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Hobble Creek Elementary School educator Ginger Hansen was honored recently as the Utah Distinguished Mentor in Teacher Education by the Utah Association of Teacher Educators. This award recognizes and honors school-based educators mentoring new teachers. Hansen was selected from a variety of nominees representing every college and university in the state of Utah.
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One nominator stated, “Ginger is the best! She has had the greatest impact on my teaching! She is always so positive and willing to help me in any way. I know that she is a constant that I can turn to whenever I have even the silliest questions. Ginger helps you to see the positive in yourself as an educator, yet she also finds a way to help you become your best self as she helps you see areas you can make even better. Ginger always brings a smile to my face and makes me laugh even on cloudy days.”
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Hansen has worked in education for 32 years, 14 of which have been specifically as a mentor for new teachers. Currently, she works as a mentor at Hobble Creek Elementary School in Mapleton.
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Hansen demonstrates outstanding mentoring practices in a variety of ways. Perhaps the most important is her innate ability to connect with mentees in nurturing ways that make them feel valued and cared about. It is upon this foundation that Hansen is able to coach them to continually refine their teaching practices.
