Lara Cox, Teacher of the Year Nominee

Lara Cox, a P.E. teacher at Faith Mather Sossaman Elementary (FMSE), was nominated for the Arizona Education Foundation’s Teacher of the Year award. This nomination came to Cox just a year after being named Teacher of the Year by the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce. With eight years of teaching at FMSE, Cox has positively impacted her students from kindergarten to sixth grade.

When asked what she likes most about her job, she replied, “Everything,” with a smile. “From the smiles and laughter of the students to the collaboration with my coworkers, it’s all incredibly fulfilling.” Cox finds joy in every aspect of being a teacher, from planning lessons to seeing her students grow in confidence with physical activities during class. She described teaching as not just her job, but as her calling.

An integral part of Cox’s teaching approach is “meaningful PE framework,” which focuses on making activities engaging, socially interactive, and fun for students. She plans her lessons to include challenges that take every student into account, allowing them to build their skills at a pace that fits them. For example, during a recent class, her students had an activity where they mimicked animal movements using various speeds and levels. Making the lesson engaging for students allows them to understand movement concepts in a way that works for their learning process.

Lessons are also tailored to each grade level. Activities that work for sixth graders may not work for kindergarteners, so Cox incorporates age-appropriate lessons to keep each student engaged. For older students, she connects physical activities to real-world scenarios, like sports or hobbies that may be enjoyed outside of school. This approach helps students connect what they learn in the classroom to their daily lives and encourages exercise throughout their lives.

As an honorable mention this year by the Arizona Education Foundation, Cox is proud of the recognition, not because of her own work as a teacher, but because it highlights the importance of physical education. “Physical education is teaching; it is education,” she emphasizes. Cox wants the community to know that PE is an essential part of the school curriculum.

Students are what inspire Cox in her teaching. Their joy, commitment, and growth are what keep her motivated every day. Whether it’s hearing about student successes in sports or watching them learn a new skill, Cox finds gratification in knowing that she’s making a positive impact on their lives.