Susan Obee has received the award of 2019 Outstanding Cooperating Teacher from the Ohio Association of Teacher Educators (OATE).

Susan Obee is a passionate and resourceful educator with 29 years experience in Toledo Public Schools. She has spent 10 years in special education and 19 years teaching ELA and social studies in a general education classroom, currently at Beverly Elementary School. For the past nine years Susan has been ranked as an accomplished teacher. Susan is not only an excellent teacher who provides emotional as well as academic support to her students, she is also a great role model for students pursuing a career in education.

Susan was nominated by Amy Fikel, her current student teacher from UT.  Fikel stated, “Working with Mrs. Obee has shown me the true impact a great teacher can have on their students. She has shown me what a truly safe learning community looks like. Her passion and selflessness is reflected in her student’s excitement to come to class. Mrs. Obee also constantly models what exemplary teaching looks like and encourages me to observe other exemplary teachers in the building.”

Susan received her Bachelor degree from the University of Toledo and continues to give back to her alma mater by hosting methods students and student teachers. Susan has mentored 7 students from the University of Toledo. Susan has high expectations for these students and continually pushes them to continue to learn and grow as an educator. She offers feedback regularly, always finding positive things in a lesson while also constructively criticizing in a way that makes the student teacher open to her suggestions and excited to implement things a different way. Susan offers our students opportunities to be involved in every aspect of the school community. Her student teachers lead team meetings, create interventions for students, and run parent-teacher conferences.

In her spare time, Susan enjoys glassblowing, beautifying her yard, reading, and volunteering.

The Judith Herb College of Education gets wonderful feedback from our students and supervisors about Ms. Obee. We are honored to have her as a part of our team and are thankful for her dedication to the future of our profession.