Diana B. Barnhart
Science
Los Osos Middle School
San Luis Coastal Unified School District
Where else but in a middle school classroom do people get excited about dissecting cow eyes or making Bunsen burner flames change color?... I love helping (others) catch the passion the kids and I have found. — Diana Barnhart
Tarantulas and Treasures
Diana Barnhart would rather teach science to adolescents than do anything else in the world. Principal Diane M. Frost says, "Diana Barnhart is one of those amazing teachers who can keep her students in the palm of her hand from the minute they walk into her room to the minute they are forced to leave!"
By getting students' attention, Barnhart pulls students "into a bright sunshine of new ideas and new ways of looking at the world." Together they experiment with whatever is available. Barnhart strives to change how students see the world, increasing their curiosity by sharing science in an intriguing way. Says parent Maria Slavin,"We have had many Barnhart experiments replicated in my kitchen.
"Barnhart's classroom is a place where students are safe to be inquisitive children again, free to learn. They take pride in "geeky wonder." Sixth graders, seventh graders, siblings, other teachers, severely disabled students, and maintenance workers all stop in to see what is happening (or what smells so bad). A typical day begins with something on the front lab table for students to explore: ice cubes that sink in water, a fresh cow brain, optical illusions, beautiful crystals, "magic"demonstrations. Barnhart greets each child, notes any new hair color, hears about any crisis individual children want to share, and encourages questions about whatever is on the table.
For 15 years Barnhart's students have given presentations about creatures (snakes, tarantulas, walking sticks, dead bats, etc.) in elementary classrooms and other classes. Students sign up for after-school training. They go out as experts to provide information and the opportunity to really touch local wildlife. This year's Creature Crew was asked to present on television for a district fundraiser. They also give presentations at the Morro Bay Natural History Museum and at the public library.
Denis J. Cruz
Literacy Coach
Katherine Edwards Middle School
Whittier City School District
I believe the best way to build up the profession is by increasing the number of coaching roles. — Denis Cruz
Persistence and Collective Commitment
"I am in the greatest profession on the planet," says Denis Cruz. "America's future citizens and leaders are sitting in our classrooms. We, as teachers, have the opportunity to affect our nation's future by investing time, energy, and wisdom in our students."
Called "a master of the craft" by one administrator, Cruz serves as a reading and writing coach. He meets weekly with all language arts teachers and sees most teachers daily."I believe the best way to build up the profession is by increasing the number of coaching roles," says Cruz. "The private sector understands the value of coaching. Phil Jackson is paid millions of dollars to coach the Lakers. Life coaches help people achieve lifelong dreams. Top businesses hire consultants. We educators need coaches to analyze our teaching so we can grow and reach our potential."
Cruz believes that teachers should engage in discussions on strategies, standards, curriculum, and assessments. "When teams meet regularly with definite goals," says Cruz, "there is a sharper focus on academic outcomes and a strong collective commitment."
One of Cruz's greatest accomplishments is the creation of a social skills program. "On three occasions, a gun was found on campus. Bullying was evident, office referrals were high, disrespect and aggressive behaviors were rampant. Cruz convinced staff members to put into practice a new social skills program. That summer he facilitated the writing of lessons for all grade levels. The following school year he spoke at 24 assemblies and created follow-up lessons. Topics included integrity, courage, bully prevention, perseverance, and assertive behaviors.
As the campus became safer, colleagues felt that the time used for social skills proved to be an investment in their own curricular area as students were more ready to learn. "Some students do not realize that bullying comes in different forms and that every individual needs to take responsibility to prevent bullying."
Kenneth E. Dyar
Physical Education
Cecil Avenue Middle School
Delano Union Elementary School District
We must address the whole child - the physical, emotional, and social well-being of children, who have bodies as well as brains - and we must continue to nurture the development of both. — Kenneth Dyar
Passion and Whole Child
The Bakersfield Californian has described Dyar's class as "a kooky combination of jazzercise, boot camp, and kick-boxing." Amidst his treasure chest of standards-based activities, Dyar incorporates a social development aspect of the curriculum - team-building games to teach students to become better people. "Every day, at the end of each period, I tell my students to be good humans. In the course of a year," says Dyar, "I feel I have so little time with these kids. Every day is precious."
This year Dyar implemented "Family Fitness Calendars," which is homework that families do together. An example of the activities includes "Jump rope the alphabet three times." At the end of the month, parents sign and return the calendar. The child is given a new one. Notes a colleague, "He has excelled where many teachers and administrators stumble - his ability to bring the parents and community into the school." Sometimes, students bring their families to campus to do aerobics after Dyar has taught them a routine. Students watch their parents huff and puff. Afterwards, the school supplies fruit and water.
Last year, Dyar's department partnered with organizations to present a Parent University to provide health-related information and services free of charge. More than 800 attendees received blood sugar screening, blood pressure checks, body composition readings, pedometers, tee shirts, portfolio boxes for organizing family medical information, and medical insurance information. Nutrition sessions were held in Spanish and English. The high point was a student swing dance performance.
"If you have a passion for sharing with young people, and if you have a passion for doing everything in your power to make their lives better (including things you never thought a teacher would be responsible for), then teaching is for you. The key is passion. Passion will keep you young and give you boundless energy. If you have passion, you will never feel that you've worked a day in your life."
Kelly Jean Hanock
English Language Arts
James Monroe High School
Los Angeles Unified School District
I want my students to recognize the power they have when they use their voices appropriately. I want them to feel what it means to make a difference. — Kelly Jean Hanock
Inquiry and Civility
When Kelly Hanock polled students to determine their ideal day, she found that 85 percent preferred the serious, sedate Socratic seminar strategy. This is where students participate in a thoughtful exchange of ideas while attending to the changing dynamics of the group, which often includes teachers, administrators, or visiting guest speakers. "With only nine native English speakers and skill levels ranging from gifted to basic," says Hanock, "dominant speakers learned patience and an appreciation for silence; less confident speakers learned that their voices matter." One student commented, "We all had to listen. It's good to realize that other people can also be right."
Hanock's classroom was selected by the Educators' Roundtable at the Natural History Museum to be the first featured on the museum's Web site and spotlighted in the museum's magazine. Says Eliza Callow, museum consultant, "I have never seen a teacher who has such quiet impact. She provides a space for learning and for her students to shine. She is able to take them to a level of civility and inquiry that leaves me absolutely overwhelmed."
A literature teacher inspired Hanock in her youth. "She treasured energy, spontaneity, and high expectations," says Hanock. "Always with humor and often singing Beatles' tunes, she taught us the skills we needed to think and speak for ourselves. She drove us 50 miles to UCLA's research library and even further to San Diego's Old Globe Theater. She cared about English, but she cared more about us. It was in her class that I made my most important decisions: to attend UCLA, to study English, and to become a high school teacher."
Hanock's students have researched ocean pollution and have cleaned up Santa Monica Beach. They held a hip hop concert to keep kids off the street. They initiated a speakers' forum. Through a partnership with L.A. Theater Works, students participate in a photography workshop.The Smaller Learning Community location, previously an area filled with dumpsters and containers, is now the garden haven and home to the monthly student-led conference/bungalow block parties.
Shelbi J. Wilson
English, Health, Volleyball, Yearbook, Teen Mother Program
Abraham Lincoln High School
Riverside Unified School District
I like knocking out each obstacle my students may face. If they are hungry, I feed them, If they lack medical coverage, I help them get Medi-Cal. If they need extra help, I stay after school. If they are having problems with a parent, I make a phone call home. — Shelbi Wilson
Action and Success
"My mother is a retired special education teacher who tricked me into thinking playing school was fun," says Shelbi Wilson. "Learning was intricately woven into my daily existence. Failure was not an option. I vowed that when I was a teacher, every day, every hour would be spent teaching my students as if they were the smartest, richest, most capable advanced placement class in the world."During college Wilson worked in a group home with supervisors who allowed her to start "shaping diamonds from what society had castoff as rocks." All kids could relate to getting smarter as a goal. Wilson realized they saw school as a small slice of heaven. One day, the school needed a substitute teacher. Shelbi was given the job. "We dissected fish, cats, and any other thing I could dream up," said Wilson. "I would drive around town to find fresh, uncleaned squid or catfish, or I would order cats ready for dissection. The principal showed me that, regardless of the circumstances, students can do anything if teachers are willing to go the extra mile for them."
Wilson reports that there is no typical day because students bring many issues with them. They have documented histories of poor attendance, defiance, and physical and verbal aggression. Yet Wilson maintains that "We are a family of ever-growing individuals." This aspect was illustrated when the Junior League sponsored a trip to the Governor's Conference for Women. On the bus ride to Long Beach, the girls talked about their future plans. After meeting the first female African American astronaut, one student was motivated to reconsider her job plan, saying, "I have to be much more."
As Teen Mom teacher, Wilson is a Lamaze coach, mom, mediator, advisor, legal counselor, problem solver, and then teacher. Outside programs provide books, parent education conferences, family and home support. Groups like the Inland Empire Latino Lawyers, Riverside and San Bernardino County Health Offices, and Junior League of Riverside return each year ready and willing to serve the needs of students. Wilson partnered with Riverside Health Foundation to create "X-Men," a male involvement program to educate young men by connecting them with the same community resources as the mothers.
