Mr. Charles Elliot has recently been awarded the prestigious “Teacher of the Year” award of 2023. He teaches 7th World studies along with the 8th grade Georgia History at Armuchee High School (AHS). The “Teacher of the Year” award is an award given once a year to a teacher who has demonstrated the ability to respect students, teach students efficiently, and commit themselves to their students; Mr. Elliot has demonstrated all of these qualities.
Mr. Elliot has worked with the Armuchee school district for three years. He first enlisted in the military and served our country for a total of twenty years before retiring back in 2005. He then owned and operated two “Shane’s Rib Shacks,” and later decided to go back to school and earn his degree in teaching. He was then hired in 2020 to serve the Armuchee Community.
“I missed serving in the military, so I still wanted to find a way to serve my community. I thought teaching would be a great way to serve,” said Elliot. In the classroom, he is known for his loud and exciting teaching style. He engages with the class by asking questions that students may not understand but then allows answers that may be incorrect. To put it simply, he allows his students to think for themselves. Mr. Elliot is known to dress up as specific historical figures depending on what he is teaching inside the classroom. For example, he has dressed up as kings, presidents, and leaders in history. This makes the class more exciting and helps him to engage with his students. He also uses in-class activities and games to make learning more competitive and fun. Some online games he commonly uses are “Kahoot” and “Gimkit.” He does not always use online games though, as he is also known to use more traditional games. For example, he may separate the students into teams and allow them to answer questions for candy or other prizes.
Students report that he has made class engaging, enjoyable, and memorable. They find him approachable, and deserving of the award, and many think back on his class fondly. “This year, in AP Human Geography, there have been references to past historical times that we talked about in Mr. Elliot’s class last year, so it has been beneficial to my present history classes,” said Ava Lee, freshman.
This year, Mr. Elliot has gone from teaching just 8th-grade Georgia Studies to 7th-grade World Studies. He had never taught 7th-grade World Studies before, so he had to prepare notes and assignments for this class. “I think he’s done a great job; he has taught me a lot. It feels like he has been teaching World Studies forever,” 7th grader Samantha Everett said.
He however not only teaches but also coaches the AHS boys track team and long jump. He has shown to be a supporter of the Tribe, especially involving the track team. He even goes out of his way to go to the middle school track meets in support of his students and upcoming high school athletes. “Coach Elliot is a phenomenal coach. He cares for us and reminds us about the importance of taking care of ourselves throughout the season. He’s beneficial to our team by always supporting us and encouraging us to set goals throughout the season,” said Mannu Singh.
Many would agree that Mr. Elliot exemplifies Mr. Pethel’s motto of “building a legacy of excitement for the opportunities that lie ahead.”
