Robin Allison, an educator at Tybee Island Maritime Academy (TIMA), received the 2025 Charter School Teacher of the Year Award during the Georgia Charter Schools Association’s (GCSA) 22nd annual conference on Wednesday, March 12.
Ms. Allison empowers her students by creating a dynamic, student-centered learning environment that connects math to real-world applications. Leveraging her engineering background and extensive experience in middle and high school math, she transforms traditional instruction into an engaging, collaborative, and problem-solving experience.
At TIMA, Ms. Allison’s innovative teaching methods allow students to explore complex, real-world engineering problems. Through project-based learning, she integrates the Georgia Standards of Excellence in creative and meaningful ways. Her students apply math concepts to hands-on projects, such as using Future Cities models to study scale and proportionality or calculating the tensile strength of leashes for TIMA’s Shorebirds Showcase. These projects not only deepen students’ understanding but also highlight the relevance of math in their lives and future careers.
Ms. Allison fosters a student-driven classroom where open-ended exploration, collaboration, and critical thinking thrive. She encourages students to work through problems at their own pace, emphasizing deep learning over speed. By valuing approximations and trial-and-error, she creates a safe space for students to take risks, build resilience, and develop adaptability.
Her results speak for themselves. In 2024, her Algebra students achieved a mean scale score of 587, surpassing the district (501) and state (520) averages on the Georgia Milestones Assessments. With 45% of students proficient and 55% classified as Distinguished Learners, her students excel academically and gain confidence in tackling complex challenges.
Beyond the classroom, Ms. Allison actively involves families in student learning. She hosts math parent nights to help families support their children without anxiety, offering hands-on activities, brain science insights, and strategies for reducing math-related stress at home. By making math accessible, she strengthens the partnership between school and home, further enhancing student success.
Ms. Allison’s impact extends beyond her own classroom. As TIMA’s math coach, she collaborates with teachers across grade levels to align math pathways, develop engaging lessons, and model best practices. She organizes interdisciplinary projects that connect math to real-world issues. In her Blue Economy unit, students worked with local businesses and educators to design sustainable solutions, applying mathematical concepts to environmental and economic challenges. Through the Shorebirds Showcase, students integrated algebra with public speaking, analyzing real-world data and presenting their findings with confidence.
Her leadership extends to partnerships with local businesses, artists, and maritime educators, ensuring students see the relevance of math in diverse fields. She also organizes events where students and parents can engage with TIMA’s innovative math pathways, reducing math anxiety and fostering a love for problem-solving.
Through her vision and dedication, Ms. Allison has created a learning environment that inspires students to think critically, collaborate effectively, and approach challenges with confidence. Her commitment to innovation and excellence ensures that TIMA students are not only meeting academic standards but also developing the skills needed for future success.
The Charter School Teacher of the Year Award spotlights dynamic educators who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to charter school students, their families, and their communities. Educators Now sponsored the 2025 Charter School Teacher of the Year Award, which provides $1,500 for classroom and educational use.
