Champagne Minx Science Educator
I'm a Great Fit for Your Team!
Student Performance: Develop and enhance quality instructional strategies to improve student acheivement and enable students to meet their personal, academic, and career goals.
During my first year at South Callaway as the only 8th Grade Science Teacher, my science students broke the school record for highest Middle School MAP scores recorded. That includes ALL subject areas.
I studied the MAP data from the previous years, and looked for weaknesses. The data showed that students performed poorly on the C.R. (constructed response) questions.
To help students prepare for the MAP test, and also to improve their ability to communicate their scientific knowledge, I integrated intensive writing into my course. Students had to explain their thinking and support their answers utilizing data and scientific concepts. Answering constructed response prompts became a part of my students' daily routine. I incorporated action verbs they would see on the test (analyze, compare and contrast, describe, etc.). I included free-wrting to build up their writing stamina, which also improved their performance in other subject areas.
Lastly, I made learning a fun experience for the students. Students participated in weekly debates, in which they picked topics related to current events in science. Students enjoyed expressing their ideas, and I found that it increased their critical thinking skills and articulation. I rarely gave homework or busy work, except for the two weeks before our MAP test. Instead of utilizing class time on reviewing for the test, I gave them the review assignments strictly as daily homework. Students received a raffle ticket for each assignment turned in on time and an additional ticket for each assignment scoring a 90% grade or better. After the MAP test, we celebrated and raffled off items donated by parents and teachers.
Parent and Community Involvement: Promote, facilitate, and enhance parent, student, and community involvement in the educational process.
While at South Callaway, I invited several community members, including parents, to share how they utilize science within their fields. We also took part in community events like FFA day.
Students completed a PBL (project based learning), in which they worked with an expert in the field of wildlife and fisheries from the Missouri Department of Conservation. I also brought in a guest educator from Rock Bridge High School to co-teach a lesson on biodiversity.
 Guest from LumixA parent describes how dependent his work designing programmable logic controllers is on math and science. |  Students Learning about CavesI assisted on Jefferson M.S. field trip.Students learned why Missouri is considered the "Cave State" |  FFA EventStudents and community members coming together to learn about agriculture. |
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 Special Guest, Mr. KirchhoferRock Bridge science teacher and former Missouri Department of Conservation Agent, Mr. K. co-teaches a lesson on biodiversity. |