Oregon Teacher of the Year 2010

Mean What You Say & Say What You Mean!

2010-01-30T23:57:00.000-08:00

Today we were all asked to define our message for the year. I really had to reflect on what my message is this year. We were told these facts:
* An average print quote is 26 words
* An average broadcast is 6-12 seconds
* News stories usually run 15-1:15 seconds

That is not a lot of time to get a message across to the public. My message...

Our kids are bombarded with world issues daily, it is our responsibility to give them opportunities to change their world now! We can do this by giving students opportunities to engage in real world work, while integrating content standards.

Well, it's not 26 words, but I'm getting closer! :-)

Intellectual Leader ~ Are you one?

2010-01-29T23:52:00.000-08:00

Are you in touch with the issues?
Do you see things in context?
Can you explain both the big and little pictures?
Are you a critical thinker?
Are you a creative thinker?
Do you understand the 'meaning' of what’s going on?

When someone says, " We can't do that because______________"
Do you respond with "What can we do about that?"

These are the types of leaders we need to take our school systems to the next level of success!

Societal Trends

2010-01-29T23:36:00.000-08:00

Our presenter today was Gary Marx. He posed the question, "What will the new normal look like?" He asserts, "The future is in our schools today!"

Here are some of the trends he presented on today:

1. For the first time in history the old will outnumber the young.
2. Of Every 100 People, who live on the planet, 61 are living in Asia, 14.5 are living in Africa, 11 live in Europe, 8.5 live in Latin America, and only 5 live in North America.
3. Social and intellectual capital will become economic drivers intensifying competition for well educated people.
4. The technology trend insures, eighty percent of all the scientists who ever lived are alive today... and they’re on the Internet!
5. Pressure will grow for society to prepare people for jobs which do not exist!!
6. Understanding will grow that sustained poverty is expensive for all and poverty is everyone’s responsibility!

Possible roles of education:

1. Release of human ingenuity will become a primary responsibility of education and educators.
2. Create intellectual entrepreneurs!
3. Cultivate ingenuity imagination creativity, and inventiveness!
4. We need to encourage a civic temperament that encourages reasoned discussion, dialogue and deliberation!
5. The ARTS are key to the future!!

What can we do now?

Remember, It’s okay to think outside the box... Try to stay in touch with the world... And keep organizations fresh, energized!!

Talking Points for ALL Teachers

2010-01-28T23:28:00.000-08:00

Who has the voice in education? Who advocates for education?

We need to advocate for our profession. In your building, district, and state, here are some talking points you can use to begin discussions!

1. The people involved are not necessarily the ones making the decisions... How do we organize and have our voice heard?

2. Can we create an organized way to communicate with our legislators?

3. We have to be a 'salesman' for change. Can we include the community?

You should strive not to be the best in the world; rather, be the best for the world!

POLICY ~ Race to the Top

2010-01-28T23:19:00.000-08:00

Today, POLICY is the word of the day. Looking at national and state educational issues was our theme today. The ‘Race to the Top’ was discussed in depth. States who are selected will be reforming their educational systems with these main points in mind:

* Find broader ways to enter the profession
* Equitable distribution of effective teachers
* Improving teachers and principal effectiveness based on performance
* States have agreed by sept 2011 they will be report on teacher effectiveness of teachers in tested grades
* How would you make the “common core” (national standards) a reality in your state? (This is a push to get us to national standards)

IF a state wins, districts still have to agree within 90 days to what the state wants to do.
It is up to the STATE to decide how to spend the teacher evaluation/incentive money.

SMART board Training

2010-01-27T23:16:00.000-08:00

Today is SMART training day. As teachers, the first rule is there is always more to learn! One of our amazing gifts as Teacher’s of the Year, is a SMART board and a set of ‘clickers’ to use in our classrooms. I am so very excited to bring this technology to my students.

The morning was spent moving from room to room learning about the clicker response system, Notebook software, and General SMART board use. I most enjoyed the afternoon when we were grouped by similar grade levels to create a lesson. This is when I really had a chance to get to know, Ms. Alaska, Ms. Florida, Ms. Arkansas, and Ms. Massachusetts. We had a great time collaborating on a lesson our 4th and 5th grade students are sure to enjoy!

Dallas Arrival!

2010-01-26T23:13:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the class of 2010! I arrived in Dallas, apprehensive, nervous, and excited. Like many of my fellow Teacher’s of the year I was wondering what the week ahead would hold.

Right off the we were all introducing ourselves. An array of voices announcing, “Hi, I’m Donna from Oregon”... “Hi, I’m Stephanie from D.C”... “Hi, I’m Holly from Louisiana”... “Hi, I’m Susan from DoDs”... After awhile, I was associating folks with their state rather than their name! The best thing about it is, now I have a face for every state in our nation, and the U.S. territories!

Newspaper Interviews

2009-10-30T22:26:00.000-07:00

The day continues... Later that afternoon, after teaching, after the award ceremony, and after parent teacher conferences, I found myself in my principal's office being interviewed by Betsy Hammond of the Oregonian. I was also interviewed by Anne Williams from the Register Guard. Having never been interviewed for anything other than a school publication, it was quite an experience. Both reporters were fun to talk with, and had many great questions.

You can view the articles here:
The Oregonian
The Register Guard

October 27th, 2009 ~ Surprise!!

2009-10-28T23:29:00.000-07:00

What a great day! I should have known something was up Monday night when I read the email about a surprise assembly for my Principal, Wally Bryant. However, I had no idea what was about to happen at school Tuesday morning.

I went to school, and started my day. No big deal. At recess I gave my students directions to line up after and I would take them into the assembly. As I walked outside my students were scattered. Frantically, I began to look for them, and realized they did not follow directions, and they went in without me. So I entered the gym, wondering why my 4th graders ignored my directions???

To my right there were news cameras from all over the city. Still looking for my students who were inter-dispersed throughout the gym I ignored everyone, except the voice who said, “Donna bring your class here." I said, "I would if I could find them!” Then I looked up and sitting across the gym, across the south wall was my entire family. My dad, Cindy, Robert, Peggy, Jared, Kaitlynn, and Zachary were all there. As soon as I saw two-dozen roses in my dad’s arms I knew this assembly was the big announcement. At that moment I entered a dream like state. Some people call it a surreal feeling. Everything began to move in slow motion, and adrenaline took over my body. I walked over to Susan and Kim and whispered, "you know, it was your letters which made this happen!” Just about that time Wally walked over to me and gave me a hug. He asked, “You know what this is right? Are you going to be ok?” I was told later I turned bright red as the realization of the moment began to sink in.

I stood there listening to Susan Castillio announce my name as Oregon Teacher of the Year. As she talked about my experiences, I began to cry, and then I pulled myself together because I knew it would be me speaking next. It truly felt like a dream. I thanked Susan and the selection committee for giving me this honor. I thanked the amazing teachers I am blessed to work with everyday, and then I turned my attention to the students I love so much! I told them the one thing they should strive to do is find their passion in life, and follow it. If they do this they will be blessed to never really work a single day in their lives. I told them I was blessed to teach them.

I held up my award for all the students to see. They were more interested in getting their hands on the giant sized check. I must admit, the size of it standing on end, was as tall or taller than most of my 4th graders! Then, it was time to be interviewed by the press. Yikes, I normally avoid the press because I am always so scared I will say something wrong. There was no getting out of this! My students were great. They sat on the gym floor and watched silently as their teacher approached the semi-circle of reporters standing at the back of the gym waiting patiently for me. A reporter walked up to me and asked me to put the small microphone inside my shirt. That made me laugh, and I began to relax as I turned away from my students and fumbled with the microphone.

Then they began asking all sorts of questions. Talk about being put on the spot with NO warning. They asked how I was feeling and what I would do with the money. They asked what advice I would give to first year teachers, and the rest of the questions entered into the foggy mist of the surreal world I was immersed in at the moment. It was almost like a dream where I was watching myself and not really there.

Then the moment was over, and the excitement of the kids became a reality. The newspaper reporters, and photographers, wanted to follow me up to my classroom and all I could think about was how in the world would I calm my class down in front of all these strangers? Especially now, being named teacher of the year, I better be REALLY good because all eyes are on me. Yikes

After all the excitement, the afternoon was spent conducting 6 previously scheduled parent/teacher conferences! Just as in theater, teachers know the show must go on! And, as teachers we don't mind because we love what we do!