Q&A with Becky Hallowell, Maine’s 2025 Teacher of the Year

Get to know the 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year, Becky Hallowell, who teaches fourth-grade students at Wiscasset Elementary School on the bank of the Sheepscot River. Becky shares more about herself in this Q&A, as she begins her year of service.

What or who inspired you to become a teacher, and how long have you been in the role?

I grew up in a family of teachers. At one point, my mother, aunt, cousin, and I were all teaching first grade. Family gatherings often included talk of our favorite children’s book authors and sharing great ideas for math and science lessons. This is my 30th year teaching, and now I love to chat about education with my sister, who teaches high school math in New Hampshire.

With decades of experience teaching under your belt, what do you love most about it? 

I love the kids best. It is so energizing to greet them in the morning and watch them hustle over to the day’s agenda to find out what we get to do that day. Teaching is a great outlet for creativity, and I love planning lessons that help nurture my students’ enthusiasm for learning. The hearts of fourth graders are so pure, and it is gratifying to see their confidence grow, as they find ways to impact the world based on their individual strengths and interests.

A major part of your platform as 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year is your passion for nature-based learning. How did your journey to creating an outdoor learning space for your students begin?

Taking students outside to learn has always come naturally to me. When I taught kindergarten, we used dandelions and “ten frames” teaching tools to learn about place value. My second-grade students would measure leaves and diagram plants.   

Our school is located on the Sheepscot River, and my partner teacher and I discovered an open area in the woods on the riverbank. We worked with our classes to clear the area of invasive species, so that we could start using the space. The fourth-grade class made bookmarks to sell, so they could purchase buckets to use as seating, and I wrote a Donor’s Choose grant for materials to use in our outdoor space that we lovingly call OWLS (Outdoor Wonderful Learning Space). The students report feeling “safe” and “calm” in OWLS, and we use that space for many lessons.

The same year we created OWLS, I attended a teacher institute at The Ecology School, and my practice of nature-based learning grew much deeper. I found ways to integrate nature into all of our content areas, including reading, writing, social studies, math, and science.

Students now learn about the branches of government by developing rules for our riverfront outdoor classroom. They make maps of their space and learn about converting units of measure, as we explore our outdoor classroom. Our novel studies include books set in our town, as well as ones with themes of protecting biodiversity. We conduct our class meetings in a garden, so students can see outdoor spaces as a place to connect and build community.

I have been fortunate to take part in several professional development opportunities to learn more about how other teachers across our state and country incorporate outdoor learning into their teaching practice. There is always more to learn, and I look forward to each new opportunity.

What makes your school and its students special?

Our school is special because the students, families, and staff take care of one another. We recite a school pledge daily, and the last line is, “We take care of each other at WES.” This sentence defines our core belief: that we are stronger when we support one another. We celebrate the smallest wins of individuals and share the biggest loads when one of us is facing a difficult challenge. I can’t imagine working in a more caring school.

What is one of the best lessons you have learned during your time as a teacher?

The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that we all make mistakes, and that is how we learn. It is the number one lesson I impart to each of my classes. When we allow ourselves to take a risk and make a mistake, we grow. I happily share the mistakes I make with my class and explain how my mistakes help me learn something new. My goal is to create a space that is safe for my students to face challenges, celebrate their mistakes, and grow from those experiences. 

You have spent one year as a 2024 County Teacher of the Year. How have you worked to represent the community of Lincoln County?

I have worked to understand more about the mentoring needs of new teachers. I learned how to connect with our state representative and senator to elevate the educational needs of our students and staff.

As 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year, what are the platforms you plan to represent? 

My goal is to bring to light the importance of nature-based learning and how it can positively impact academic, physical, and social-emotional growth. I also want to advocate for teachers to have access to great professional development tailored to their interests and needs throughout the state.

Why is public education important to the state of Maine and the nation?

Public education is crucial so that all children can learn the skills necessary to be successful local and global community members as adults. Our students must learn how to collaborate, think critically, and act with empathy to have a future world that is healthy and high-functioning.

For anyone who is thinking about becoming a teacher, why would you encourage them to do so? 

Teaching is the most gratifying occupation because it allows us to nurture our future lawmakers, caregivers, and builders. The work of teachers is an invaluable service, as the support they give their students also supports the community. The connections to students and families that I have made as a teacher last far beyond our year together. I love seeing my former students 10 and 20 years after teaching them and am so proud of all they accomplish. 

What else would you like to share with folks who are reading this Q&A? 

I am honored to represent Maine educators and have so much respect for all the teachers who pour their heart and soul into helping our children grow into amazing adults.