Scituate instructor is ’08 Teacher of Year

George E. Goodfellow, a 39-year chemistry teacher who has worked at Scituate High School for the past four years, is the 2008 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year, the governor’s office announced.
He received the award from Gov. Donald L. Carcieri last week, in a surprise ceremony at the school.
Before coming to Scituate High, Goodfellow had taught chemistry at New Bedford High School and at Bristol Community College, which is now part of the University of Massachusetts system. He also has conducted 11 workshops for teachers.
He was the winner of the 2003 Clarkson University Inspirational High School Educator Award.
Colleagues praised Goodfellow for his patience, hard work, long hours and devotion to his students, which includes providing parents with weekly e-mail updates about classroom events.
“George Goodfellow has devoted many years to the education of students from a variety of backgrounds, and in recent years, he has spent a great deal of time instructing and mentoring his younger colleagues,” said Patrick A. Guida, vice chair of the R.I. Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education. “What I most admire about Mr. Goodfellow is his innovation and talent in making learning fun. If we are to make American public education superior globally, we will need more such innovation and talent in refocusing our popular culture on quality education.”
Goodfellow is now eligible to be selected as 2008 national teacher of the year.
“Over his long and distinguished teaching career, George Goodfellow has taught more than 5,000 students, and he keeps a file of letters, photos, and e-mails from the many students whose lives he has influenced,” said Peter McWalters, the R.I. Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education.
“Many of his students have gone on not only to college, but to graduate school in chemistry and engineering. But his finest accomplishment, he says, is to teach all of his students to have pride in themselves and their accomplishments and to instill in them the joy of learning. He will represent his profession well as Teacher of the Year.” •