Taunya Kobernick, left, recipient of the UWRF Pre-Service Educator Award, with College of Education and Professional Studies Interim Dean Stacy Furness.

Early Educator, Pre-service Educator awards presented

Wisconsin Association of Colleges for Teacher Education announced winners in May

June 10, 2022 – Two area mathematics teachers were honored as recipients of the Wisconsin Association of College for Teacher Education (WACTE) award winners from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Taunya Kobernick, a seventh-grade mathematics teacher at New Richmond Middle School, received the 2022 UW-River Falls Pre-Service Educator Award. Emily Amundson, a high school mathematics teacher in St. Croix Falls garnered the UW-River Falls Early Educator Award.

Kobernick was nominated by UWRF Mathematics Professor Erick Hofacker. Kobernick has worked closely with the mathematics education program at UWRF since 2014. In his nomination, Hofacker described Kobernick as a wonderful role model who provides math apprentices the opportunity to get involved immediately when they work in her classroom.

“Taunya has worked with math apprentices in practicum experiences every year from 2015 to 2021 and with math student teachers every year from 2018 to 2022,” Hofacker said. “Mrs. Kobernick has participated in over 450 hours of professional development grants and projects conducted through the UW-River Falls mathematics education program. Her participation in all of this work with former and current teacher candidates shows her commitment to life-long learning and being a great teacher and mentor to young teachers.”

Amundson is a 2020 graduate of the UWRF mathematics education program.

She was nominated by her former mathematics apprentice block Professor Mary Wright. 

In her nomination, Wright described Amundson as a teacher who motivates her students through multiple engaging techniques.

“She encourages her students to present their work with their peers and participate in mathematical discussions,” Wright noted. “She wants mathematics to be fun and exciting, yet she challenges them with high-level problems. Ms. Amundson has engaged her students in mathematical modeling problems in the past and plans to continue to do more of this in the future.”

Amundson has provided ongoing mentorship for UWRF mathematics apprentices. She plans to begin her graduate studies at UWRF in secondary mathematics this summer.

Kobernick was Amundson’s former mentor teacher. Both were able to attend each other’s award announcements virtually. The awards were given at their schools in May by UWRF College of Education and Professional Studies Interim Dean Stacy Furness.

The Pre-Service Educator Award is presented to an outstanding educator who has demonstrated a sustained pattern of mentoring pre-service educators for at least five years. The award recipient is selected on the ability to model professional responsibility; evidentiary assessment; effective classroom management; the ability to mentor pre-service teacher candidates in developing their capacity to be a leader; and the ability to nurture candidates as they face a wide range of issues. 

The Early Career Educator Award is presented to an outstanding educator within the first three years of her or his professional career. The award recipient will be selected based on any combination of the following: positive impact individual has on schools or communities; innovation in designing learning experiences; and advocacy for students. 

Each university/college in Wisconsin confers the two awards. 

For more information about the WACTE awards, email stacy.furness@uwrf.edu or call 715-425-3774.