Natalia Nikoforova from Chelyabinsk region has become the Absolute winner of the contest "Teacher of the year 2009"

On October, 5, at the gala ceremony dedicated to celebration of the Teacher day, the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev announced the name of the Absolute winner of the 20th All-Russian contest "Teacher of the year 2009". The winner of the Large Crystal pelican was Natalia Nikiforova, the teacher of mathematics and geometry of MEI "Middle school of general education N5 with advanced study of mathematics" from Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk region.

By the conditions of the contest the final of the next All-Russian competition of teachers will take place in the region of the Absolute winner of this year contest. In the year, announced by the President of Russia as the Year of the Teacher, the host of the contest "Teacher of the year in Russia 2010" final will be Magnitogorsk.

Natalia Sergeevna Nikiforova was born on December, 4, 1978. In 2001 she graduated from Magnitogorsk state university, she has a record of pedagogical work of 7 years. "I teach in classes with advanced study of mathematics, realizing personality-oriented approach in education. During several years I have been working on creation of system of methodical ways, which provide pupils' readiness to inquiry of individual educational trajectories, which will let more qualitatively form, develop and realize intellectual-creative abilities of pupils, irregularity of thinking. I give much time to work with gifted schoolchildren. I work at school of Olympic reserve of Magnitogorsk with creative group of pupils, which love mathematics. My schoolchildren many times became winners and medallists of mathematics Olympiads and tournaments of various levels. I am the initiator and organizer of holding annual city tournaments on mathematics: "Magnitogorsk city tournaments for the Cup of education management" (mathematics fights for 8th grades and for days of various mathematics games for 7th grades), "Mathematics Regatta" (6, 9th grades), Open mathematics Olympiad (5th grade)".

The contest "Teacher of the year" is a considerable activity for educational system of Russia. For 20 years the contest has received a status of the most prestigious in education. And winners of the contest are not simply the best in the profession, but also public leaders, who take direct participation in forming educational policy of the country.

All-Russian contest "Teacher of the year in Russia" has been held since 1990. The founders of the contest: the Ministry of education and science of the Russian Federation, the Federal education agency, the Union of workers of popular schooling and science of the Russian Federation, "Uchitelskaya gazeta". The year of 2009 is twice anniversary: "Teacher of the year in Russia" is 20 years, and "Uchitelskaya gazeta", which has become the operator of this contest, is 85. The first 15 years the final was constantly held in the capital. By the initiative of the Minister of education and science of the Russian Federation Andrei Fursenko since 2005 the final of "Teacher of the year in Russia" has been held in the hometown of the Absolute winner. In 2005-2009 the hosts of the finals were Kaliningrad, Chelyabinsk, Cherepovets, Saint-Petersburg and Moscow.

The contest took place from September, 23, to October, 5. The Absolute winner was defined after the results of three tours. In the first tour all 69 teachers-participants of the contest "Teacher of the year in Russia 2009" passed contest tests "Study lesson", "Class hour", "Methodical integration", "Parents meeting" and "Pedagogical council", which let the members of the jury choose 15 laureates of the contest. "The fifteen" continued competition in the second tour and demonstrated their professional skills at "Master class" and "Open discussion". Only five winners of the contest, owners of Small crystal pelicans, took part in the "Round table of educational politics" - a talk on an actual topic with participation of the Minister of education and science of the Russian Federation Andrei Fursenko.