Emanuel County Schools is proud to announce Cindy Riner, a math teacher at Swainsboro High School, is the 2023 Emanuel County School District’s Teacher of the Year.
Mrs. Riner is a veteran teacher from Swainsboro High School. Following the district announcement, Mrs. Riner responded, “I am both honored and humbled to have been selected as the 2022-2023 Emanuel County Teacher of the Year. It is a privilege to have been chosen among many accomplished educators in our system. It is inspirational to receive affirmation that hard work and dedication in teaching are recognized. Everyone has been so gracious and genuine in their congratulations that I genuinely feel the appreciation of my profession as I never have before. Teaching is not just a job for me but an important part of my life. This recognition is just one more reminder of why I love teaching and working with such great educators.”
As teacher of the year, Riner’s message is one of inspiration and motivation. “Teaching is a noble profession which comes with so much responsibility and duty to students. Teachers do not only teach and impart knowledge but inspire and motivate students for life. Teachers play a major role in building their self-esteem. We provide students with a support system and encourage them to set and work toward goals. By inspiring them to dream bigger, teachers show students that they have the capacity to change their lives by their own efforts and also make a difference in the lives of those that come in contact with them. Educators also focus on identifying what challenges and interests children so that they can encourage kids to put more effort into their work, do better in their studies, learn new things, and think critically about what they learn. Teachers have faith in their students, help turn a failure into an opportunity to try again, and assist them in their personal and academic struggles.”
Mrs. Riner believes that the best teachers bring their passion, personality, and sense of humor to the classroom. “The enthusiasm we bring to the table will likely be mirrored by our students, making the classroom a highly energizing environment. We must let our unique personalities elevate the learning experience. We must use our individual gifts and talents to inspire and motivate our students,” she said.
A 1991 graduate of Swainsboro High School, Mrs. Riner returned to her alma mater in 1999, where she has spent her entire career teaching math. She said she has always loved mathematics, and being a classroom teacher has allowed her to share that passion and love with her students. She loves working with students and sharing the “Aha!” moments they experience in their academic pursuits and personal growth.
“As I plan lessons, I always think about how I will respond to student understanding, including misconceptions and advanced thinking,” Riner said of engaging students of all backgrounds and abilities in learning. “I give a lot of thought to how my students will respond to the learning experience so that I can respond thoughtfully with feedback that values who they are and advances their thinking in a meaningful way. I also make sure that my lessons involve a lot of mathematical discourse. I want my students to talk to each other enthusiastically about the math concepts we are learning. As students collaborate and make discoveries, their enthusiasm will skyrocket.”
When asked to respond to how she ensures education transcends in the classroom and deliberately connects her students with the community, she explains, “As an educator, I believe I must be able to make learning fun and engaging to ensure that education transcends the classroom. Connecting learning to real life is important as we are making content meaningful and engaging for our students. This is one of the most effective ways to help students comprehend and learn the content at hand. I teach high school math, and so often, students want to know why they must learn the math concepts I am teaching. I always try to incorporate real-life application problems into my lessons so students better understand why they are learning the information we are covering and how it can benefit them in the real world.”
In addition to her excellence in delivering research-based instruction, Mrs. Riner is a teacher leader. She has served on numerous committees, including the Organization Management Team at SHS and School Improvement Leadership Team. She has served as the Beta sponsor for the past twelve years.
Emanuel County Schools is proud of the significant contributions Mrs. Riner has made to the success of our students. Mrs. Riner is married to Greg Riner and has one child, Daylan Riner, who attends Swainsboro Middle School.
