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2003 Outstanding First-Year Teacher Award
The California Association for Employment in Education (CAEE) recently recognized four first-year teachers in California for their unique and creative contributions to the education profession. The $500 CAEE award was given to one multiple subject teacher and one single subject teacher in Northern and Southern California.
Criteria for the awards included: special accomplishments, unique and creative contributions, highlights of instructional skills, interaction with students, parents and peers, and innovative programs and projects which distinguished the nominee from other first-year teachers.
CAEE links colleges, universities, school systems, students and education professionals to encourage employment in the field of education. CAEE membership consists of school district hiring personnel along with college and university education placement professionals.
The single subject award recipients for the 2002 - 2003 school year are:
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Adam Carter
Summit Prep School (formerly of Mountain View High School)
Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District
Adam Carter’s diligence and reflection in planning, instruction and assessment have set him apart from his peers this year. Unlike many teachers who have one or two projects, assignments or techniques that will wow the students and knock the socks off visiting evaluators, Adam has demonstrated consistent effort and forethought into all his curricular creations. I would like to detail some of them to give you a flavor of this young man’s teaching.
One of the first tasks that I saw students pursue in Adam’s American Literature class was the creation of theme parks based on literary movements. At first blush, this appeared to be a simple, but fun way to expose students to the material, a method of “luring” them toward the material. What I find in my observation, however, was that students were wrestling with the contradictions of the American Romantics, the complexity of the Puritans and Calvinists and applying their work to thoughtful, metaphor based conversation. So, though products emerged with Poe roller coasters and Jonathan Edwards slide to fire and brimstone, the conversations that the group project nurtured helped these students see nuances in literature and history.
Later in the year, Adam’s reflection on reading and writing led him to introduce the readers’/writers workshop to his students. This long-term assignment has students posing, examining and attempting to answer difficult questions about their own lives and growth as readers and writers. By pushing students to reflect on their literacy, Adam is pushing Friere’s envelope, believing that each reader and writer in his class can improve by thoughtful, genuine reflection and pursuant action. RWW days are remarkable as students share moments from their journey and continue to challenge themselves with the work. Adam stretched the idea to include his freshman and juniors and I was skeptical that Adam’s freshman students would stay committed to the assignment. In fact, which under girds this second semester, has been a key ingredient to the “learning community” that Adam has created in his room.
Other techniques that build this community and sense of shared journey include his journal writing prompts, which start each day. Never ordinary, the questions serve to connect previous lessons, student lives and upcoming work. More, Adam has students circulate the room to read thoughts and responses. By making the journals “semi-public” Adam forwards the idea of a common pursuit. During quiet reading time, Adam pulls out his novel (he is always reading something new) and reads along with students. As one of Ted Sizer’s newest works states, “the students are watching.” Their “watching” of Adam shows them that young adults read, write, think and reflect and his modeling of these skills is teaching them more about the language arts than any particular lesson, I believe.
All of our teachers receive feedback from students via a student survey that is administered by evaluators. Adam’s marks are far more consistent with expert teachers that with beginning teachers and particular narrative comments indicate the deep persistence with which he pursues teaching. Students note that he is adept at including them all in class discussion and that his standards are rigorous and fair. Most importantly, over 94% of his students agreed that they “respect this teacher.” His other “marks” were equally high and I was amazed at the level of esteem that he has received, especially as he is working hard to adjust to the life of a full time teacher.
Adam’s adjustments from student teaching to full time has been challenging as he works to sort out the compromises and dilemmas of grading vs. planning, firmness with fairness, time at school vs. time away from school. In his struggle, he has been open and honest about his thinking and emerges as one of our strongest educators.
Indeed, it is this combination and consistency of high quality instructional design, pedagogy and reflection that sets Adam apart from his fellow first year teachers. I urge you to consider Adam Carter for this recognition reward.
Yours,
Matt Neely
Assistant Principle
Summit Prep School (formerly of Mountain View High School)
Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Dawn Toth
Redlands East Valley High School
Redlands Unified School District
It is a sincere pleasure to write a letter of recommendation for Dawn Toth. Dawn is a first year teacher at Redlands East Valley High School in the Redlands Unified School District. She came to us from the University of Redlands, where she graduated with honors as a chemistry/science teacher.
In the seven months she has been with us, Dawn has achieved an admirable position of being known and respected by the majority of the 120 teachers on our campus. The reason she has gained such notoriety can be found in tow factors: 1) Her colleagues within the department, who are all men, save one, admire and respect her subject-level knowledge and commitment to students and her willingness to learn and be a part of the academic environment. 2) If it is true that some teachers can be “magic”, Dawn Toth has that magic that results in her students respecting her as a teacher, seeing her as a friend, and admiring her as a role model.
During her first year, Dawn has made a concerted effort to do two things that I truly admire: 1) She has tried to enhance her teaching skills be seeking role models within our school, and 2) she has attempted to learn the name and something about each of her 175 students. Her goal is to take something from each of her students and bring it into the classroom to enhance their learning and performance. I find this to be sincere, admirable, and within the finest of teaching traditions.
At the beginning of the school year, Dawn was challenged to set goals for herself that would be accomplished during her first year as a high school science teacher. She decided to set one goal that related to the science curriculum and one goal that related to her students. Dawn’s first goal was to cover all of the content standards for both her chemistry classes and her general science classes. To help her reach this goal, Dawn has been adding new laboratory experiments, activities, and worksheets to the current material for the general science classes that encompass all of the content standards for that course. Over the summer Dawn is planning on working with another teacher in the RUSD to write a new scope and sequence for general science as will as the district final exams for the course.
Her second goal for the school year related to her students on a more personal level. She wanted to get to know at least on fact about each student that was unrelated to their science class. She felt that this would allow her to have a connection with each on of her students. This helped her students understand that she truly cared about them as a person and not just how well they performed in her class. Dawn was able to see that by showing her general science students that she had an interest in their lives, she was able to motivate them to put forth a little extra effort in her class.
One of her biggest obstacles at the beginning of the year was learning how to differentiate between the learning styles of her chemistry students and her general science students. She didn’t realize how much of a difference there would be between the two groups. She found that different techniques worked for each group. Her chemistry students enjoy a challenge in their course work. They are a college bound group of students that are willing to work hard. The general science students need a more watchful eye from their teacher and enjoy working in cooperative groups. Dawn has found that a hands-on approach motivates her general science students to complete their work. One of the keys to success in her classroom is that there must be a positive learning environment for all students to know that they belong, and that they can succeed at any task that she asks of them.
Another important part of a student’s success is the support they receive from their parents. Dawn has set-up an e-mail program where a parent can receive a current progress report for their child any time they would like one. The progress report will let the parent know if their child has any missing assignments and what the exact grade was on any assignment turned in. It also gives them a grade break-down by category and an overall grade. When she has worked with a parent to help get their child back on track, she has seen great improvements in the student’s success in class.
Dawn Toth knows that when her students reflect back on their high school years, they will not always remember how to complete stoichiometry problems or what the various steps of the rock cycle are, but they will remember the important life lessons that took place in her classroom. She always tries to emphasize the point that she is not only teaching them science, but they will go on to become problem solvers which is a skill that will be useful for whatever road they choose to follow in life.
I believe her future to be bright and the future of her students to be successful. I recommend you give her your highest consideration in your selection of the “Outstanding First-Year/Full-Time Teacher Award” in the Single Subject Category.
Tom Davis
Principal
Redlands East Valley High School
Redlands Unified School District
The multiple subject award recipients for the 2002 - 2003 school year are:
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Rhonda Flemming
Searles Elementary
New Haven Unified School District
Rhonda Flemming is an inspiration to teacher’s…veteran teachers as well as her fellow beginning teachers. Spend just a little time with Rhonda and you can’t help but be moved by her dedication and love of teaching. When the possibility of losing her job due to budget limitations seemed more and more likely, Rhonda was heartbroken. Being unemployed was not the reason for her disappointment. The idea that she would not be walking into her classroom every morning, where she could fulfill that personal desire to make a difference, was not easy to take. Rhonda loves what she does, loves her students, loves the educational process. And, everyone loves Rhonda!
Calm. Peaceful. Caring. These are words that describe the climate in Rhonda’s room. While many first year teachers spent countless watts of energy trying to maintain order in their new classrooms, Rhonda manages to pass that demeanor along to her students. Her students treat each other with respect and caring, as it is daily modeled, reinforced, and applauded by Rhonda. Respect, Pride, Responsibility are important values that are displayed in Rhonda’s classroom. You can’t miss the presence of peace and mutual respect. All of the interactions between Rhonda and her students are professional yet at the same time, thoughtful and caring. If a problem arises, Rhonda handles the issue in a private manner so as not to embarrass the student. Conflict Resolution skills are modeled and practiced with her students to help them learn to solve problems peacefully. The students in Rhonda’s class are able to learn in a positive, supportive environment. Peacemakers such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Cesar Chavez are role models for her classroom.
As with most classrooms in California, Rhonda has students with a wide range of abilities. Being able to differentiate instruction is not always easy for beginning teachers, however, Rhonda has found ways to meet the needs of all her students. Skills are well modeled, using visual support as needed. She identifies which students have reached and independent level and which students need more contextual support. While most students have mastered a skill and are working on an enrichment activity, Rhonda will work at a small table supporting those who need additional guidance, or she might be sitting on the floor physically building multiplication arrays out of tiles. Because of the independence and responsibility she has instilled in her students, Rhonda is able to work with a few students as needed while the rest of the class stays focused and engaged. Rhonda is familiar with her grade level content standards and materials are prepared for differing levels of ability to allow success for all of her students. Rhonda makes learning interesting and relevant to their lives. She invites guest speakers into the classroom to broaden the perspectives of what they are learning. Students also are important part of the learning process. Often you will find the students serving as “teacher”, demonstrating a skill or expertise for their peers. These learning experiences receive applause of appreciation and respect from the classmates and from Rhonda.
If you don’t see Rhonda before school, at recess or at lunch, it’s because she has students in her room, providing them with additional help or support. She is amazingly insightful for a beginning teacher, and is able to identify student learning problems, and strategies that will make a difference. A key to becoming an excellent teacher is the willingness to be reflective. Rhonda is constantly looking at her teaching, making adjustments, analyzing what has worked and what could be improved. Her primary goal is what will make it better for her students, how can she do a more efficient, thorough job.
Her desire to become the best teacher she can be has made Rhoda a strong member of the grade-level collaboration team. Whether the group is discussing curriculum or individual student concerns, Rhoda is a valuable member of the team. She is always willing to share ideas and strategies, while at the same time asking for support from her experienced peers. Many new teachers remain fairly quiet among veterans, but Rhoda knows that being an active member of the process will help her become the kind of teacher she wants to be. And, for the good of the grade level, and the joy of the students, Rhoda participated in the Teacher Talent Show along with the rest of her dancing colleagues! She exudes a confident, mature, genuine quality that is part of her great appeal among the staff.
It is her confidence that also sets her apart from most new teachers. Parents are a a frightening part of school for most newcomers. Rhoda, however, knows that the home connection is critical to student success. She is in regular contact with all of her parents, never hesitating to call if there is a concern. In addition to weekly progress reports for all of her students, Rhoda keeps in contact by phone with the parents of students with the most needs. The communication goes both ways. The parents of Rhoda’s students recognize that she is knowledgeable and concerned. She has developed a positive two-way relationship with the parents. This strong belief in Parent Connections has led Rhoda to be an active member of our newly forming Parent Leadership Group. She helps plan and then participates in meetings, inservices and activities planned for and with the Parent Group.
Rhoda spends many hours at this new profession. She puts great thought into each lesson, how to make connections between and among content areas. She reviews the standards and reflects on how the students have progressed, and whether to move on, or take a step back. The physical appearance of the classroom is also important to Rhoda. She wants her students to have an environment that is engaging, creative and orderly, so she puts the time into making sure the room is just right.
Whenever a new teacher comes along we try to guide them and help to make their first year as positive as possible. In this case, it has been Rhoda who has put a positive spin on every aspect of this school year. Even with a possible teacher strike hanging over our heads, she has always kept her students and her classroom responsibility as her priority. She knew she couldn’t control the financial situation, but she could control the quality of her teaching every day. Rhoda is a true professional. A rare acquisition. An outstanding teacher.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Christina Grimstad
Thomas Edison School
Anaheim City School District
To Whom It May Concern:
Upon meeting Christina Grimstad at the beginning of the 2002-03 school year, I could not help but acknowledge how young she was. As a principal, it was easy to feel somewhat protective of her as a fledging entering the profession of teaching. Christie’s assignment was a kindergarten class, and I was thankful that she was sharing the room with and experienced, kind partner that could show her the ropes. Christie was also provided with powerful BTSA Support Provider. Even with this network of support, I anticipated a challenging year as is typical for a first year teacher. As it has turned out, there was no need to be concerned about Christie. Not only did she survive the first year; she truly thrived. She established positive rapport with her students, exhibited strong instructional skills, connected well with the parents, and collaborated effectively well with her colleagues. Rather than being a “trainee” on staff, Christie was a genuine contributor.
Christie quickly built positive relationships with her kindergarten students. This was challenging since Christie and her students did not always share a common language. However, with her modeling of fairness and respect for each student, they quickly learned to trust her and bond with her. It demonstrated that a genuine caring attitude from a teacher transcends all language barriers. Throughout the year, Christie also planned, reflected upon, and revised her classroom management system to allow for optimal student learning. Her dedication to finding “the right answer” allowed her to empower her students to take risks and actively interact. The progress her students have made in this nurturing, effective environment is impressive.
Whereas many first year teachers have difficulty implementing differentiated instruction, Christie tackled this aspect of effective instruction immediately. She provided flexible grouping that addressed students’ individual needs. Her participation in a variety of professional development areas as outlined in our school’s High Priority/II-USP Plan was also noteworthy in that it required an even heftier amount of planning and time management on her behalf. Christie participated in AB 466 for language arts, GLAD, and Reciprocal Training. Because of her desire to hone her skills as a kindergarten teacher, there is evidence that Christie has implemented a variety of instructional strategies offered in these trainings. I have no doubt that the students under Christie’s care received a strong educational program.
One of the last layers a teacher typically adds to his/her program is genuine parent involvement. This is beyond the expectation that parent will send back forms and check homework. Although all teachers believe in the power of a strong school/home partnership, few teachers actually provide parent training. Christie has already done this in her first year of teaching. Philosophically, she highly respects the parents and greatly values their involvement. This translated to a collaborative effort between her BTSA Support Provider and Christie to successfully develop and deliver a parent workshop. It occurred during the regular school day, and the parents had the opportunity to observe Christie working with the students in a way that they could emulate at home. For translation, Christie had an Edison graduate who had a sibling in the class provide support. Christie is to be commended for taking such a risk.
From the beginning, Christie proved herself to be a confident, contributing member of he kindergarten and school team. She was consistently willing to collaborate, ask questions, provide solutions, and try suggestions. Christie was constantly in search of ways to accelerate her students’ learning and ensure their success. Because of her sense of mission, Christie was honest in her dialogues with others as she sought out ideas. Her openness to learning through interactions with others was wonderfully refreshing.
For all these reasons, I have selected Christie Grimstad as our school’s candidate for the CAEE’s 8th Annual Outstanding First-Year Teacher Recognition Award. Other Edison staff members are in agreement with me. Her gift of time that far exceeds the contractual obligations, willingness to take risks to make a difference for her students, and commitment to put input into action are all commendable traits. Christie has had an exceptional first year as a teacher, and I am confident that her career will have a positive impact on many children in the future. As long as our profession attracts persons of Christie’s caliber, the children will be well cared for and well educated.
Sincerely,
Debra J. Schroeder
Principal
Thomas Edison Elementary School
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