[…]their learning and are now sharing it with us. This leaves us back at the beginning, asking new questions. Our reflection on the pieces might lead us in different directions, but their learning is still evident. We are all trying to find our place in the world and the only way we can do it is through asking questions and working our way through them, even if we never find the answers. In “Burnout by the Numbers,” Cassie Barker asks, “What does sustainability look like in teaching and how does it compare to the typical American worker?” Her exploration leads […]
[…]excellence that is able to celebrate all of our students’ achievements and emphasize the uncomfortable process of learning. By creating authentic learning opportunities, students can place importance on how they learn a new skill or new information, and be assessed on their growing competency in that skill. This supports a system that celebrates the work that they are putting in every day as well as setting them up for future success as learners. Dan Kizaur teaches physics, electronics, and engineering at Mahtomedi High School in Mahtomedi, Minnesota. He is also the lead mentor for Mahtomedi’s FIRST™ Robotics team and […]
[…]pattern of sharing best practices without revealing the process, as Chris Lipski describes in “Setting Teachers Up for Success: A Reflection on Providing Professional Development.” Or in the necessity of finding community with others, as described by Ayanna Perry and Dwaina Sookhoo in “Beyond Diversity: Reflections on Participation from Two Women of Color.” All of our teacher-writers in this issue illuminate some aspect of the power of this small, relational scale, some aspect of the power of looking closely at what is right in front of us. For Becky, there is a parallel to music making: one of her teachers, […]
[…]to being successful post high school. I am concerned that Study Tables forces rather than teaches.” Commenting on the value of Study Tables for all students one teacher expressed that “Study Tables only benefit those who use them properly. Consequently, good students benefit a lot from Study Tables. Apathetic students realize almost no benefit from Study Tables.” I systematically observed Jessica and Brandon and reflected on their situation and my interactions with them. In addition, I worked with KSTF’s Practitioner Inquiry for the Next Generation (PING) project: a group of educators from across the country who were also raising questions […]
[…]good to hear another teacher say it out loud and be reminded of it, especially when we take on informal and formal leadership roles in the teaching profession. – Sharon Johnson, Knowles Senior Fellow Recently, I learned to communicate with colleagues, other teachers, and staff at times that considered more than my own schedule and immediate needs. I accidentally learned this through interaction with different Knowles program officers between years three and five of the Fellowship. One program officer would respond to texts almost as shockingly fast as I do, while another would respond at a later time. This was […]
[…]School during the 2021–2022 school year. Hobbies In her spare time, Sophia enjoys cooking and baking. She especially loves recreating Greek recipes that she learned from her family. Academic Background University of California, Berkeley (Bachelor of Arts in Pure Mathematics) Stanford University (Master of Arts in Mathematics […]
[…]a few of our conversations from the second semester so that I could reflect on patterns in her thinking. Throughout the year she had several points where she expressed feeling totally overwhelmed and discouraged. Although it was her second year teaching, she reflected that it felt more challenging than her first year teaching because she felt like there were far too many different initiatives, that it was challenging to learn how to navigate all of the systems in place within our district, and that there was an overarching sense of low morale in our school. She was not able to […]
[…]is my only option. The opposite is, perhaps, that some months are “easy” and you “coast” through them. I don’t think either point of view is helpful during the school year. I don’t want to coast or just get through. What I really want is an impactful and meaningful teaching experience. I have come to realize that tough times can be more meaningful, leaving me with the feeling that my teaching matters. I’m not looking for easy, and not even happy, but I am looking to enjoy my time teaching and that comes when I find meaning in the work […]
[…]on a personality/aptitude test that I took senior year. However I saw myself more as a scientist.” Glen completed a double major in chemistry and chemical engineering at Penn State University and joined an international engineering firm. He spent three years in Nigeria and six months in Turkmenistan, a former Soviet Republic bordering the Caspian Sea. “I had spent five years traveling the world without a real home so, while in Turkmenistan, I decided that I wanted to settle down in the U.S. permanently.” Once in the U.S., Glen moved to San Francisco and contemplated the idea of teaching. He […]
[…]way to organize a “story” and have students check in at different parts to complete the story.” “Seriously, this was a fantastic session, and I walked away feeling like I could use pieces to make more really awesome class discussions this upcoming year.” We not only learned more about the process of 5P, but we also gained the confidence to take our presentation to the national level. NATIONAL-SCALE PRESENTATIONS AT NSTA AND NABT CONFERENCES Immediately following the KSTF presentation, our cohort met to debrief the presentation. Together we combined the presenter’s thoughts with the notes from the observers to strengthen […]
