Winner: Amer Sheikh, of Thornhill School Chemistry teacher Amer Sheikh has hit the headlines for the way he has used hip-hop to get a hard-hitting anti-racism message across to children. The Thornhill school teacher worked with current and former pupils to teach children about respect and celebrating ethnic diversity. Amer also works in Thornhill's primary liaison team, going to feeder primary schools in Sunderland to deliver science lessons and often making Thornhill those children's first choice school. Assistant headteacher Trevor Harvey said: "He inspires confidence in the students, so that they know they can approach and share problems, and they know that they will be dealt with in confidence. "His disciplined approach to the work ethic also encourages respect from the students. "Parents also share this respect and it is at events such as parents' evenings, social gatherings and schools that Amer will always have an animated group of students or parents gathered around him." --------------------------------------------------------- Runner up: Christine Everett, of Thornaby Community School Christine Everett has dedicated 20 years of her life to inspiring youngsters at Thornaby Community School in Teesside. Nominating her, headteacher Linda Russell-Bond praised her as an inspiration to teachers and pupils. Mrs Everett has helped lead the school to success in the Times Educational Supplement Newspaper Day, including winning it last year. She has also introduced a number of business-related GCSEs and plays a key role in the development of Young Enterprise, leading students to many successes, including many fundraising projects. Mrs Russell-Bond said: "Christine is an outstanding teacher who produces outstanding results both inside and outside the classroom. She is respected by staff and students alike." She added: "Her quality of teaching and learning is outstanding and she has always pursued every aspect of her job to the highest standard. "She really is, while modest in nature, truly inspirational." --------------------------------------------------------- Runner up: Rose Atkin, of Burnside Business and Enterprise College Rose Atkin has been a teacher in Wallsend since she first qualified 35 years ago. She joined Burnside Business and Enterprise College four years ago after having taught for most of her career in a middle school, and threw herself into her job despite suffering severe bad health. She firmly believes that all children, no matter how challenging, can be engaged and motivated to learn. She has been recognised by Ofsted as an outstanding teacher and some of her work in school has led to Burnside receiving a Futures Vision Award. Assistant headteacher Rosalind Elliott said: "Rose is constantly doing things for others. Her latest projects are using creative crafts to bring the community together and raise funds for our partner school in Kenya. "She fully deserves extra recognition for what she considers to be ordinary and we know to be extraordinary." | 
Northumberland