
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, September 27, 1993                   TAG: 9309280207
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: NF-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

TEACHER OF THE WEEK

If you see Janet Whitt's classes wandering through the fields around Belle Heth School in Radford, don't get the idea that school is one big recess for her sixth-grade pupils. What they're doing, is studying science.

"We go into the schoolyard all the time so they can examine their everyday environment," she said. "I want to make science part of their life instead of having science just in textbooks."

Whitt, who also teaches sixth-grade language arts, says she tries to make school fun for her pupils. "I try to take some of the seriousness out of learning," she said. Apparently, her method works. "Her teaching is so much fun. She not only is a great teacher, but she has a wonderful personality and easily could become a comedian," said the pupil who nominated her.

A 20-year educator, Whitt serves as sponsor for the school's safety patrols. She is married, has two children, 22 and 24 years old, and enjoys art, sewing and cooking.

If you have a nomination for Teacher of the Week, send the name of the nominee, his or her school and why you think that teacher should be honored. Include your name, telephone number and school and send to NewsFun, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010-2491. The Science Museum of Western Virginia will award each Teacher of the Week a gift certificate for $50 to be spent at the museum's Teacher Resource Center.

by CNB