Noblesville East Middle School teacher Derek Ruble has been named one of the top three teachers in the state by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) as part of their 2019 Teacher of the Year recognition program.
Ruble
Ruble, an eighth-grade social studies teacher, was named Noblesville Schools’ overall teacher of the year for 2018. He then progressed through multiple levels of an IDOE selection process, competing with the best educators across the state, to land a top three spot. As a top three finalist Ruble will be celebrated at a state awards banquet and tapped to advise others on state education issues.
“Derek is an excellent example of the high-quality teachers we have in Noblesville and we’re proud that his accomplishments have been recognized in this way,” said Dr. Beth Niedermeyer, superintendent of Noblesville Schools. “Educators are humble by nature but it’s so important to highlight and honor the challenging and important work they do.”
Ruble is known for embracing innovative “gamified” practices to make his classroom and curriculum more engaging, ultimately leading to deeper learning for his students. He is also a leader among his peers and continues to facilitate positive changes to the eighth-grade social studies curriculum. He is actively involved in the student trip to Washington, D.C., coaching track, sponsoring a video game club, and has also launched a civics and debate organization at Noblesville East Middle School.
For over 60 years, IDOE has conducted the Teacher of the Year program to recognize outstanding classroom teachers from across the state. The program’s mission is to inspire, rejuvenate and celebrate the teaching profession. Finalists are chosen from a pool of applicants and the screening and selection committee is made up of former recipients, IDOE staff, educational organization leaders, business and community leaders and representatives from higher education.
Click here to learn more about Indiana’s top three finalists for the 2019 Teacher of the Year.
For more information regarding the Indiana Teacher of the Year program, visit doe.in.gov/toy.