 15 years and is always learning new ways to present information to students that will help them better understand calculus.
“Participating in the AP-TIP program provided an incredible amount of information concerning activities and methods of teaching that I put right to work in my AP classrooms,” she said.
The state program has helped her become a better teacher and has helped her students have more success with calculus, Hardin added.
Miles Hercamp, Southern Hancock’s director of instruction, said the high school is fortunate to have some of the highest-qualified AP teachers who go beyond their normal responsibilities to ensure opportunities for the high school’s AP students.
“This honor shows that we have some of the best AP teachers in the state,” Hercamp said. “Our AP teachers are always looking at how to improve and how they deliver their content.”
The teachers earned the honor of being finalists for the teacher of the year because their students’ AP passing rate is among the best in the state, Hercamp said.
Teachers from throughout the state in AP math, science and English courses were named as finalists based on growing the number of students in their AP courses; their students’ success in the courses and exams; and contributions made to the program.
Students who earn advanced-placement credit apply it to their college credits
