-
3/17/2011 5:13:05 PM
On February 25, 2011, Erin C. Dyer, speech/language pathologist for the School District of Belleville, received the Honors of the Association from the Wisconsin Speech/Language Pathology and Audiology Association (WSHA) at the annual convention which took place in Stevens Point, WI. Erin's 30+ year career has involved working with children who have communication disorders. In the 1980s, Erin became involved with WSHA and served as a Vice President of School Services for three terms. In addition, she served four terms on the Legislative Council of the American Speech, Language, Hearing Association (ASHA). Her goal was to support and demand respect for her dedicated colleagues who work in the public schools. She was instrumental in establishing and serving on the Board of the Special Interest Division 16 for School Services. Her specialty is working with children and adults who stutter. It is with a heavy heart that she has decided to retire from the position she has enjoyed since 1983 due to the current state of affairs in Wisconsin. When accepting her award, Dyer encouraged her fellow speech/language pathologists and audiologists to take care of themselves, take care of each other, and to let their voices be heard!
-
2/3/2011 9:04:39 AM
Elizabeth Jorgensen has changed the English education culture at Arrowhead High School from one of just large classes being taught traditionally to a panoply of choices and learning opportunities. Her on-line summer school classes have not only given students flexibility to work and earn credit in the summer, but also freed them to find room for other classes on their schedules and given them experience in the cyber world of today's economy. Her hybrid classes have given the students more one on one time with the teacher to develop their writing. Finally, her college strategies classes have helped prepare kids who decide late in high school that college might be an option for the challenges of higher education. Ms. Jorgensen, with her expertise, energy and creativity is a model for future educators.
- Submitted by Frank Balistreri
-
2/1/2011 9:41:59 AM
Ann is relentless in her striving to educate the individual learner. She always will go the extra mile to change instruction and try new educational skills particular to 21st century ideas. Her technology use is incorporated in every aspect of the daily targets Ann maintains. Ann is also on many educator teams to enhance the curriculum and offer the district an on-going renovation of best practices which will make a difference in a child's education. Ann cares deeply about this profession and making a difference for kids!
- Submitted by Deb Kroll
-
1/19/2011 8:54:48 AM
Kevin has been teaching at Colby for 13 years. He teaches four choirs, one of which is Show Choir. He voluntarily takes the Show Choir to competitions and also spends hours organizing a competition at Colby that brings in schools from all over the state. He also helps produce and direct a musical and started a Madrigal Dinner which is held every December. Kevin is a big kid at heart and his enthusiasm pushes his students to achieve things they never dreamed of.
- Submitted by Valerie Knautz
-
1/18/2011 8:49:25 AM
Mr. Clark helps everyone he can. I got pregnant before my senior year and he helped me graduate with my class instead of dropping out and going to take classes at the local college. I wasn't the only student he has done this for. He held a class where we could work on pamphlets instead of retaking a class. He helped us as much as he could but never gave us the answer. He always told us if you can't find it, look somewhere else. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have graduated and I thank him everyday for that. I don't know where I would be without his help.
-
1/17/2011 9:00:26 AM
I am a Bilingual Speech and Language Pathologist. In June 2008, I completed my Professional Development Certificate with my concentration being the diagnosis and treatment of children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). I received my National Board Certification as an E Childhood Apraxia of Speech of North America, I attended courses at the PROMPT Institute to learn a multi-sensory approach to speech therapy. It is exciting to see my students progress and become great communicators. I recently became a National Board Certified Educator as an Early Childhood Generalist on November 19, 2010. I am just one of many life time learners!
-
1/11/2011 10:42:39 AM
Jeff is amazing at getting students involved, and making connections. The students look forward to his class, and always know that Jeff cares about them and their well being. He is respected and well liked, and does an amazing job in our school.
- Submitted by Bryan Milz
-
12/12/2010 8:50:45 AM
I have been teaching for 30 years in the Waupun School District. A first grade boy in my classroom entered the school year not knowing his letters. He lacked self-confidence and cried for the first few weeks of school. Using the Literacy Link program (a structured literacy program), this first-grader was reading at grade level by the end of the school year. He gained so much confidence that he was able to go into his previous kindergarten teacher's classroom and read to her students.
-
12/10/2010 7:58:11 PM
I teach a freshman reading comprehension class for learning disabled students. When the school year began I announced to students that the first 10 minutes of every day would be spent reading a book for pleasure. I explained that students could choose any book, there were no limits placed on their choice, and there would be no work involved afterwards. The idea was simply to promote reading without the pain that students with disabilities often feel when required to do a book report, diorama, etc., after an activity (reading) that is difficult for them.
-
12/7/2010 6:59:13 PM
This year I used the released items from the WKCE test to help prepare my students for the writing section of the test. We practiced prewriting strategies and scoring writing samples. As a result, the students used the time they were given to write quality essays.
-
12/7/2010 9:23:26 AM
Sharon Bradish is a high school Spanish teacher. She makes learning a new language exciting and interesting. She creates short stories and uses props and charades to learn grammar and vocabulary. Her enthusiasm every day keeps her student's interest in the subject. Because of Mrs. Bradish, students at Columbus High School do not just take one Spanish class; most students end up taking fourth semester Spanish and even AP Spanish. When you're in her classroom, you feel like you belong there. She even tries to keep in contact with her students after they graduate. I have been inspired by Sharon Bradish to pursue a career in Spanish Education and teach my future students how exciting and useful learning a second language can be.
Â
- Submitted by Kaitlyn Henning
Â
-
12/6/2010 11:29:11 AM
I have had students taking geography quizzes on Central and South America. I divvied up into regions. They can take it as many times as they want, but must get 100% on the quiz to have it count. This has created a great enthusiasm to get done with all the quizzes. The students come in before school, during study hall, and school. This is very exciting to see this enthusiasm.
-
12/6/2010 9:40:34 AM
The youth leadership group I advise, SHARE - Students Helping Area Resistance Efforts, has been creating and delivering holiday gift baskets to senior citizens and people facing hardships in Crawford County for over 10 years. My students write letters to seek donations from area business in early November. We then use the money donated to either purchase items for the baskets or, to purchase baking supplies for the cookies and breads that we put in the baskets. Many business also give us supplies to put in the baskets. Last year, over 200 baskets were made and delivered by our group. This year, our goal is again 200 baskets. Items we bake for the baskets are loaves of banana or pumpkin bread for each basket and over 7 types of cookies for a total of over 1,700 cookies baked. Each basket, once assembled, contains over 25 useful items; fruit, soup, tea/coffee, sponges, post-it notes, and baked goods. Meals on Wheels of Crawford County will then deliver around 40 of these baskets and we deliver the rest door-to-door throughout the county over 3 - 4 nights. This project is a wonderful example of community, schools, and youth working together. The support we ...
-
12/5/2010 11:02:00 AM
Dan Rhode is an educator who makes a difference. During the summer of 2003 Dan created special education summer school to serve the special education students of Mineral Point. His dream was to keep kids reading so they wouldn't lose ground over the summer. This first summer school was for eight weeks. It not only kept kids involved during the summer but also focused on activities of daily living. For students with special needs this is a great way of staying involved and socializing. Dan Rhode makes a difference in his students’ lives because it is his passion to see these children have opportunities.
-
12/5/2010 8:41:00 AM
I have used dance to promote high expectations in education with a graduation rate of 97 percent over the last fifteen years with three pregnancies. The students loved the idea of having someone there that didn't mind going the extra yard, with discipline, healthy snacks, tutoring, mentoring, and tough love. As of this date I am proud of the 85 percent that has graduated from college.
-
11/28/2010 6:14:57 PM
During the Thanksgiving season, I was able to team with the Onalaska Family Video store to provide 20 turkeys to deserving families in the comunity. This is not the first time that I have worked with this awesome business. They are always looking for ways to help the community. Earlier this year, the local Curves For Women where I work, and Family Video helped collect 4300 pounds of food for the local food pantry. I carried, counted and weighed many boxes and bags of non-perishable goods. Family Video also helped out at the annual Kindergarten Karnival by providing prizes for the silent auction and employees to work during the event. Curves For Women also does great things for the community. For the past few years, I have helped to organize a school supply drive and set up a collection of General Mills Box Tops, Milk Caps and Grocery Receipts for my district buildings. The members are very generous! I have passed on some district needs and other possible projects to these great businesses. I am in the planning stages for a December giving project. Family Video and Curves For Women - two great community organizations, ready to give to the ...
-
11/22/2010 12:57:43 PM
Kurt Luedke has been a long time educator in our district who has impacted the lives of many thousands of students. He is a teacher with extraordinarily high expectations of his students, but they love him for that. He is the consummate teacher and one that has taken pride in his work as an educator and as the coach of our Academic Decathlon Team for many years. Every teacher should spend one day with Kurt because they would all be better for the experience.
- Submitted by Dave Hanke
-
11/22/2010 12:43:26 PM
My Kindergarten class wrote a thank you letter to all of the area vets for Veteran's Day. I collaborated with the ladies auxiliary club at the VFW in Sun Prairie. We have received a couple heartfelt thank you notes from area vets, and the ladies auxiliary club sent us necklaces to thank us. My students were very proud of their letter and they felt happy that they made our area vets feel appreciated.
-
11/21/2010 7:22:18 PM
Renato has been teaching for more than 20 years now and no one doubts how much he loves his students. His classroom is filled with unique tributes to his success as a teacher. Not plaques or trophies, but, for example, a fireplace built by a student's family and an incredibly ornate mailbox that another family made him. Both add a feeling of welcome and warmth to his room. For a long time now Renato has taught ESL to community members through a local community college. However, recently a need arose at our school to teach ESL to the parents of his students. It paid a lot less, but would make a huge difference to them. He has taken up that challenge and as a result new partnerships are being built with the Spanish speaking parents of our school that would not have been possible without his contribution. I want to wholeheartedly recommend him for this honor, as he is truly deserving of it.
- Submitted by Katie Joy Newhouse
-
11/21/2010 9:58:16 AM
I am a Business and Information Technology Instructor with the Seneca School District. I am constantly struggling with how to keep my classroom relevant and up-to-date. Recently, I have tried to incorporate the use of projects that involve activities which require my students to problem solve. I also have taken the traditional “reports” assignment and have students prepare projects using PowerPoint or Windows Movie Maker and Audacity. This requires students to use pictures, video and audio and hopefully “make their projects come to life”. The next step in my plan will be to incorporate video production and editing into the project choices. I am writing a grant to obtain equipment to allow us to have equipment and space dedicated to video. I am proud of the accomplishments of some of my students who struggle with their creativity but have come to embrace a new way of thinking. They know any and all ideas are possible with a good brainstorming session. These projects teach my students real world teamwork skills for their future.
-
11/21/2010 9:54:54 AM
Mona Jones has been a teacher for over 25 years. She is an advocate, mom and confidant to many students. As a special education instructor, she will go the extra mile to help see her students achieve. Recently, she has taken on a tough workload. She has worked many countless hours with students and has seen great increases in their overall accomplishments. Mona also has been involved with teenage students who are attending school for the first time. She has been terrific in helping these students adjust to the new roles they play as students in a totally new educational and social environment. Mona in addition to her expected everyday activities strives to bring the real world to the classroom. She helps organize job shadows and program shadows for all our students. She is a great teacher, person and co-worker. Every day she starts the day with a smile and a hello, what a great asset to our profession!
- Submitted by Donna Aspenson
-
11/20/2010 9:58:57 AM
Last summer I was fortunate to be part of the National Writing Project at UW-Milwaukee. I spent five weeks of my summer vacation in graduate school to learn how to become a better writer and a better teacher of writing. Each member of the writing group chose a writing topic and developed a 90 minute presentation. I chose Writing Workshop. Day one of the 2010-11 school year I implemented writing workshop with my fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students. We write together four out of five days of the week after a mini lesson with the whole class. Teacher and students write at the same time. There are no prompts. The students write about what is on their minds and in their hearts. I no longer hear questions such as, "Do I have to write a whole page?" or "Do I really have to write today?" Instead, the students ask about writing workshop on the days we just have to accomplish other tasks such as required testing! My students and I are becoming better writers and having a great deal of fun together!
-
11/17/2010 3:27:04 PM
If you spend some time in one of the Trevor Grade School middle school art classrooms, it won't take much time to notice that this isn't the same type of art class you remember. Like most teachers, I noticed that regardless of the content, it was getting tougher to keep students engaged in the classroom. I realized quickly that Twenty-first Century students have been born into a culture and society where technology is everywhere and they are bombarded with media. I researched and educated myself on new trends in technology and their effect on the future workplace. I started a teacher website with links that were relevant to the curriculum, as well as show them how visual design affects us on a daily basis. Students still learn about traditional art history and techniques, but they are also shown how this history and knowledge can be used with these concepts and skills in other classes and their everyday lives. Basic art knowledge is integrated with technology to teach students how to create graphic designs, advertising layouts, and stop-animation projects. Teachers in other subjects often comment on the improvements they have seen in the students' work when they are expected to create ...
-
11/16/2010 6:40:36 PM
Penny Yanke is the Choral Director at Burlington High School. As a teacher she provides many opportunities for students to experience success and learn life lessons. Not only does she teach several successful choirs during the day as well as a piano class, she started a competitive show choir. In a couple of years this group has grown to over 50 students, and they are making their mark on the competitive show choir scene. Penny models to students on a daily basis the importance of ethics, responsibility, and teaches them the value of hard work and commitment. Penny and her program are an asset to our community. Her groups travel to compete within our state, the Midwest, and as far south as Florida. Penny is a respected teacher and mentor within many communities. We couldn't ask for a better ambassador and representative for Burlington or our state.
- Submitted by Bill Wald
-
11/14/2010 8:08:09 PM
Kari Heisler. This woman is my choir teacher. She is a great influence and somehow always knows how to take a crowd full of 60 women and make them all come together and sing perfectly. She teaches us about fashion, discipline, and a love for music. We had many team building activities and she was at each one. This woman was phenomenal and has touched many hearts.
- Submitted by Alyssa Paolocci
-
11/12/2010 4:50:03 PM
David Fonger teaches 8th graders in a special program called Bridges. His students have had learning and behavior issues but do not qualify for Special Education. As a Navy vet, David takes Veteran's Day very seriously. This year he worked with some of his fellow teachers at Bullen to put on an amazing program that really helped the kids realize what veteran's Day is all about. His students especially enjoyed seeing their teacher on stage in his full dress, Navy uniform! David does a great job every day with his students but on November 11th, he showed his students what a real hero looks like!
- Submitted by Mary Modder
-
11/12/2010 4:46:45 PM
I took my class to the American Players' Theater to watch "As You Like It." We read it, too.
-
11/12/2010 4:45:29 PM
At Arrowhead, I have been given the chance to implement a radical, choice-driven learning improvement system. In my Advanced Composition courses, the administration and I noticed a lack of student contact with the teacher. We noticed a lack of improvement in student writing and we noticed a lack of personal responsibility when it came to writing.
Collaboration with others: Throughout this process I was able to collaborate with a variety of individuals. This not only provided me with new perspectives, but it also provided me with professional opportunities. I learned, from working with David Hay (Kettle Moraine Principal), Karen Nipko (KM Summer Academy Director) and Eric Lehmann (teacher at iQ Academy) how I could use writer’s workshops in an online setting. At the beginning of the process, I also spoke with many Arrowhead staff members. My administration (Dave Watry, Bonnie Laugerman and Craig Jefson) was supportive, encouraging and excited about the changes we were making. This reminded me how much support I have—and how if I have an idea, all I have to do is speak up and share those ideas. In my teaching situation, if I am ever unhappy with the status quo, or if I want to make ...
-
11/12/2010 4:24:26 PM
I am directing and playing the piano. For 40 short minutes, each student is part of a team. They are all active members and they are all required to give full participation. Each student knows they must perform well because their test is not a multiple-choice or essay test. Their test is a concert. At this concert, 800 faces or more will be on them. The audience expects perfection—it’s something they know they will receive. Motivation and passion are two things I help my class with. I use a Kleenex to emulate a penalty flag in my all-boys choir. I assign three boys the role of referee and at each infraction (a lack of acting, poor diction, etc.), the referees are instructed to throw the Kleenex penalty flag. The referees are holding their classmates accountable; their classmates are working hard not to penalize the team. The next day, I repeat the rehearsal. And this time it’s the all girls class and instead of a penalty flag, I start by asking the girls about their weekends. And then, another downbeat is given… The community knows about the greatness of the Arrowhead Union choir department; this shows in packed houses, where people ...
-
11/12/2010 4:03:36 PM
My biggest success was having a student write this about me and submit it to several contests and publications. He really made my year! Here is what he had to say about me:
By Cody Kazubowski
Ms. Jorgensen, my first hour Advanced Composition teacher, has more personality, wit, and charisma than all 2,400 Arrowhead High School adolescents put together. With sweaty palms, awkward smiles, and nervous laughs, I trudged to my first day of class. But little did I know, every time I walked to class for the next semester, I would have a smile on my face. I came in slowly and apprehensively sat in my chair. She started to talk about the course and the things we would be completing. It seemed like the typical first day of school. But she was not typical. She was excited about the course; that interested me. She never just went through the motions, like some of my teachers do. Ms. Jorgensen always finds a way to tie our conversations back to class. It gives our work a sense of reality. It makes me listen as if her voice physically grabs me and makes me pay attention. Not only can I say ...
-
10/24/2010 10:49:31 AM
To aid my students in development of their public speaking and writing skills, I have developed and implemented a new announcement format at my school, entitled WJEJ radio, wherein JEJ stands for JE Jones elementary school. My students share announcments each morning spotlighting exciting classroom and behavior sightings taking place throughout the school. Currently, my students are taking over the script writing aspects of each WJEJ broadcast. The number of skills my sixth graders are developing are numerous. These include enunciation, diction, sentence fluency, propaganda techniques, character development, marketing and advertising tactics, and elements of six trait writing; all while having fun and developing a sense of school pride at the same time.
-
9/14/2010 9:23:02 AM
Thanks to our local Rotary, we were able to write a grant to purchase compost bins and supplies to compost food scraps from our lunch program. We started a composting project at our school this fall and it's working well. The students see the value in it, they are taking responsibility for the project and our school is looking forward to utilizing the end results, which is nutrient rich soil!
-
9/7/2010 11:33:38 AM
Within one week, I turned an empty conference room into an inviting, colorful, and fun classroom for 4k students. Parents and new co-workers were impressed and gave me many praises. It was a great way to start the year at a new school with new people.
-
8/29/2010 3:28:55 PM
One of my students was in the SLD program and struggled to write 2-3 sentences during her time with me in 4th grade. In April/May she was able to write 4 sentences with prompting. On the last day of class we wrote letters to third grade kids telling them all about 4th grade. Without any 1:1 help, this student wrote an entire page about all the things she loved about 4th grade! It was amazing. It took her 90+ minutes but she didn't want a break or any help.
-
8/23/2010 4:17:58 PM
I have met quite a few students while working at Rufus King. I was truly flattered when a student asked me to come with her to more than one of her classes for support.
-
8/23/2010 9:23:18 AM
My first year working as a Library Media Specialist was a great learning experience. I had a great deal of things to learn but the staff I worked with really helped me out. Students were excited and willing to learn about new books and how to navigate a library. One student was a little more reluctant than others and at first I thought it was because he had trouble reading. I discovered this was not the case when they became very interested in reading historical fiction graphic novels. The student was a behavior problem in other classes, but by using new books as a reward for good behavior, he finished the year strong and left with a summer reading goal and the knowledge to find the books at the local library.
-
8/22/2010 9:16:35 AM
Can you imagine a maximum security inmate studying Biblical Hebrew! As a Prison Librarian, I do my best to assist this young man in identifying appropriate materials for his studies. His friends and family on the outside then purchase the textbooks, and send them to him in prison. He is quite a serious student. I hope that his perseverance, and dedication to learning inspires other prisoners to explore academic subjects. His academic work keeps him out of trouble, and enriches his mind. My role is to encourage, and support this type of activity to the best of my ability.
-
8/22/2010 9:14:53 AM
This year, I was able to team teach with a 4th grade teacher during math. We discovered inspiration in working with each other and brought an increased passion to the subject. I am a special education teacher, so when the regular education students would see me come into the room and yell, "Yea, Mrs. Yoho's here" I felt a huge surge of success in bridging the perception many regular education students feel when working with the special education teacher.
-
8/22/2010 9:13:03 AM
In Milwaukee, we have been given support for teaching our very special students with a curriculum called "Unique". Â I teach students with significant disabilities at the primary level. This curriculum enabled us to work together with common goals. By us, I mean therapists, HCA's, art and physical education teachers, special education teachers and parents. Because, I had a curriculum already set, I could concentrate on the special needs of each student with the time I would have spent looking for appropriate curriculum. This curriculum helped develop the communication and social skills of my students and helped set a daily routine within the mandates of the district. Thank you Milwaukee Public Schools for great support in helping all of our children succeed to the best of their abilities.
-
8/16/2010 1:07:02 PM
My biggest success story relates to a Reading Intervention class I taught this past year. All but one of my students improved their reading level by at least one grade. I along with my team teacher and students were very happy!
-
8/14/2010 11:07:11 AM
Last school year I had to face a great challenge. I passed from teaching children from high or medium-high income families to teaching children from very low-income families. When the year started I realized that one of my students was very aggressive, tended to break things and could not sit still for two minutes. I tried correcting the student by being strong and having high expectations, but the student would not respond. The stronger I was the less response I got, every time that I tried correcting the student, the student would shrink shoulders and look down ignoring me. ... After having the student talk to the principal, I scheduled a meeting with the student and the mother. In the meeting we discussed the student’s behavior and we also created a contract that the mother, the student and I signed. They took home the original contract and I kept a copy. The idea for creating this contract was to start a behavior plan in which everyone had the same expectations. Every day the student and I examined the student's behavior for the day, and on Thursday, which was the last day of class for 4-year-old kindergarten I would send home ...
-
8/10/2010 8:49:10 AM
I had a student who moved from out of town and came into class with a chip on his shoulder. He was very upset to have to do anything in class. I had to send him to the office a couple of times for refusing to participate in class work. It was amazing when his attitude began to change. I started calling on him and reinforcing the knowledge that he had. He was VERY proud of his ability to dress fashionably. Once he started sewing, he didn't want to stop! The next quarter, even though he didn't have me as a teacher, he came in to ask help with hemming some pants. He shared with me that they were for his brother to wear to a relative's funeral. He confided in me that day and continued to come in to sew for the rest of the year during his study hall/free time. It was wonderful to have this student totally turn around and end up being very successful at something he had not even been interested in.
-
8/9/2010 11:22:54 AM
A wonderful program has emerged at our kindergarten center/elementary school. It is WATCH D.O.G.S. WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) is the father involvement initiative of the National Center for Fathering that organizes fathers and father figures in order to provide positive male role models for the students and to enhance school security. Who are WatchDOGS? Fathers, grandfathers, step-fathers, uncles, and other father figures who volunteer to serve at least one day each year in a variety of school activities as assigned by the school principal or other administrator. Some participants gave time each week and some gave time on one day during the school year. Dads volunteered each week on their day off or even used vacation time to help at school! All participants attended an orientation to explain procedures and responsibilities at the beginning of the school year. Our principal introduced participants each day on the televised morning announcements so staff and children would see the faces of the volunteers. Participants wear WatchDOG t-shirts or vests to identify themselves during the time they are in the building. We had extra help in the classroom, on the playground, in the lunchroom, and in the hallways. There is even a ...
-
8/2/2010 8:05:58 PM
Students drew animals and birds in their environment and flowers as part of a nature theme. Grades one and two worked hard on drawing and coloring techniques, and grades three through five concentrated on shading techniques and perspective. Pride was evident in all of our efforts. We entered the drawings into an art contest. We were pleasantly surprised with 12 winning drawings. What this meant to us was a reaffirmation of our talents and ability to convey our ideas through visual art. The outstanding work was published in a magazine this summer.
-
7/28/2010 10:46:32 AM
Although my teaching assignment is 8th grade Math and Algebra, I would have to say my biggest success story this year was not a curriculum success. In February, one of our students was diagnosed with Leukemia. This affected the students and staff in many ways----from being worried and scared to missing their friend, from not knowing what to do or say to knowing that they needed to talk and share feelings, from being able to talk of a family member who survived or lost the battle with cancer to being able to now do something for a classmate and her family, from keeping it all inside to stepping up and doing fundraisers..... I opened the door to letting students know that I am an 11 year survivor and above all else, the most beneficial thing to me is to keep the "Power of Positive Thinking". We coined that and the initials of PPT (in orange---the color of Leukemia) showed up all over school. There were several afternoons when students met in my classroom to make posters of awareness to put up in our hallways and commons, to cut out paper ribbons in the "colors of cancer", and mostly just to ...
-
7/28/2010 10:41:46 AM
I was thrilled and honored to be hired to work at Creekside Elementary this year as a first-year Kindergarten teacher. I have been teaching for 7 years, but this year was my best by far! I had great support from parents, coworkers, and my principal. And my students were AMAZING! My biggest success this year was taking one young man from the kid who went under the table at the first sign of trouble, and was upset about coming to school - and getting him to a point where he was reading at a Level 2, didn't need any extra help in Math, and hadn't been under a table since November. I can't take all the credit - he did all the work! But working with this boy, his parents, and my coworkers (including my principal) to turn his life around was my biggest success this year. I was certainly blessed to have a classroom where there were big successes all year long. I am so proud of my students!
-
7/28/2010 10:39:36 AM
I am currently a K-5 ELL teacher. Over the past two years I have been working with a young ELL student who struggled in the area of reading. She is a hard worker and was more than willing to do anything I asked of her, but nothing I was trying seemed to work. We kept plugging away and working hard, rejoicing in each small victory along the way. Then, at the end of third quarter, a switch flipped. She began remembering things we worked on together. Her reading level improved. She was excited about learning and said often to me, "Look Ms. Stoller! I can read this!" Both her regular classroom teacher and I were very proud of her and we told her so often!
-
7/28/2010 10:37:33 AM
Creating the Walk and Talk at Lien Elementary School in Amery! Walk and Talk is a quarter-mile walk with friends that takes place prior to free choice play at each recess. Students may also run the track if they so desire, and many do. Walk and Talk was new this past year on the elementary playground and was created after kindergarten paraeducators Marie Knutson and Tammy Wassberg attended an in-service on positive playgrounds. "At this in-service we learned that when children come out to recess they are full of energy but for some kids the energy is not used positively,” Knutson said. “By providing the kids with a short, organized physical activity, the children burn off some of that energy. After that they are able to play with their peers in an unstructured environment without the excess energy that can lead to poor choices in behavior." Walk and Talk not only provides exercise toward the recommended 60 minutes a day for children, it has allowed a positive, safer playground. This combination of exercise and happy children creates a better learning environment in the classroom as well. Staff at Lien Elementary can see the difference Walk and Talk has made in ...
-
7/28/2010 10:35:35 AM
I would have to say that one of my biggest success stories from last year was working with struggling readers who made significant gains. I teach first grade in a SAGE school which also receives Title I services. Throughout the course of the year, by working with the learners, their families, and my fellow staff members the vast majority of the identified struggling readers were able to meet and in some cases even exceed grade level standards. If it weren't for the hard work, dedication, and time invested by all parties it would not have been a goal so successfully met. I am a firm believer that all can succeed when help is available, praise and encouragement are given, and the desire to accomplish is strong. As an educator, I am constantly reminded that learning and academic success is well worth the hard work and determination. I love my job and love seeing how teaching guides lifelong learning.
-
7/28/2010 10:33:36 AM
I am proud of the success of bringing our absentee list to a record low. Knowing that when student are absent from school that learning is not taking place for that group of students. I took it upon myself as a dedicated Guidance Counselor to resolve this problem. This was done by contacting parents,having group sessions with the students and more.
-
7/28/2010 10:32:02 AM
The best way to increase reading skills is to read. Simple enough. Many teens are reading longer, complex texts less and less. Our freshmen English students enter high school with the opportunity to engage with a young adult novel with a dynamite storyline and teen main characters. What a great way to jump back into the English classroom and back into reading. Our students success with this title was enhanced in the spring semester when we took a field trip to a local theater to see our novel's adaptation on opening day! When we returned to our building, we took a chunk of our afternoon to debrief on how they responded to the film and its accuracy to their reading. We filled the board with critical, insightful, accurate, passionate, careful analysis and response to the film. I was impressed and amazed with their recall, retention, investment, and careful thinking. They worked as a community of readers and viewers to reflect and share out their observations and experiences. It was a super chargered afternoon of learning and affirmation that teen readers can use text in meaningful ways to become critical readers and thinkers. Outstanding.
-
7/28/2010 10:30:43 AM
I am currently a cognitive disability special educator. This past year I had a 3rd grade student with Autism on my caseload. This student had some significant behavior problems and was starting the school year on a modified schedule (leave school at noon) to accommodate behavior. I spent an extra long time getting to know her personally and seeing what motivated her at the beginning of the school year. At first the behavior problems that we were seeing were at the end of her day when she had to leave school because she did not want to leave early. As the school year continued on I worked with the parents and increased her days until at the end of the year, she was full time. I had set up a behavior plan and had incorporated very motivating items for this child to work towards. I also made sure to develop a reciprocal relationship with this child where we both really enjoyed being around each other. I paid close attention to what was going to set her off and not just "typical" Autistic behaviors. I made sure to incorporate down time into her day while maintaining a much needed structure. Through ...
-
7/28/2010 10:26:26 AM
I am a middle school learning disabilities teacher. The students that I work with come to me with low self esteem. They often view themselves as “retarded” because of the teasing they endure. One student entered my specially designed math class after recently being identified as having a learning disability in mathematics. She had not passed even one test in her general education math class. On one test she was unable to answer even one question correctly. The first weeks in my class she was sullen, withdrawn and struggled to complete short assignments outside of class. I worked especially close with her during resource time, making sure she completed the assignments for the practice she so sorely needed. She failed her first test in my room, but it was the closest she had come to passing all year. The second test was higher still. Gradually she opened up in class, volunteered answers and began completing her assignments on her own. Our combined efforts paid off and I knew I had her, when after one of our final tests of the year, she got her highest score ever, a 95%...this on a test of fractions, a killer for many students…not just ...
-
7/28/2010 10:15:42 AM
Jay Talk parent and student educational and career conferences were a big success in Merrill this year. As middle school counselor it was an honor to meet individually with parents and their eighth grade son or daughter to hear about their mutual hopes and dreams as a foundation toward planning for successful transition to high school and beyond. During each thirty-minute conference we reflected together on the student's learning style, successes, and challenges while developing two goals: one personal, one academic. Both goals are incorporated in the student's ongoing Individual Learning Plan which will continue at Merrill High School. Anonymous parent and student feedback indicated parent and student appreciation. In my twenty years in public education in Merrill, Jay Talks are one of my biggest success stories.
-
7/14/2010 3:42:07 PM
This was my first year
teaching first grade. I came from a background of grades 3-5 so I was a bit
nervous. I had a student who was a non-reader in the beginning of the year, and
after testing in February the student had moved up to a second grade reading
level. I was so proud of this child.
-
7/14/2010 2:54:43 PM
I am very proud of my Northwood Middle School forensics team this year. This was the fifth year of the program at our school, which I started to offer our students more opportunities to expand their classroom learning. Our middle school student population is just under 100, and 33 of them joined the team. We practiced every chance we could--during their study hall, before and after school, and some homeroom periods. This group was so dedicated, giving time and effort above and beyond what most young teenagers are willing to do. Their efforts showed success as they received high scores and high praise from their Level I and Level II judges. I am so proud of these young Evergreens, and thinking about this team makes me smile.
-
7/12/2010 1:24:32 PM
I am an Adult Basic Education Instructor at the Prairie du Chien Correctional Institute. I work for the Department of Corrections in a prison. We are a unique setting because we deal with non-violent adult men. Many do not have a High School diploma and, therefore, we work with them on getting their HSED or GED. My story starts with a young man out of Milwaukee who entered our system with a drug case (not using but selling). That is the way of life for many young uneducated men from the larger cities - they have difficulty finding and maintaining a job that pays well, especially with no HS diploma, so they turn to drugs (which pays very well). Also include in their background abuse, neglect, lack of any support system, poor decision making skills and poor choice skills. Many lack any sort of values or morals. This young man, that I am taking about, did have some values and some morals - he just lacked education training and guidance. He grew up in a home with little to no support financially, emotionally, and physically - he he knew what he was doing was very wrong. We worked with him ...
-
7/12/2010 1:21:40 PM
I had several students on my special education case load that proved to be more difficult than usual. Nine students were expected to graduate this May. A few had huge issues beyond their learning disabilities, including attendance, estranged families, possible pregnancies,emotional trauma, school expulsion and court probation. Through frequent daily follow-up, teacher counseling, communication with outside resources, all but one managed to graduate on-time. A couple were down to the last minute, but they made it. The other one will graduate soon.
-
7/12/2010 1:20:26 PM
Zero to 60 in just eight short months! We were an elementary school with just four SMART boards when school started in the fall. By November every one of our regular education classrooms was equipped with a new interactive white board just waiting to open new windows to learning. The success story is in how the staff embraced and applied this new technology resource in their everyday lessons. Staff who you would never have believed became able users who brought new resources to their teaching team as well as their students. I am proud to have been a part of this success story.
-
7/12/2010 1:19:01 PM
I teach orientation & mobility to students with visual impairments. One of my biggest obstacles has been communication with the Milwaukee County Transit System, a service that my students will likely use frequently. I began discussing my problems with Don Natzke from the Milwaukee County Office for Persons with Disabilities, who set up a meeting, which included the 2 of us, a travel instructor from the county, and an administrator from MCTS. At the meeting, I discussed my frustration with trying to orient my student with visual impairments, particularly those with multiple disabilities, to the bus, as previously the bus company would send a bus to a school for orientation purposes, but that program had ceased. I also expressed my concern over drivers improperly locking down passengers' wheelchairs. From that discussion came a mutually beneficial program: New driver trainees would bring buses to a school with a large populations of students with disabilities. Students would be allowed to explore the buses, learn how to board, pay the fare, ask for a transfer, and find a seat; drivers would learn how to interact with people with disabilities and how to properly lock down a variety of different wheelchairs. At our first ...
-
7/8/2010 8:44:45 PM
Each of the six high school Spanish II and Advanced classes utilized a wiki as a venue for their target language journals. The students had a wiki-amigo from other Wisconsin high schools who commented about their entries and created projects for reciprocal comments. Students became very adept at embedding a variety of technological projects which included Vokis, Toondoos, Kisseeo postcards, Glogster, Voicethreads, Yodios, and Prezzis. Interest was at maximum with a true sense of pride of incorporating the Spanish language with a cultural and thematic emphasis while practicing grammar topics. The results were spectacular!
-
7/8/2010 9:14:27 AM
I had a second grade student who was a struggling reader. He didn't enjoy school or have a favorite subject, other than recess. I discovered that he liked sharks. So I found every book I could on the subject. Some were easy readers and some were advanced levels, way beyond his capabilities. During his independent reading time, he would read the easy books over and over. He pored over the scientific ones as well. I think it took the peer pressure of reading chapter books off his back. In addition to this, I found volunteers to read to and with him at least once or twice a week. In the beginning, he literally dragged his feet when they arrived. By the end of the year, he passed the benchmark reading assessment and one level above his grade! He still doesn't love school but I can see his smile as proof that he is a reader!
-
7/7/2010 11:10:04 AM
As an at-risk teacher, my students achieve many successes for themselves. My greatest one this year, however, was with a student who wasn't in my program. Failing three classes coming into the fourth quarter, this bright, young freshman needed some extra guidance. I offered to take him under my wing during lunch and my prep time and he came every day. His extra time and motivation paid off as he passed all of his classes for the semester.
-
6/29/2010 11:29:47 AM
My student's success story is about a young boy who could not even speak English his first year in America (2008-2009). He came from Mexico with his parents. As a second grader this past year (2009-2010) he entered my room reading at a level 5 (comparable to a kindergartener). He worked hard and read every night to his mom or dad and by the end of our school year was reading at a level 18. His hard work had paid off and his success was also felt by all the people who had worked with him this past year. Teaching, it’s a proud profession!
-
6/27/2010 7:51:27 AM
My ELL Level 1 students read the poem "My People" by Langston Hughes. Inspired by the poem, my student wrote their own lines, all were so unique and wonderful, that we decided to make a class poem. I shared it with my Level 2 students who absolutely loved it. Latino Sin Fronteras officers also loved it and with the permission of my Level 1 students decided to make it the official poem of the club and also had it printed on their t-shirts.
-
6/26/2010 9:40:51 AM
I have only been teaching three years. This year my position was cut making this year's graduation bittersweet. Before the ceremony, I was greeting my students and a young man that was in my class my very first year came up to me and thanked me for being at graduation. He told me that I was his best teacher. When I asked him why, he told me it was because I believed in him and believed he could succeed. What an awesome way to end my time at this school!
-
6/26/2010 6:46:14 AM
My fourth grade GT students chose to review the year's math curriculum in rap. The kids learned a lot in the writing, because they had to synthesize each concept into its most concise form....and each couplet had to rhyme. There are websites that help you find rhyming words. The students also gained a deeper sense of rhythm from the performance, and each took turns videotaping. Now the rap, called "Math Rap: Hey Teacher, Check This Out!" is making its way across the nation on YouTube, (with parent permission). Do check it out! Just go to YouTube and search on the title, or visit this address: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlyOomQ3lm0.
-
6/26/2010 6:45:19 AM
My biggest success story for this year was being able to bring my reading therapy dog Tabby to school with me, and watching the positive effect she had on the students and staff. I truly believe that Tabby had the biggest effect on my special education students. I had students that were struggling with academics or behavior, and Tabby would be there with unconditional love for them.
-
6/25/2010 9:08:04 PM
My second graders made significant gains in their writing skills this past year. They had e-pals in South Australia and corresponded with them every week. I believe that this exchange helped them in all aspects of their writing. Each student did a writing sample in the fall and one in the spring, and they all made excellent gains in all of the six traits of writing. Needless to say, I plan to continue the pen pal project in the coming year!
-
6/22/2010 3:59:00 PM
This story is about a student body success. The whole school year, my school was declared a school that needs improvement to help students achieve their academic. Because of that situation, my school offered a numerous of tutoring programs. These academic programs help students in the school to get extra help and they did much better this year. Every teacher in the building helps those programs to reach students’ learning styles and move the school to a higher level. Today, my school has improved and now is out of that situation. Tutoring works very well in my school.
-
6/21/2010 8:50:49 AM
Friendship was my biggest success story this year! I have been a bilingual teacher for ten years and this year was the best as far as crossing bridges. I teamed with the monolingual second grade teacher and together we created meaningful, fun, and real opportunities to get my native Spanish speaking students working, learning, and playing with her mostly English speaking students. Our culminating experience was our community trip! We had breakfast at a Mexican restaurant, delivered donated items to a shelter, toured the public library, and visited the humane society. We worked together to not only enjoy our community but to give back to it as well.
-
6/9/2010 7:25:06 AM
My Alternative Energy Class organized a Mugs for Milk campaign for Earth Day. Students needed to bring in a reusable mug for lunch and received 16 oz of milk for using a non disposable cup. We distributed over 16 gallons of milk during 3 lunches. Our first attempt at this concept and we had over 60% of the students in the entire school participate!
-
6/9/2010 7:23:40 AM
Black River Falls Tiger Investment Club had a successful year investing in the stock market. The profits will be used for several projects including:
- 4 TI-185 Plus Calculators, Math Department
- 10 Batting Helmets w/ Face Masks
- 2 Shutt Hanging Helmet Bags Softball
- 1 Epson PL 83=XGA LCD Projector LMC/School
- 1 Exium Casio High Speed Camera Science
- 25 11x17 Itoya Art Portfolios Art
- 6 Pure Shot /12 Heads Up (dribble aid)
- 4 QB Basketball Tee, PE/Basketball
- 1 Spectronic 20D+ Spectrophotometer, Science
- Donation to the Senior Memorial Fund (photos project)
- Donation to BRF Student Council Viva Haiti Fund.
-
6/7/2010 11:15:30 AM
A severe emotional/behavioral challenging student now finally accepts my help and we can process his feelings together.
-
6/5/2010 9:53:39 PM
This year, we held our first 'Literacy Day' which included an author visit during the day and an all-school evening event. In spite of the fact that this the first time and a Friday night, we had more than 100 people in attendance to enjoy Readers' Theatre and multiple-voice poetry performances, a book swap for kids through adults and more. It was a great and collaborative success! We went home exhausted but exhilarated.
-
6/5/2010 9:06:15 AM
This week, I was attending a high school graduation ceremony for students whom I had taught 4 years earlier. I heard someone calling my name, turned around, and saw a former student whom I taught several years ago. He came up to me and started visiting. I had someone snap a photo of us. It was great to see him and hear him speak so highly of his experiences in our classroom.
-
6/5/2010 9:00:27 AM
This year I worked with reluctant and struggling readers who were significantly below grade level using Read 180, an intensive individualized reading intervention program. I worked extremely hard getting to know my students to build connections with them and connect them with reading material that was motivating. Yesterday I had "cool" seventh graders (who began the year hating reading and performing at low elementary levels) high fiving one another and dancing around the room because they achieved their goal of reading 100,000 words this quarter!
-
6/5/2010 8:57:10 AM
When I was teaching (retired in 1999), I had a student that had a problem with stuttering. I asked him if he ever heard of Mel Tillis. He did and I reminded the student that Mel never stuttered when he sang a song. I asked the student to imagine he was singing the words he wanted to say. It worked to improve his problem, but required a considerable amount of concentration. I encouraged him to keep practicing the technique until it became second nature. I mentioned that a bad experience in the past could have triggered his problem. He replied his mother abandoned his family and felt it was the reason for his problem. I could relate to him as my mother died when I was 7 years old.
-
6/5/2010 8:54:30 AM
Starting and finishing my Masters program while still keeping my students my #1 priority. I know I was successful because one of my sophomores came up to me yesterday and thanked me for helping him pass English 10 and then said that he came to school every day because I told him one day I missed it when he wasn't in school and that made enough difference to him to show up every day. We never know when a kind word or phrase will make a difference to some child - I make it my goal to say something positive to every child as often as possible because I want to make a difference in all of their lives!
-
6/4/2010 5:03:17 PM
Learning to create an Imovie!
-
6/4/2010 2:32:01 PM
Making it through my students' four-year-old kindergarten graduation ceremony without crying!
-
6/4/2010 1:16:32 PM
I teach keyboarding to the 2nd and 3rd graders and it is so rewarding to see them go from not even knowing what a space bar is to typing without looking at the end of the year. With computers, you just have to show them a little, and they take off and do a lot with that knowledge!!
-
6/4/2010 12:45:19 PM
Returning to the classroom 10 days after having emergency eye surgery.
-
6/4/2010 10:06:09 AM
I don't advocate medicating students unless it is absolutely appropriate to the situation, but one of my LD students with ADHD had been going unmedicated by choice. After nearly failing 1st quarter & being totally disorganized, he decided to start taking his meds again. He has made a complete turnaround. Now he is on the honor roll, is organized, doesn't have any missing assignments, and is an example to all students, not only other LD students. He has gained more confidence & pride in himself this year than I've ever seen before.
-
6/4/2010 8:49:14 AM
My grandfather happened to meet one of my former students this year. In the course of the conversation, the young man mentioned that I was one of the few people that truly listened to him during his high school years. We don't always get to hear the positive comments from our students, so this was truly special.
-
6/4/2010 8:41:36 AM
My biggest education success story this year comes from being a mobilized reservist. I am currently mobilized to Fort Benning, GA, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. I knew when I left that I would be missing a lot. But, due to technology I am still able to connect with my students. I recently taped and uploaded my speech for our eighth grade graduation. What this showed my students, their parents, and the public is how committed educators truly are. Even when we are not at school we still think about our students and their success. Something as serious as a mobilization in the defense of this country cannot stop us from being in the classroom or a part of our students’ lives. My students have seen a level of dedication that goes way beyond the classroom. I know that they will carry this lesson with them as they go on to become the future leaders of America.
-
6/3/2010 8:47:38 PM
With our school being remodeled around us as we taught this year, Lake Mills School District, in particular the Middle School, managed to pull off a great first year Earth Day Celebration jointly with the City of Lake Mills. I was in charge of the District participation. In fact, it was held only two months after most of the teachers moved into the new rooms. I, alas, am still teaching in the old section with three other teachers. No, there isn't any air conditioning. No, no windows, either. Oh, the construction noise? Yes, I used a sound meter to determine the often prolonged 120 db of electronic pounding under and beside the room. But, in the midst of all that, I helped promote our sustainability efforts within the District, by winning a Fulbright Teacher Exchange Fellowship to develop a sustainable network of teachers with Japan. I have developed a plan to challenge the parochial school in our town, as well as those in neighboring communities to a "Turn It Off" campaign to develop energy saving sustainable behaviors in our students and our communities. We can see who reduces their energy consumption the most (by percent) from one given month to ...
-
6/3/2010 8:25:48 PM
The autistic student I work with was integrated into a regular education classroom!
-
6/3/2010 8:24:35 PM
My biggest success this year was to help a child who was totally unintelligible be able to communicate 4 word sentences that could be understood.
-
6/3/2010 8:23:05 PM
Starting up the breakfast program this year.
-
6/3/2010 8:22:08 PM
After failing a class a year and a half ago I finally got the grades to pull my GPA up to a decent average. All my hard work for the past year and a half has finally paid off!
-
6/3/2010 8:19:59 PM
My biggest success was working so hard with my seventh grade English class on using description and "painting the picture" in their short stories they were writing for writers workshop. They finally understood and a few of my students won awards in contests for their stories!
-
6/3/2010 1:24:47 PM
I am a support staff and guided a student through the last steps for graduation to her program. The student is overwhelmed with completing her classwork and making sure everything is completed to finish her program. She was very grateful I was able to help her. She stated, "If I was there in person I would give you a kiss". Helping that one individual made me feel good I had the knowledge and resources to help her.
-
6/3/2010 11:16:12 AM
I am a Math Support teacher for 2nd and 3rd graders at the Keshena Primary School. I work with nine classrooms, plus two afterschool groups. It has been quite hectic trying to keep up with each classroom and helping those who need that extra help. This year, I took on the challenge of having a competition in learning their math facts. Each day I gave mad minutes to each classroom, kept a tally of where each student was individually and posted on my bulletin board in front of my classroom. The children were so excited to see where they are at on a daily basis. It turned out to be a huge success. At the end of the contest, those who completed mastering their facts enjoyed a delicious pizza party in my room. It was fun to see them challenging themselves to succeed!
-
6/3/2010 10:01:59 AM
I have had a tremendous success with increasing my reading score of students who traditionally have trouble getting motivated to read. By using different and new strategies, students were able to gain considerably on quizzes and tests.
-
6/3/2010 8:54:30 AM
My biggest success this year was getting through the transition of closing 3 elementary schools and consolidating into 3 buildings. It was a lot of change but we made it!
-
6/2/2010 8:32:13 PM
I made it through my first year of being a school board member. It is a lot more involved than I expected but I enjoyed it.
-
6/2/2010 7:35:44 PM
Making it through my first year of teaching and bringing my Exploring Literature class together to talk about books, characters, stories and authors. Some of them have read over 3000 pages this semester and they have introduced me to tons of titles that I will be sharing with my next group of students. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with SPASH students and hope that the students have learned from me as much as I have learned from them.
-
6/2/2010 7:16:31 PM
We started a 520 Hour Police Recruit Academy and have drawn from our entire district to provide instructors that are current law enforcement professionals.
-
6/2/2010 7:14:11 PM
I had the pleasure of working with a middle school student who finally returned to school in February of that same school year after having a heart attack during gym class on 9-11. He sure is teaching me about how to be happy with where you are. Lucky to be alive and teach me this year! Fun to always be a learner.