Director’s Message

Each month, I have the distinct pleasure of creating a Director’s Message. Time to reflect on the theme for the newsletter and make connections to our work has been rewarding. However, it is thanks to the outstanding efforts of Dr. Doug Miller, a NESS Program Facilitator, that this high quality monthly e-Newsletter is published. He has dedicated the time necessary to ensure that communication with all schools is maintained. We read and learn about current trends, research-based strategies, share best practices and enjoy a few laughs. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year. Have a wonderful summer!


Linda S. Whitehead
Director, Teacher Development/HRD

Liaison by Day, Author by Night

Jeanne Kraus, Reading Specialist and NESS Liaison at Margate Elementary, knows what to do with her spare time. She writes books for children. Her second book, Annie’s Plan, is the story of an elementary-age girl with problems in focusing her attention and organizing herself at school and at home. Jeanne’s special interest is Attention Deficit Disorder. Her first book, Cory Stories, was inspired by her younger son and published in 2005. The use of literature to help children work through their problems is a problem-solving technique Jeanne has used for years. Children identify with the major characters in her books. As a reading specialist, she enjoys reading her books aloud to classes and discussing the challenges that her characters face.

Source: Focus Magazine

Relief on a Teachers Face

My most rewarding experience this year as school liaison is the look of relief on a teacher's face who may or may not be a first year teacher, but new to the school, when they see that someone is there to help them, to answer any questions, and to guide them where guidance may be needed. It is a lot of work, but it is also rewarding to see these individuals stop relying on me so much and be successful on their own, finding supportive people around them. That makes me feel like I've done my job in guiding them to the right places, but not doing the work for them!

Jodi Washington, Bair Middle

Collegiality and Sharing

My most rewarding experience as a NESS Liaison has been the ability to provide a monthly special time of collegiality and sharing of knowledge with our NESS ICs and NEs. I believe that making these "learning communities" a priority has provided support and inspiration to, our NEs, our ICs and me as well.

Lorilee Pearl, Stirling Elementary

Recognition from the Staff

I have always enjoyed learning new ideas by working with NE's and Coaches. Being a part of developing teachers is also rewarding. This year I was delighted to have an NE from last year nominated as Teacher of the Year. I thought this individual was outstanding and I was delighted to see that the rest of our staff agreed.

Kathy Flautt, Chapel Trail Elementary

Unjaded

As a NESS liaison, I have been afforded opportunities to interact with the most enthusiastic members of our profession. The New Educators bring to the school a fresh, unjaded perspective and I have found my colleagues to be especially open-minded. When I consider the Instructional Coaches with whom I have worked this past year, I take comfort in knowing that the most energetic and seasoned professionals have volunteered to share what they have come to know as "trade secrets." Furthermore, I have become better acquainted with the special talents of some of our school's veteran teachers since they willingly give of their time to assist the newest members of our faculty. Finally, I have come to see the investment that our district has made in the success of all teachers--new and veteran--through this rigorous program. To serve as liaison has truly been a privilege and I hope that in time I will obtain more knowledge and more skill in working with some of the most important people on campus--the teachers.

Celeste F. Saulle, Rickards Middle School

I Can Make a Difference

There were many rewarding experiences throughout this year. However, my most rewarding would be seeing the new educators’ progress. Starting from scratch and watching them attain the skills, strategies, and management necessary for survival as an educator. Being there for them to answer any questions, model for them and guide them has been unbelievable. In addition, knowing that I can make a difference in their first year is an amazing feeling.

Vanessa Schnur, Lake Forest Elementary

Unleash the Power of Your Colleagues

As a liaison, my most rewarding experience this year was delegating each learning community to an IC/NE team. Prior to this year, I ran all the learning communities. This year, each team signed up to facilitate the rest of the group on a predetermined topic. The meetings have been outstanding, and much more meaningful than before.

Harriet S. Zaret, Glades Middle School

A Comment Overheard

The most rewarding experience so far this year was overhearing one of our coaches mention to another staff member how much our support group meetings have been helpful to her and how much she was learning about her own job performance through the coaching process.

Les Baker, South Area Student Services

Listening and Observing

My most rewarding experience as an Instructional Coach has been learning how to be a silent observer. For example, I have learned to observe silently the educational setting and coming out with valuable information that helps both the first year teacher and the students. This experience has enabled me to become a better teacher. In brief, the experience this year as an Instructional Coach has taught me that listening and observing are the tools that have the potential to facilitate understanding in order to better communicate to a first year teachers - what they are doing well or what they need to improve.

Guerino Terracciano, Lake Forest Elementary

Enrichment from a New Educator

The most rewarding aspect of my NESS experience has been the enrichment I received from my New Educator, Mr. Jayamon Jacob. He has an amazing way of showing the students graphically how algebraic formulas can be practiced. As a math-a-phobic, I am especially impressed by the logical mini-steps he uses to teach a process. Every time I observe him in action, I learn a new math concept!

Charisse E. Mosley, Whiddon-Rogers Education Center

Listening Ears

I have really enjoyed working with a new educator. I had eleven years in an MH cluster before moving to the ESE Specialist position. I had an extensive 'bag of tricks' and it has been a pleasure to share them with my new educator and watch her adapt them to her particular classroom needs. It has also been my pleasure to listen to the joys, fears and frustrations of being a new educator in a very challenging time in education. Sometimes just providing 'listening ears' and not saying anything is the best thing that I can do for her. I wonder how much more effective I would have been with the same kind of support when I was a new teacher. Thank you for a very rewarding experience!

Jan Twomey, Stirling Elementary

NESS Learning Communities

One of things I enjoy the most about being a NESS coach is our monthly meeting. It's a great opportunity to get together with colleagues and share ideas. After nine years of teaching there are still skills I'm developing. Listening to the strategies and discussing the theories and recent research behind it is quite refreshing.

Cindhia Velez, Manatee Bay

Collaborating with the New Educator

The most rewarding experience this year as an instructional coach was watching Ms. Nunez implement a behavioral plan with a student as if she were a veteran teacher! She and I discussed one particular student's behavior and how she wanted this child to behave in her classroom. We brainstormed ideas as she took notes and we came up with a plan that would work for both the teacher and the student. The next time I saw her interacting with that student, things had changed for the better. She didn't miss a beat! I'm proud of her and it was rewarding.

Kathryn Golden, Pasadena Lakes Elementary

Modeling

This year and every year that I have worked with new educators, I have found that modeling effective teaching techniques is the most rewarding experience for me. I use the research from FPMS to model every chance I get. From our first orientation session through each Support Meeting I find that the new educators are so eager to learn and are continually looking for tips to use in the classroom. That’s when I get to do my thing I try to point out that what I do with them can be used in the classroom. I demonstrate things like lining a class up, maintaining academic focus, and using high impact instructional techniques. I really love to see a new teacher use what I have modeled and of course I love to see each new teacher find success in his/her new career.

Jim Lindemann, Park Lakes Elementary

Self-Reflection

The most rewarding part was being able to mentor a new teacher and help her feel supported in what is a normally hectic first school year. I also like the personal growth I am making as I support a new teacher and it helps me to reflect on my own teaching and re-evaluate the choices I make in the classroom and why I make them.

Lisa Leider, Manatee Bay Elementary

I Learned as Much as I Taught

Being that I am a fairly new teacher I felt I connected with several new educators at our school. I was able to share my knowledge with all the new educators not just my mentee. My greatest success was that I learned as much as I taught. Working with the new educators gave me new and refreshed ideas.

Lisa Besancon, New River Middle

Organization is the Key

It is very rewarding being an Instructional Coach. It really challenges me to be the best example. It makes me reach into my bag of tricks to offer solutions to the numerous problems that face a new educator. The absolute best was seeing the new educator use the suggestions and see how happy it made her when the suggestions simplified her life and solved so many of her problems. I find that organization is a main problem that new educators face. There are so many things that build up and seem insurmountable. If a new educator is taught basic systems of organization from the beginning, many of the dilemmas are easily overcome.

B. Collins, Stirling Elementary School

Called in by the AP

Aubrey Campbell, my new educator, had an observation scheduled with an Assistant Principal at Piper High School for the day. I was apprehensive, when I got called in by the AP, to discuss the new educator's performance. Audrey and I had discussed all of the necessary components that needed to be in the classroom such as class objectives and rules, displaying student work, and all of the necessary classroom management procedures such as circulating the classroom and making sure all of the students are participating in the lesson. So I was wondering what the AP wanted to discuss. When I got to the meeting I was relieved to find out that the AP was very excited with the dynamic lesson plan that Aubrey had developed. He taught a math lesson using a website which showed students how to do equations and made the mathematics problems very visually appealing to the students. As I have seen him progress throughout the year his comfort level with teaching has grown dramatically. He actually teaches four classes now with no planning period! It really is rewarding to be a NESS Coach when you can give back to someone. I still remember my first year of teaching and how I was in my survival stage and Julie Arnold went way out of her way to help me with anything I needed and it is great to feel that I can give back to the new teachers.

Walter Weidler, Piper High School

I Am Still Here

As a new educator I find myself facing new experiences - new challenges - every day. My greatest success is that I'm still here - I'd thought I'd make a good teacher ever since high school. People always have told me I explain math in a way they can understand it, so I thought that was all I'd need - a good personality and mathematical ability. I was wrong. Education courses I took prepared me only slightly for the reality of being in the classroom with 25 eleven-year-olds at a time each of them carrying their own personalities and emotional baggage. I am only beginning to understand how to work with all of those personalities and how to have them work effectively with each other. Every day is a new adventure for me in the classroom, and I love every minute of it. To paraphrase an old country music movie - "Look out teacher city - 'cause I'm here now and I ain’t ever leaving!" I've found my niche and I look forward to continuing this adventure for many years to come.

Brian McMorris, James S. Rickards Middle School

Modeling is Worth a Thousands Words

As a new educator at Oakland Park I had the privilege to have a coach like Michelle Hemminger. If I had ever needed help she followed thru and made sure it happened. I was able to visit several classrooms to watch how other teachers did various tasks. Watching someone modeling is worth a thousand words. This should become a regular NESS practice. My other school I had taught at, I requested many times and it had never materialized. I came from the Business World and this was so valuable to me. Thanks to all.

Michael Ott, Oakland Park Elementary

A School Culture of Support

My greatest success this year as a new educator to the Broward County School system has been the change process I've encountered this school year. I had to adapt to many different regulations many of which applied in Dade County but are different here. This has been a learning process all over again. I also had to adapt to a team teaching setting and then redo a classroom from scratch after being completely set up and establishing a routine for my students. Despite all of these challenges I’ve had to face, it’s been a positive adjustment with plenty support not only from my Instructional Coach but also, from the entire school. Every person that I have asked for help has been very eager to do so and has treated me with respect, and friendliness. This has been an extraordinary change and I am very pleased to be part of this wonderful team.

Grimaldi Rivera, Stirling Elementary

A Great Comfort

My greatest success for this year as a new educator is feeling more comfortable in my teaching abilities and understanding all that goes into being an effective teacher. As side from the fact that this year has been quite challenging, as a first year teacher, it has also shown me many things that I did not know before and has prepared me for the upcoming years. Another great comfort is knowing that I have support, like my NESS mentor (who is the best ever), and my colleagues, to back me up and help me whenever possible.

Adriana A. Rivera, Manatee Bay Elementary

Never Give Up on a Child

It's early yet, but I have one student who spent most of the class with his head down or once I got his head raised, he was doodling or staring into space. This continued for 3/4 of the first quarter. Then, one day, I thanked him for volunteering to be a team leader on a project. Of course, this got laughs--including from him--and he passed on the leadership role, but he started to participate in class. The more he participated, naturally, the better his grades and the more positive attention he got from his peers. By the time BAT 2 testing came around, he was earning a B for the 2nd quarter and his score increased we over 40 points! While still shy, he continues to participate in class, smiles a lot now and gets more A's than B's lately. I expect a really great improvement on his FCAT!

Candace McKinniss, Bair Middle

Supportive Staff Members

I have been able to implement some new strategies, centers and interventions that have seemed to be successful with things such as fluency, math and language arts concepts and also with behavior challenges. Hollywood Central staff members have been very willing and available to share and help put things in place when they are asked.

Elaine Steehler, Hollywood Central Elementary

Improving your Improvements

My greatest success in my first year would probably be not getting discouraged. In the first year of teaching it is easy to become discouraged by many different aspects of the job itself. I think as a teacher you must keep positive and look down the road for improvements you can do in the classroom to better the situation. Teaching is all about improving your improvements.

Todd Braid, Oakland Park Elementary

Communicating with Parents

My greatest success as a new educator is that I was able to make six sets of parents feel confident that their child will succeed in school and in life.

Amy Edelman, Whispering Pines School

Flexible Educator

My greatest success as a new educator is becoming what I feel is a flexible educator. Lesson plans and schedules do keep us organized, but I have learned to adapt according to my students' needs.

Helen A. Clift, Embassy Creek Elementary