Professional Development Design Workshop

May 4-9, 1998

Participant Biographies

BAY AREA SCHOOLS FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA

Local Systemic Change, NSF

Rachel Jordan rjordan@basee.org My name is Rachel Jordan and I am currently the Science Resource Teacher for Palo Alto Unified School District. PAUSD is one of eight school districts in partnership with Hewlett-Packard that form Bay Area Schools for Excellence in Education. BASEE has received a five-year NSF grant to provide staff development in science. My responsibilities include helping to develop and implement professional development programs and to oversee the science program and materials in my own district.

Lynn Moorehead lmoorehead@basee.org My name is Lynn Moorehead and I am currently working in the Mountain View School District. I work 50% as a 5th grade classroom teacher and 50% as the district science resource teacher. Our district is part of an eight district collaborative that is implementing a five year, NSF grant to improve the teaching of science in our elementary schools. The grant is for staff development only. My job is to work with the other districts and my own to provide staff development opportunities for teachers in the area of science. We hope to create a structure that will continue beyond the life of the grant. I either provide the training or help create training opportunities within other districts. We are currently working on a series of summer science institutes for content and inquiry.

Yvonne Tryce ytryce@basee.org As the BASEE Science Resource Teacher (SRT) for the Los Altos School District, it is my responsibility to coordinate science activities at the District's six K-6 schools. This includes teaching demonstration lessons, assisting teachers with science activities, overseeing the refurbishment of science kits, providing or supporting teacher inservice training, working on curriculum selection and development (including use of technology in science instruction), and assisting with district-wide science assessment planning and implementation. In the role of coordinator, I work with the lead science teachers at each school, the district science aides, classroom teachers and administrators. Along with the SRTs from the other BASEE districts, I help provide training in science content and appropriate hands-on pedagogy for participating teachers within the eight BASEE districts.

CENTRAL VALLEY SCIENCE PROJECT

FRESNO, CALIFORNIA

California Science Project

Nancy Devaurs piner03@psnw.com I am currently team-teaching in a multiage primary (K-2) classroom in a single school district in the Central Sierra. Pine Ridge Elementary has approximately 135 students K-8. I have been teaching for 10 years. Previous to teaching I worked as a wildlife biologist. I have been the science mentor for three years. We developed a K-8 content matrix for our school and have implemented it pretty successfully. I also work with the surrounding districts on the Science Advisory Committee. We are currently working on articulation between the various schools in the local area. I have been with the Central Valley Science Project for four years. As an Associate Director, I provide support for the teachers attending our three week summer institute as they work in teams to develop and present a unit of instruction to the other participants. The team of associate directors also gives presentations to the teachers attending in the areas of curriculum, teaching strategies, technology, selecting instructional materials, leadership, assessment, etc. My personal areas of expertise are curriculum, teaching strategies and technology. We work as a team to develop the agenda for the summer institute and follow-up retreats.

Ann Wimer annw@msn.com I teach 8th grade science at Bairol Magnet School in Fresno, California. Bairol's Magnet focus is on agri-business and international cultures including foreign language. Fresno Unified is in its third year of the Urban Systemic Initiative (USI) Grant to provide intensive teacher training in the area of math, science and technology. I am currently the USI Lead Teacher for Bairol School. From 1993-1996 I was involved with the Central Valley Science as a participant and Associate Director. I am currently serving as secretary for the Central California Science Teachers Association. I am completing my M.S. degree in Science Education this year from Fresno Pacific University. Prior to teaching 8th grade science, I taught elementary grades for 12 years.

CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

NSRC

Angela Kubinec I am a teacher of science and mathematics at The Alternative School in Charleston. The Alternative School is an intervention for sixth through ninth graders who have been recommended for expulsion due to repeated disruptive behavior. Although I was accepted into a doctoral program prior to graduating from the College of Charleston, I chose to become a teacher because my heart is in the public school classroom. My commitment to science and mathematics education reform was sparked during my preservice years at the College, and has been warmly supported by administrators throughout my 6 years of teaching. I have been given numerous opportunities for professional growth at both local and state levels through workshops, institutes and conferences. Recently, I was nominated for the NCTM Representative position on the South Carolina Council of Teachers and Mathematics Executive Board. When our district's science coordinator included me on the team, I was both eager and honored. I look forward to implementing an inquiry-based approach in my classroom. Disseminating the methods and techniques of this workshop in future inservice presentations will be my role when we return home.

William Kubinec kubinecw@cofc.edu I am an Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the College of Charleston. For over 20 years I have worked to improve science instruction from K through 12. My activities have included class visits, inservices, running a planetarium, co-directing a regional science fair for 10 years (for six years the directors gave 3-5 workshops per year on integrating investigative science into the classroom), and being a founding member of a school/community group which developed a NASA Get-Away Special experiment. This space experiment was to photograph Halley's Comet as well as carry several student designed experiments. The "Can Do" project was in the queue for flight, but the Challenger disaster interrupted. A redesigned project did fly a few years ago. Currently I am teaching a physical science course for preservice elementary teachers. This course was developed by the American Association of Physics Teachers. It uses a radical constructivist, concept development format. I am part of our college's team working on expanding the efforts of the national Salish project of the University of Iowa. The general goal of the project is the improvement of teacher preparation. As part of this effort I am helping to develop the community involvement aspect of bringing the Algebra Project to a rural part of the school district. Later this summer I will be an aid to a group of master teachers who will present a teacher institute on selected topics in physical science.

Meta Van Sickle vansicklem@cofc.edu I am a science educator at College of Charleston. I teach current and future teachers. I work collaboratively with Charleston County Schools through a wide variety of inservice programs to increase the skills, pedagogy and content of local science teachers. The initiative through College of Charleston carries a heavy social justice component to directly address score gaps between various groups of students in our service area.

FAYETTE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY

Center for Urban Science Education Reform, EDC

Bonnie Embry be3916@aol.com I have been employed by the Fayette County Board of Education for the last 14 years, 12 years as a primary teacher and two years in my current position as science lab resource teacher. During my tenure with Fayette County I have been both a participant and a facilitator in numerous curriculum development/revision projects as well as professional development projects related to science. In both 1991 and 1992, I was a state level awardee of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching Science. In 1997 I was named KSTA's (Kentucky Science Teacher Association) Outstanding Elementary Science Teacher of the Year. Currently I am serving as a lead teacher with Fayette County's Standards Based Elementary Science Education Reform Project which is associated with the Center for Urban Science Education Reform Project (CUSER). My primary responsibility is to provide teacher training for the use of specific science modules (SCIS 3, FOSS, DSM, ACES II) for given grade levels. The training focuses on strategies for material management, student management, instructional strategies, questioning and assessment.

Barb Harris I currently teach science to all children (K-5) at my school, Athens Elementary. I am also a teacher leader in our science education reform project. As a teacher leader, I plan and present 4th level materials to 4th level teacher participants, coordinate working with an assigned science partner, and am available to help the teacher participants in any way I can.

JACKSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

CPMSA, NSF

Center for Urban Science Education Reform, EDC

Dee Chambliss dchambli@jackson.k12.ms.us I am the K-12 Science Specialist for the Jackson Public Schools. I have been in the position for less than one year. Prior to that I was teaching in an independent school in the Jackson area. My teaching career began in 1986 in the Jackson Public Schools as 7-12 Science Teacher in an accelerated magnet program. I am a wife and mother of two beautiful girls: Anna, two years, and Aryn, four months. My primary responsibilities as Science Specialist includes the following: 1. Assists and supports teachers and principals in the selection and use of various instructional materials. 2. Develops training programs, carries them out or arranges for them to be carried out.

Debra Sikes I am a regular classroom teacher for the district. I am also a Teacher Trainer. I provide teacher training for the Professional Development Department by way of programs, workshops and modeling.

Natalie Twyner ntwyner@jackson.k12.ms.us As Professional Development Director for the Jackson Public School District, one of my key functions is to design, implement, maintain and evaluate professional development. My office focuses on critical issues in the district's on-going systemic reform and on major needs within the district. In regard to science education, which is an integral part of the Jackson Public School District's systemic reform effort, the Office of Professional Development is committed to providing professional growth activities that: Transfer classroom instruction from structured, hands-on work with teacher-prescribed questions and activities to more open-ended, inquiry-oriented approaches that allow students to raise and invest their own questions. Explore and experience new methods and tools that facilitate inquiry-based learning. Develop a cadre of teachers and administrators who understand inquiry-based instruction and will foster that understanding in others.

LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IN SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR RURAL SCHOOLS

SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA

Local Systemic Change, NSF

Scott Hays shays@telis.org I currently am employed as a staff developer for the NSF/CSP funded science reform program Language Acquisition in Science Education for Rural Schools (LASERS). I work closely with schools in two districts with large migrant populations and/or LEP student populations, supporting teachers developing effective content-based programs for their students. Additionally, I work with three other staff developers to provide training and inservice support for all teachers in the seven districts we serve. Previous to my employment by LASERS, I taught for 20 years in a self-contained 4-8th grade classroom in a rural, two-room school. I have been active in state and national science reform efforts since 1985 and have been a Presidential Awards Finalist two times.

Brinet Mullen Lee brinet@ix.netcom.com I am a Teacher on Special Assignment serving as the Science/Math Support Teacher for Salinas City Elementary School District. In conjunction with the UCSC Life Lab/LASERS Project, it is my responsibility to promote effective science/math instruction in the District so that instruction is provided in a meaningful context and is accessible to all students. I serve as District Liaison, program manager, change agent, staff developer and coach/mentor to communicate within the District and with other projects/districts, to order and distribute materials, to facilitate District leadership teams in Science and Math, to conduct and/or lead training sessions and to assist teachers as a coach/mentor related to Science and Math teaching.

MESA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

MESA, ARIZONA

Local Systemic Change, NSF

Vicki Massey I am a classroom teacher that uses a science curriculum to teach basic skills. Gardening and animals in the classroom are used as a means to motivate and teach scientific principles as well. I have been our science liaison for the past two years.

G. Robert Meko Bob is currently an elementary school principal of the Blue Ribbon Mendoza School in Mesa, Arizona. It is the largest elementary school in Mesa with 1,080 students. His responsibilities related to science instruction are to implement, supervise, observe, motivate, create, stimulate, originate, critique, dove-tail, and act as a change agent between district curriculum and the classroom teachers.

Lisa Randall I am currently a 4th grade teacher at Mendoza Elementary School in Mesa, Arizona. I am actively involved in creating a learning environment that follows the ancient Chinese proverb, "I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand." Our science curriculum is doing!!! Whether we're planting gardens with mulch from our compost pile, doing a study of life in our pond, learning about the desert tortoise in our tortoise habitat, studying hummingbirds in our "Desert Homes" area, or studying arthropods at the nearby Salt Riveræwe do! When Mendoza students share what they are learning, you know that they understand.

PASADENA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA

Local Systemic Change, NSF

CAPSI (Caltech's Precollege Science Initiative)

Irma Gonzalez irgonzalez@aol.com My responsibility as a Science Resource Teacher in Pasadena is to assist in the implementation of the hands-on, inquiry, and kit based science curriculum in 23 district elementary schools. I train new teachers and support new and inservice teachers in the classroom. In addition I am a Master Resource Teacher assigned to two outside districts in California through the Caltech Pre-collegiate Science Initiative Science Center. My responsibility is to replicate the Pasadena Model of curriculum reform in the districts I work with. I work closely with the Pilot School Coordinators in the implementation of a kit based science curriculum at their school. Presently I am in Pasadena three days a week and in the outside districts two days a week. My districts are within a 30 mile radius of Pasadena.

SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Local Systemic Change, NSF

Center for Urban Science Education Reform, EDC

Patricia Harmon pharmon@sfusd.k12.ca.us As the Science Assessment Coordinator my responsibilities are coordinating of the assessment work of the National Science Foundation grant, City Science. The City Science grant is a Local Systemic Change program that seeks to provide high quality professional development for all K-5 teachers and access to standards-based science education for all K-5 students. As the Science Assessment Coordinator I work with City Science staff, teachers and partners to develop content specific standards-based assessment tasks in science for grades K-5, coordinate the district wide science testing at the 5th and 8th grades, and assist the project evaluator in the evaluation of the program. As the Science Assessment Coordinator my primary responsibilities are the coordination of the design, implementation and evaluation of all phases of the assessment program in City Science. Major responsibilities are (a) coordination of the 5th grade science assessments being developed with the RAND Corporation, (b) assist the California Science Initiatives Assessment Collaborative in the implementation of the district wide science assessment at the 5th and 8th grades, (c) draft, develop, and implement district wide science content and performance standards for grades pre-Kæ5.

Russell Janigian rjanigi@sfusd.k12.ca.us I am a science teacher. This has involved working with middle school students for fifteen years and with high school students for twenty years, all with the San Francisco school system. Currently I am in a position known as Teacher on Special Assignment-Secondary Science. For the last nine years, I have been involved in the curriculum and professional development components of the SFUSD Biotechnology Program for Secondary Schools. During the last school year I have been working with a group of middle school teachers to develop a curriculum guide that will start the process of standardization of the instructional program. I am now part of a team that is writing an NSF Teacher Enhancement Grant for 6-8 science. If awarded, I will be involved in the implementation of the grant.

Rosario Martinez martin@sfusd.k12.ca.us City Science is in its third year of the Local Systemic Change grant. The goal is to ensure that all elementary students receive a quality science education that supports their becoming scientifically literate. Students will understand their world and be able to make informed decisions based on their understanding and application of science content and processes. SFUSD believes that teachers are key to helping students reach this goal. The grant provides opportunities to sustain the professional development of teachers to support the teaching and learning of science. Learning is not only for students. It is also for teachers who need the depth of content knowledge to enable them to teach effectively. Professional Development of Teacher Leaders. We have identified a cadre of classroom teachers as leaders who support the teaching and learning of science at their school site. They have participated in several activities that cultivated their presentation skills and improved their content knowledge. This summer, they will participate in a summer institute that will allow them to reflect on their practice using the adopted curriculum that is in alignment to the District's science content standards. Partnerships. I continue the collaboration with three major partners: the University of California at San Francisco, the Exploratorium and the California Academy of Sciences. This year, the goal is to broaden the collaboration to include other resources in the immediate area that would support our systemic reform efforts.

 

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Erin Strauss wimill@hawks.bps.montana.edu I am the Elementary Program's Coordinator at the Science and Health Education Partnership (SEP) at UC San Francisco. In this capacity, I collaborate with SEP and school district staff to design, implement and evaluate the City Science LSC and related SEP programs. I am primarily responsible for recruiting, orienting and providing support for UCSF scientists working with San Francisco teachers in classrooms and professional development settings. In addition, I facilitate workshops for scientists, teachers and/or outside audiences; participate in the grant-writing and reporting process; and coordinate special events, outreach and teacher requests at the elementary level.

SPRING BRANCH INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

SPRING BRANCH, TEXAS

Center for Urban Science Education Reform, EDC

Dee Goldberg goldberg@spring-branch.isd.tenet.edu I am the Elementary Coordinator for Science. I lead all science reform efforts for the elementary schools in the district. We are currently working with CUSER to make systemic reform in SBISD a reality. We are also working with Cheche Konnen to allow our bilingual students to excel in inquiry-based science.

Debra Parpacen parpacend@spring-branch.isd.tenet.edu I am currently a bilingual third grade teacher in a self-contained classroom. As a science teacher trainer I also work on the district's Science Advisory council and am piloting a new investigation about motion. This is my first year working with the GLOBE program which involves studying the atmosphere and other earth science topics. For me, the most exciting project of the year has been starting an outdoor learning center, a beautiful butterfly garden.

Judy Swords swordsj@spring-branch.isd.tenet.edu I teach 3rd grade at Frostwood Elementary in Spring Branch ISD, Houston, Texas. I have taught in this district for 33 years. I have been actively involved in curriculum revision for science for many years. The latest curriculum rewrite took place five years ago when new units were created at each grade level. We have a science center in our district that provides materials support to teachers. We are in the process now of revising our curriculum units to make sure they are inquiry based and that they match the new Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills content/concepts/processes required by the state at each grade level.

TUCSON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TUCSON, ARIZONA

Center for Urban Science Education Reform, EDC

Sharyn Chesser schesser@setmms.tusd.k12.az.us As an elementary science resource specialist team, Marleen Kotelman and I have been responsible for design and delivery of professional development at the elementary level. Each year over the past three, we have organized eight hour introductory teacher workshops for each K-5 module. This year we began developing a cadre of classroom teachers as leaders. Each pair of teachers was responsible for expanding the current professional development for one module. Each team utilized scientist partners to address the need for additional content expertise. Nine of the teacher leaders engaged in an 18 hour study group to examine current issues in science education reform. Secondly, I am responsible for the kit maintenance and delivery component of our Science Resource Center. We cycle 2 kits each to 1,300 teachers. In the DESERT Project (NSF/LSC), I will be part of the management team.

Marleen Kotelman mkotelma@setmms.tusd.k12.az.us As an elementary science resource specialist, I am part of a team responsible for design and delivery of professional development, K-5. For the past three years we have organized eight hour introductory teacher workshops for each K-5 module. This year we began developing a cadre of classroom teachers as leaders. Each pair of teachers was responsible for expanding the current professional development for one module. Each team utilized scientist partners to address the need for additional content expertise. Nine of the teacher leaders engaged in an 18 hour study group to examine current issues in science education reform. I am also a member of the management team for our newly funded LSC, the DESERT Project.

Gail Paulin gpaulin@azstarnet.com In my current position I coordinate the Eisenhower professional development funds for math and science K-12. In addition I am responsible for design and delivery of 9-12 science professional development and curriculum support. Job responsibilities include grant writing, program planning and assessment, and development of community partnerships to enhance the support of classroom teachers and students science education. Our district's recent LSC project called the DESERT Project (District-wide Emphasis on Science Education Reform in Tucson) offers me the challenge of Project Director for this grades K-8 program for the next five years. We are looking forward to implementation of inquiry based instruction and systemic change.

TULARE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

TULARE, CALIFORNIA

CAPSI (Caltech's Precollege Science Initiative)

Irene Phillips renephil@aol.com My current job title is Science Master Resource Teacher with the Pasadena Unified School District and Caltech Center for Improving Science Education. As part of my role with the Caltech Center, I work with the Tulare School District Leadership Team for science. The goal of the team is to establish a pilot school model for teaching science. The pilot school model will provide an example and a first step toward dissemination of the science program throughout the school district. The Caltech Center is currently providing support to a select number of California school districts for the purpose of science education reform, and Tulare is one of those districts.

Terry Sayre tastulare@aol.com I have taught in primary classrooms for 26 years. The past nine years I've been involved in providing staff development opportunities in the areas of early literacy, Integrated Thematic Instruction, TRIBES and educational reform efforts. The past five years I've been part of the SB1274 Restructuring Leadership Team for Central California. I am currently serving as the Pilot School Coordinator for a science grant coordinated by CAPSI. Cypress School is piloting a kit-based science effort designed to build a culture of school-wide inquiry. After three to four years the model piloted at Cypress will begin district-wide implementation. My responsibilities include kit training, refurbishment of kits, teaching kits in K-5 classrooms, supporting pioneer teachers at each grade level, monthly leadership meetings to maintain communication among all stakeholders, recruiting community science partners, and maintaining connections with CAPSI, teachers, the district and science partners.

TYLER INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

TYLER, TEXAS

Kathy Bosley I have been a fourth grade bilingual teacher for four years and will now begin to teach a computer lab known as HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills). I also train teachers in Tyler Unified School District to use the FOSS (Full Option Science System). Both titles require a great deal of the Socratic method of teaching, where teachers are the facilitators of learning. I am excited about learning even more about this style of teaching at the Exploratorium.

Debbie Karlovetz I am currently teaching 4th grade math and science in a rural school setting. In addition, I am currently a trainer for the school district involved with science, especially the FOSS program. The discovery and inquiry approach to science has been the focus of my classroom for the past 23 years. It has been my pleasure to work with the district curriculum and training for many years. Learning is an ongoing process that I look forward to daily.

L. Judson Parker jparker@tenet.edu My job title is Director of Gifted and Talented, and Science Curriculum Specialist. As Science Specialist, I am responsible for developing a preK-12 aligned curriculum for Tyler ISD. We are in the process of implementing Full Option Science System (FOSS) modules into grades preK-5. Presently the program has been introduced in grades 2-5. Next fall grade one will be included and finally preK and K. Additionally, a materials center has been established. Through the materials center, modules, materials and equipment are collected, refurbished and sent out to the next group of teachers. Along with two teacher trainers, I also provide staff development for the district's elementary teachers. I am also responsible for major equipment purchases and staff development for the middle and high school teachers.

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