Blue Earth Area Special Education teacher Amy Mauris was recently named the Teacher of the Year at BEA.

Amy Mauris, a special education teacher at Blue Earth Area High School, has been named the Teacher of the Year by the district.

“I was totally surprised to receive this award,” Mauris says. “The announcement was made at our work day on March 28.”

The desire Mauris has for teaching began at an early age.

“I remember always wanting to play school as a kid,” she shares. “I cannot think of a time when I did not want to be a teacher. I also think my adoration for my elementary teachers played a role in my decision to become a teacher.”

Mauris attended elementary and high school at Delavan, which is now part of the BEA School District.

“I would say it was not one particular elementary teacher who had a big influence on me,” she offers. “I had wonderful elementary teachers in Delavan – so I would say all of them influenced me.”

After graduating from Delavan High School, she pursued her elementary education degree from Mankato State University.

Mauris and her husband Rick, who works for the city of Winnebago, were married in 1987.

“My first teaching job was at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Easton,” she comments. “I taught third grade one year and then taught a fourth-sixth grade combo class the next year.”

It was perhaps fitting when her next job took her back to the school which had such a big influence on her eventual career path.

“I began teaching elementary classes at Delavan in 1989 and taught there through 1998,” Mauris shares. “I began teaching at Blue Earth Area while I was pursuing my Learning Disabilities license. I have now been at the high school position since 2000.”

While she has seen many changes during her teaching career, she mentions there is one change which stands out in her mind.

“When I began teaching, there was zero tolerance for electronics,” Mauris says. “Now each student has their own computer and most have cell phones.”

She feels teachers today are faced with many challenges.

“Perhaps one of the things we have to work hardest to accomplish is keeping the students motivated,” Mauris remarks. “We also have to compete with technology/social media.”

And then there was COVID.

“As far as school goes, we were fortunate to have the technology available to meet the needs of the students and to be able to stay in touch with them on an individual basis,” she states. “It was important for them to stay connected to the staff.”

After being in the teaching profession for over 30 years, she is still happy with the career choice she made.

“I do not know what else I would have done,” Mauris says. “It is so wonderful when, as a teacher, you can help build self confidence in students.”

Her love for her job leads her to encourage others to pursue an education profession.

“It is very rewarding and if anyone is contemplating going into teaching I would encourage them to job shadow,” Mauris comments. “When you see a student complete an assignment they did not think they could do, it is a very satisfying feeling.”