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ALBANY, GA -- Phillip Burns is the Teacher of the Year from Lamar Reese Magnet School of the Arts.  Burns teaches third grade science and absolutely loves his job.  “I’m so humbled by being chosen for this and it’s just shows that I really love my job and I really love my kids” says Burns.

His students say he stands apart from other teachers because of his energy and how he never gives up.  “He is smart, he’s intelligent, he’s funny sometimes – well all the time.  He gets us through things that if we don’t know it, he makes it in a better way to explain it to us” says Jordan Williams.

Some explanations include reading, writing, using technology and more.  Burns says it’s important for students to have access to different ways to grasp the material since everyone learns different.  “I think when we incorporate all those different modalities the children are putting themselves in that learning process and we’re facilitating it giving them a chance to be creative” says Burns.

That creativity even includes custom made dance moves that incorporate lesson plans.  Third grade student Kalonna Nix even says the dancing helps her learn!  “If we do the movements it helps us think a lot more than without the movements.  I love it” says Nix.

Burns says incorporating dance moves came natural to him.  “I’ve been a performer all my life.  I’ve danced and acted and sang so that allows me to bring that into the classroom and then incorporate technology and so the students actually are engaged and they take pride in their own learning and that helps make learning more meaningful to them” says Burns.

Burns’ late mother inspired him to become a teacher and he says it’s an honor to pass on his enthusiasm for science.