Every day teachers overcome obstacles in the classroom, problem-solve on the go, address failures and challenges, work to create better ways to engage students, and improve methods of educating. Yet, so many of these moments, these everyday victories and triumphs go unnoticed. Teachers are constantly working to support their students and create more accessible and diverse opportunities. In our small district, many of these new ideas and efforts are personally and individually spearheaded by the teachers themselves, who lead, implement, and follow through to make their vision a reality. Thankfully community partners, parents, businesses and individuals readily and graciously offer support and resources to support teachers and students.
This is beautifully exemplified with Kathleen Copeland’s Lifeskills garden at Chester High School. The Life Skills class encourages independence and functional life skills to 7th-12th grade students with moderate to severe disabilities. While Chester High School does not have a school garden, Kathleen was inspired by the PUSD garden workshops last year and input from fellow staff members to start a garden at CHS with her Lifeskills class. She shared, “ I felt that a garden would offer a
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Builders Supply donated the wood for the garden boxes and then the CHS construction class led by Paul Harding built them. Every Blooming Thing donated 20 bags of soil, Chester True Value Hardware donated the automatic timed watering system, Greenville High School donated the sprinkler heads and hoses, and Maintenance built a fence to keep the garden area contained and critters out. Additionally, Kathleen relayed that Dan Brown, who back in 2007 spearheaded and continues to oversee the now thriving production garden at Greenville High School, “was a tremendous help, he donated the seeds, and offered his expertise and support on starting a
We, as leaders, must educate our teachers so we can properly equip them with the skills necessary to support students of poverty. An area of concern for me is hiring the right people for the job. When hiring teachers to work in a low-income district, it is necessary to have the important conversations related to students of poverty. Our turnover rate is higher than the state average so as a leader, we need to take the steps necessary to hire the best candidates for the job. Once staff is hired, our school must support them with the training to build the best team for our students. Working in a school district with a high poverty, it is essential that we provide professional development opportunities for our staff focusing on students of poverty. This course has provided me with multiple resources that could be utilized in the creation of staff professional development. If teachers fill their toolboxes with the right mechanisms, our students will benefit throughout their
In this essay, I will be taking on the role of the head administrator, of the Northumberland Community Garden. I will be writing a proposal letter to the American Community Gardens Association, to try and receive funding for the Northumberland Community Gardens. In this letter, I will give a basic outline of the program development stages, evaluation process, and financial aspects of my organization. I will also include other information that would be considered relevant to understanding my purpose for creating this program.
I 'm currently serving as a 2013 Corps member for Teach For America. I joined teach for America because I believe in their mission that all students deserve an equal an excellent education. I also joined because they work with schools where students are growing up in poverty and low income communities; a resemblance of my past. You see, we become our worst critics and even the mir image of success vanishes when our thoughts become clouded with fantasies; imaginative thoughts of the impossible. I longed for success, making it clear that the riches were of no importance to me. To others it appeared that I yes she, is writing her own story; untold was the beginning.
We will house kids who are products of all facets of society. For example, children of immigrants, children who have affluence, children who are loved and cared for greatly and children who may be in a situation of neglect. Teaching is about reaching out to each student, helping them to overcome challenges and be the best that they can be. It seems that an increasing number of these challenges may not be academic in nature. I believe that conquering these challenges actually beings with the little community forming within our classrooms. As teachers we have the obligation to teach our students how to have respect and compassion for one another. How to be on the same team and work together, no matter each person’s background.
Rhonda Haus started her career in the secondary school system where she has seen and been a part of many changes. She gave a unique perspective into Regina Public Schools and highlight the systems specific goals along with their successes and failures. Underlining it all was her message to put the students and to provide the best education for all kids. These goals were measurable and attainable. Kaylan Gazda spoke about the elementary school system and her experience in a variety of grades and schools. Her time in an experimental classroom and in another country provided many challenges. However, those challenges and obstacles made her a better teacher for her current job in a split classroom. Jordan McFarlan was able to provide insight in process of building a new program in a high school from the ground up. He was able to list challenges he faced and ways to respond to those challenges. Jesamy Unger presented what is was it is like to be a student taking education and the lessons she learned throughout her journey. She gave us useful advice for our field experiences and the tip that not everything you need to know about being a teacher will be taught in school. Every member of the panel highlighted you need to make relationships and networks with students, colleagues and even
While we are playing games that have the teachers as one role and the students as another, we often invite children to participate by allowing them to hold a teacher’s hand and take on the teacher’s role. This can work, but sometimes is difficult and causes other problem. To address this, we could modify our approach to supplying support to these children. Instead of letting them take on the role of the teacher, we could allow the individuals in need of support to show a teacher how to take on the role of the student. The teacher could then, support the child and the child could still participate with their peers and continue the program.
The West Fargo Public School system is not only the fastest growing school district in the State of North Dakota, it is also one of the most innovative and creative. The district’s Mission is “Educating today’s learners for tomorrow’s world”. Teachers employed by the district take this Mission statement to heart and live it in their own lives. To them, education is a lifelong process, not just something everyone experiences between the ages of 5-17. Evidence of this can be seen in the fact that this past summer 20 elementary and secondary teachers began a 20 month educational journey by enrolling in West Fargo’s second Teacher Leadership Academy (TLA). The Academy is a collaborative effort between West Fargo Public Schools and North Dakota State University’s Educational Leadership Program. The 20 teachers began their journey this summer and will be meeting during the school year every-other Wednesday after school. At the end of five semesters they will be awarded the Masters of Education (M. Ed.) degree. Some of the unique features of the Teacher Leadership Academy are: a) rather than traveling to campus for their coursework, Academy students are taught at the district’s Leidal Education Center, b) classes are facilitated by not only university professors, but the district’s two assistant superintendents [Dr. Allen Burgad and Mrs. Beth Slette], and c) course assignments are focused around the district’s initiatives and strategic plan.
Veg Out is a not-for-profit organization runs by professional gardeners and people who are passionate at gardening. We aim to help children and local families to increase their psychological wellbeing. Furthermore, we will encourage youths and seniors from a plenty variety of backgrounds to work together and know about social responsibility through sustainable living, an outdoor study area, and the means to develop a close-knit local community.
I learned quickly that being an effective teacher is an art that takes time and devotion. Many times, teachers are not provided with the necessary materials in order to maintain the various learning styles in a classroom. It is up to the teacher to create an environment where students can succeed. This is a full time job, meaning that a teacher’s work is not done once they leave the school. A teacher must contribute a significant amount of time and effort in order to see positive results in the school and in his or her own classroom. After observing my cooperating teacher’s strategies and learning more about the profession, I knew that I was going in the right direction with my life. I took a significant amount of knowledge away from this experience and have continued to strive to be the type of educator that I was blessed to work with during this experience. .
Since the founding of the first Central Park East School (CPE) in 1974 it has grown to include three more schools p. 18. Each of the four schools offer a rich and interesting curriculum full of powerful ideas and experiences aimed at inspiring its students with the desire to know more, a curriculum that sustains students’ natural drive to make sense of the world and trusts in their capacity to have an impact on it. Well over half of the students has always qualified for free lunches and about 20 percent meet the state requirements for being labeled ‘handicapped”, therefore qualifying for special state funds. Even with statistics such as these CPE has managed to maintain an 85 percent
Many community gardens have taught the youth about healthy eating as well as the importance of community and stewardship. They also offer a low-cost out of school activity which can help to keep them busy through work that is both educational and physically exerting. A specific example of such a garden is “Harlem Grown” located in uptown Manhattan, New York. Harlem Grown’s mission is to inspire youth to lead healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship and hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition. Harlem Grown also operates local urban farms which are intended to increase access to healthy food for local residents. The program also raises support for the reclamation of abandoned lots to create urban
The purpose of this speech is to provide information and encourage city residents to invest in gardens in their neighborhoods by showing that community gardens increase property value as well as improve the emotional and physical well-being of their citizens who participate in the project. Additionally, community fruit and vegetable gardens can help provide fresh produce for residents on fixed incomes for little to no cost outside of volunteer time.
Upon receipt of an email from Ruth Ann Ponten, a 7th grade math teacher, Maya Thomas, the district staff development and instructional consultant, immediately took action to help support the struggling teacher. Ruth Ann was located at a school within a rural community that was undergoing a major transition. The community of farm workers and working class families was transitioning to a community of educated professionals that were being attracted to the community’s strong, tight-knit feel and impeccable older homes. With the change of families, new expectations regarding education started to emerge as well.
As beginning teachers, even though we cannot change whole school policy and practice, does not mean we cannot reflect our ideals and beliefs within our classroom and model our behaviour for others (Ashman & Elkins, 2008). As teachers we are particularly in a significant position where we can influence our students’ attitudes and have the opportunity to ultimately facilitate the change towards more inclusive communities and schools.
The vision is to create an edible garden with a group of people that will encourage health and build lifelong skill and knowledge of student, enable the community to grow toward a more environment sustainable future. The skills how they care for the earth and the food the people eat. The leaders can create a learning environment through the skills of observation, participate, and hands on activities. The youth create a garden that natural and organic. This will help grow the food without the chemical and the life style of the plants.