Posted in: Public
Lekena Ackerman is a wife, mother of five, eighth grade social studies teacher at Southeast Middle School in Hopkins, and the 2020 SC Bar Middle School Mock Trial Tear of the Year. Now, she can add ‘TV show guest’ to her list of descriptors. Ackerman was recently featured on a Today Show segment recognizing teachers who are going above and beyond during the pandemic.
Ackerman’s teaching style is engaging and student-focused, and she’s not afraid to go the extra mile during a lesson. When she isn’t getting into character dressed as historical figures to enhance her students’ learning experience, Ackerman is teaching lessons beyond the classroom by adding law related education to her curriculum.
“For the past couple of years, my students have participated in the We the People Constitutional Competition, and in 2019, introduced a Mock Trial team back to Southeast Middle School,” Ackerman said. “It was an amazing sight to watch the kids grow and learn about their rights and privileges and how the law works. I am a very competitive person, and while we may not have finished where we wanted to with the Mock Trial competition, my students carry that same competitive spirit. When first presented with the opportunity to coach both teams, I jumped at the chance.”
It came as no surprise to the Southeast Middle School Mock Trial team when Ackerman was announced as the recipient of the 2020 Middle School Mock Trial Teacher of the Year Award. To her students, Ackerman has that special intangible quality that makes teachers, well, special. Several students joined Ackerman during the Today Show interview and praised her ability to make learning interactive and fun, and Ackerman returned the compliments.
“They make my job not even a job. They make it fun for me, too,” she said about her students.
View the full Today Show segment featuring Ackerman.