Wednesday I had the opportunity of creating a new Teacher of the Year experience. I traveled to Tallahassee after Memorial Day and dropped some things off at the DOE, spent the night there and got up early Thursday morning to drive into the Central Time Zone to Chipley, Florida and the television studios of PAEC (Panhandle Area Educational Consortium). PAEC has an incredibly extensive online and on-air collection of teacher resources and classes (including the Florida Education Channel) that are accessed across Florida and the south.
I was asked to come up and tape a series of 10-15 minute inservice lessons that I created called: "A Sunshine Science Moment". With the inclusion of our new state science standards this year there has become a need for inservice to support these new standards. There is a state wide initiative , The PROMISE grant that I have been involved with that will address most of our inservice, but these mini lessons will also be used as additional support. This is my opportunity to share the information I have gathered as I've travelled to schools giving workshops and speaking with teachers throughout this year.
"A Sunshine Science Moment" takes on quick activity linked to the state Big Ideas,includes ideas to integrate the benchmarks into other areas of the curriculum and just tries to give teachers a quick boost toward putting together new units. It is my hope that each Florida Teacher of the Year who follows me will create his/her own series of min lessons related to their particular field of study and that all of theses lesson eventually become an online library of former TOY lessons. Time will tell.
Meanwhile, I had a great day thanks to the generosity and expertise of Chris Harding, Lisa Schofield, Charles Walker and all of the wonderful people at PAEC. Now for the long drive back to Orlando. As my year winds down I will look back on this experience with a great deal of satisfaction.
Orlando Rotary Club
This morning I had breakfast with the Downtown Orlando Rotary Club. Great Bacon! I had a great time meeting so many of our community leaders and sharing my experiences with them. I am especially proud that this Rotary Club has adopted Orange Center Elementary School in Orlando and is doing wonderful things to help children who live in poverty to succeed and have a wonderful elementary school experience. I taught at Orange Center many years ago and look back at those years fondly. I have visited the school this year and am proud of the strides being made by the students. Thanks to Orlando Rotary for the tremendous work you are doing for this wonderful school.
Science Olympiad
After spending the better part of the week battling a persistent, and painful case of gout I was back in action Saturday attending an event I have waited years for. At the University of Central Florida I helped to judge the first annual Regional Elementary Science Olympiad. Science Olympiad incorporates problem solving, science, engineering, team work and creativity as student teams create solutions to specific challenges. Orange County fourth and fifth grade teams responded to "egg drop" challenges, created paper helicopters being judged by the longest flight, aluminum barges which were judged by how much weight they could hold, and a number of other challenging events.
For a first time event this was incredible: 37 teams from across our district with well over 500 students and parents in attendance. Kudos to Mike McKee and his team of UCF and OCPS volunteers that made that an event to remembered. Those of us in elementary science have looked for an alternative to the traditional science fair (and it's problems) for years and have tried at various times to make this work. It took Mike and his team, with the strong support of our OCPS District Science Staff (Bev Cox, Molly Malloy, Yvonne Fonnett, and Joan Walker) to finally make this a reality.
Civic Oration Contest
Today I helped to judge the Level Three Regional Civic Oration Contest. Sponsored by the Modern Woodsmen of America, this speaking contest has been an annual event in Orange County for fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth graders for over twenty years. This years topic, "an American Landmark" provided a diverse and tough group of speeches to choose from. Students are judges on material organization, deliver, presentation and overall effectiveness. This was one of the tougher things I've done because they were all great.
I have a connection to this event because both of my sons competed (and one of them won) regional competitions of this event. A special thanks to Modern Woodmen of America for your continued support of an extraordinary event. And congratulations to all of the participants today who inspired me and made my job so hard!
I have a connection to this event because both of my sons competed (and one of them won) regional competitions of this event. A special thanks to Modern Woodmen of America for your continued support of an extraordinary event. And congratulations to all of the participants today who inspired me and made my job so hard!
TV Time
I was up early Thursday for a visit to FOX35 television studios for a morning interview. This is Teacher Appreciation Week and I was asked on to help celebrate teaching in Florida. The producer of Fox's morning news has a connection to me because he is married to one of my favorite Camelot teachers, April Kennedy. April teachers fifth grade and I love to have her kids come to my lab. She brings out their excitement and enthusiasm for learning and always has a smile on her face. They lover her and it shows!
I was asked about my year and why I love teaching - easy question! Among the background footage shown I loved the fact that a picture of my wife, Susan, was seen from our visit to the Rose Garden. Susan is a 31 year kindergarten teaching veteran and my inspiration. She is the best teacher in our house and I was glad see her in the footage. Of course she looks really good too!
The afternoon was spent in a meeting of the Orange County Public Schools Foundation discussing even more that will be done in the years to come for education. Education in the 21st Century will only thrive through the strength of community partnerships and the OCPS Foundation is a model for a great one!
I was asked about my year and why I love teaching - easy question! Among the background footage shown I loved the fact that a picture of my wife, Susan, was seen from our visit to the Rose Garden. Susan is a 31 year kindergarten teaching veteran and my inspiration. She is the best teacher in our house and I was glad see her in the footage. Of course she looks really good too!
The afternoon was spent in a meeting of the Orange County Public Schools Foundation discussing even more that will be done in the years to come for education. Education in the 21st Century will only thrive through the strength of community partnerships and the OCPS Foundation is a model for a great one!
Macy's
Early this morning I flew to Fort Lauderdale where I was picked up by a town car and driven to the Miami where I spoke at Macy's annual "Star Academy Awards". Macy's annually honors outstanding employees with a gala event which really does resemble the Oscars!
It was my pleasure to speak and thank the employees of Macy's for a 20 year partnership with the teachers of Florida. Through their work with the Department of Education the Florida Teacher of the Year recognition program is a model that few states come close to copying. I was happy to give back to the people who have done so much to make this year special.
THANK YOU MACY'S OF FLORIDA !!!!!
It was my pleasure to speak and thank the employees of Macy's for a 20 year partnership with the teachers of Florida. Through their work with the Department of Education the Florida Teacher of the Year recognition program is a model that few states come close to copying. I was happy to give back to the people who have done so much to make this year special.
THANK YOU MACY'S OF FLORIDA !!!!!
Graduation!
We flew home Saturday evening and got up early (5:00am) Sunday morning to drive to Gainesville for the highlight of our busy week - the graduation from college of our youngest son, Zachary. Zach is our youngest son and is a finance major at the University of Florida.
Sunday we were joined by his fiance, Emily (they were engaged in Central Park over Thanksgiving during our trip to the Macy's Parade)for the big event. We had great seats and this was truly the best moment of the week. I enjoyed Washington and meeting President Bush, but I would have given it all up if it had meant missing Zach's graduation. It seems like only yesterday that I was playing catch with my little guy and now my grown son begins his job in Orlando with Seimens Corporation in two weeks. Wow am I old!
A Visit to the Ball Park
Friday afternoon we went to see the Washington Nationals play the Pittsburgh Pirates. Washington has a new stadium that I really wanted to see. You can get there directly using the Metro and we got there plenty early and sat in the bleachers watching batting practice. When it got closer to game time we took our seats - lower level hugging the right field foul pole. Nice!!!!
The stadium is nice - though I'm spoiled with trips to St. Louis and Busch Stadium. The food was adequate and the game was slow. In the fourth inning a generator blew and they lost half the lights. The game was suspended for almost an hour until they could fix everything - this was a first for me in a major league park.
We stayed until the eighth and left to avoid the crowds. We still have to pack and get ready for a morning flight home. Great way to end our Washington, DC adventure!
Arlington Cemetery
Friday was spent at Arlington. It was an emotional and rewarding day. We took the Metro and walked to the entrance where we took the tour bus. First stop was President John F. Kennedy's grave site. Home to the eternal flame it brought back memories of his funeral that I remember watching on television as a boy. Then over to the grave of Bobby Kennedy. I worked on his presidential campaign and he would have been my President. I admired both men immensely and it was a tough visit with thoughts of what should have been.
We walked up the hill to the former home of Robert E. Lee. The view is magnificent and walking among the graves was a huge history lesson. Interestingly, Arlington was picked as the site of the National Cemetery by a gentleman who blamed Lee for carrying on the Civil War ten days longer than necessary. As a result the gentleman lost his only son. His revenge was in seizing the property (which was actually the family home of his wife - a descendant of George Washington) and surrounding the home with the graves of Union soldiers. The slain son's remains are interned looking directly over the house.
We walked the path from this Civil War history to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier commemorating more modern wars. We stood silently and watched the changing of the guards. Guard duty at Arlington is among the highest honor that can be given to an enlisted soldier. I found myself explaining a bit of this to a group of Middle School students. I am so concerned that if our history is not taught we will someday find ourselves repeating past mistakes.
Smithsonian Ambassador
Thursday was spent at the Smithsonian being trained and learning more about the Smithsonian Ambassador program. We met first at the Smithsonian Castle, the home of the original museum. Our first meeting of the day, and lunch, took place in the Board of Directors hall. This was the original exhibit hall and still houses an incredible array of objects which represent all of the museums. The jet pilot helmet was originally worn by Chuck Yeager when be first broke the sound barrier flying in the special Bell 1 jet, Glamorous Glennis.
We broke into interest groups and I returned to the Air and Space Museum to learn more about the history of Air Transportation exhibit. We were honored to meet the principal designer and Wright Brothers expert, Dr. Jakobs who told us more about the Wright Brothers as we looked on at the original Wright Flyer. We learned how the exhibit was planned and designed and what visitors should get from the experience. At lunch we shared our experiences with TOYs who visited other museums and compared note. In my links section you will find mew Smithsonian link that I learned more about that I think you will find useful.
Mike Geisen, 2008 National Teacher of the Year
It seems only fitting that I talk about Mike. First of all he will represent all of us well. Mike has taught for seven years in middle school and is the kind of teacher we would all want or own children to be taught by. He is relaxed, irreverent, smart and poised - I've spent time with him and like him a lot. I want to include the article written by the Oregon newspapers:
Crook County Middle School science teacher Michael Geisen was in the middle of a lesson when he got a message from the school's front office: The White House was on the line.
He was terribly sorry, Geisen responded, but could they call him later? He was with his seventh-graders, and they mattered more.
That attitude is one of the reasons Geisen was to be named the 2008 national teacher of the year Wednesday at a White House Rose Garden ceremony hosted by President Bush.
''I've done demos involving 14,000 volts and lived to explain them,'' Geisen wrote in his 13-page application to the Council of Chief State School Officers, which runs the teacher of the year program. ''I've totaled my vehicle in a 60 mph crash on the way to work, but taught the whole day anyway. I have yet to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but I have my top students working on it. Most importantly, though, I've taught with the integrity, passion and heart that inspire those around me to become better at what they do.''
Originally trained as a forester, Geisen realized he belonged in a classroom one foggy day as he stood alone atop a deep chasm, missing the students he'd worked with as a forestry teaching assistant at the University of Washington.
When his first child was an infant, he went to Southern Oregon University in Ashland for a master's in teaching. He ended up at Crook County Middle School in the central Oregon town of Prineville, where he's known for making science fun.
To keep students involved, he writes songs, develops games, and helped start ''The Night of the Electric Creation,'' in which they design projects to show off their energy knowledge.
''In a field that is thought of as very left-brain and analytical, I try and infuse as much creativity as possible,'' Geisen said.
Rocky Miner, the principal at Crook County Middle School, said that several summers ago, Geisen spent weeks fundraising, then persuaded students to help him build a rock climbing wall at the school, complete with a mural of nearby Smith Rock.
He also worked with his fellow science teachers to turn a school courtyard into a garden that reflects Oregon's vegetation zones. And a presentation he put together on the deadly effects of microbes on children in the developing world inspired several of his students to raise money for third-world disease relief.
At lunchtime and before school, Geisen's room is often full of students who have come to visit his turtle, join him for an impromptu jam session on their guitars, or just sit and talk. Geisen sometimes calls it the ''Ketchup Club,'' since he's around to offer help to any student who has fallen behind and needs to ''catch up.''
Geisen, 35, plans to continue teaching, but he'll spend most of the next year traveling around the country, speaking about teaching and learning.
''Hey, I am used to dealing with seventh-graders,'' he said. ''Adults who want to hear what I have to say will be a piece of cake.''
Sounds like a great choice! Congratulations Mike!!!
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