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MOUNT AIRY, N.C. — The “Oscars of Teaching” was award to a fourth-grade teacher at Jones Intermediate School Thursday.

During a surprise assembly, Amanda Robertson was awarded the national Milken Educators Award for her unconventional ways of teaching. The award comes with $25,000.

“It’s overwhelming and it’s so such an amazing feeling,” said Robertson, who doesn’t use books but instead technology like video lessons sent the students to at night. “They can watch it at home and that way their parents can see how they are learning it here, because that’s a big confusion with a lot of parents wanting to know how it works, especially with common core.”

Teachers are not nominated for the award, instead the award seeks out teachers early to mid-career for what they have achieved and for the promise of what they will accomplish, according to the Milken Educators Award statement.

“This is a labor of love,” said Robertson. “You get into it because it’s something you are passionate about and something you love and it’s about the children.”