Granger Meador, Bartlesville High School
2004 Oklahoma Medal for Excellence in Secondary Teaching
Granger Meador, winner of the Medal for Excellence in Secondary Teaching,
teaches advanced placement and inquiry physics to 11th and 12th-graders
at Bartlesville High School.
The recipient of numerous teaching awards, Meador says “chalk-and-talk” science and math classes that emphasize factoids over concepts are leaving American students behind their international peers. Instead, Meador uses inquiry-teaching methods that help students learn science through an active quest to discover facts and relationships.
“Properly presented, physics can set a student bestride the universe!” Meador said. His students learn about electromagnetism by building working motors. They learn about horsepower by running stairs at the stadium. Meador’s students roll balls down tracks or experiment with rotating platforms to experience physics in action. His innovative physics curriculum has been published and is now used at schools throughout the country.
Former student Bryan Alkemeyer said Meador’s hands-on learning and discovery techniques give students the opportunity to “participate in the discoveries of Galileo and Newton.” In addition, students and colleagues praise Meador for sacrificing much personal time to benefit his students, whether teaching supplementary courses after hours or spearheading efforts to build a new science wing at Bartlesville school.
“Granger never stands still,” said school board president Tom Carlisle. “His energy and initiatives result in constant innovations.”