Jobman selected for Freda Drath Battey award



Jobman selected for Freda Drath Battey award

29 May 2013    

Innovative teaching, a knack for meeting student needs and a commitment to extracurricular activities make Becky Jobman a respected and valued teacher at Freeman Public Schools in Adams. Those same characteristics also led to Jobman being selected as the 2013 Freda Battey Distinguished Educator, an annual award presented by College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Jobman is an English and speech teacher and English department chairperson. Former Freeman High School student Kristen Andersen, a UNL student majoring in Nutrition, Health and Science, nominated Jobman for the award.  

"She is committed to seeing students not only make it in high school but in college as well," Anderson said. "She is also a teacher who respects her students and pushes them to achieve their best."

The family of Freda Drath Battey established the award at UNL to commemorate her life and teaching career. She was a 1923 graduate of the University of Nebraska Teachers College and longtime public school teacher in Ashland. The award will be presented June 7 at a luncheon ceremony in the Nebraska Union. Battey family members will present the award prior to remarks from Jobman. She will receive an inscribed school bell and a check for $6,000. Additionally, Freeman Public Schools will receive $3,000. Criteria for selection are excellence in teaching and excellence in support of students in extracurricular activities.

Jobman's principal at Freeman, Bob Michl, said he sees former students stop by school and comment on the "tremendous influence she has been on them in regards to being college ready, being able to write and being able to communicate effectively." Michl also noted Jobman's leadership in the language arts department, on the school improvement team and her excellence as the school's speech coach. Freeman's speech team recently won the Class C-2 state speech championship. Her support of extracurricular activities extends to serving as National Honor Society adviser and co-directing the junior-senior class play. "Ms. Jobman is a highly dedicated professional who knows how to motivate her students," said Freeman colleague Vicky Kelly. "The selfless hours Ms. Jobman dedicates toward helping students in these activities are a major contributing factor to the successes of our students."

Jobman is a graduate of UNL and has earned additional graduate hours at UNL, the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Doane College and Peru State College. She is on the teacher's association negotiation team, is a rater for the state Six-Trait writing process and helped write items on both the Nebraska State Reading and Writing Assessments.
Nomination information and additional details about the Freda Battey Distinguished Educator Award are available at http://cehs.unl.edu/cehs/awards.

 


College of Education and Human Sciences
Nutrition and Health Sciences
Teaching, Learning & Teacher Education