Know Different
Take it from teachers who know different.
What's Know Different?
Our goal in Teacher Engagement is to support ALL teachers in their journey in growing their craft - mainly by providing a way to showcase the incredible instruction going on in our great district and creating a forum for teachers to connect and learn from each other. Looking to make a change? Then take a look at what teachers are doing who know different!
#teachertalk
Chris Doucette, Purcell Elementary
Boone Middle
Dice and numbers? Bet you think these students are in a math classroom, but they aren’t! These pictures were taken in ELA classrooms. Teachers are using these tools to increase student engagement and create stronger group work skills.
Tenoroc High
What's in this issue?
- Teacher Tips on Lesson Design
- Highlights from the Emerge Symposium
- Hispanic Heritage Month
- Spotlight on Polk Teachers
Sensory Activities on Another Level!
Doris A. Sanders Learning Center
Lots of energy and excitement at Doris A. Sanders Learning Center, as students wrapped up their study of Eric Carle's "The Grouchy Ladybug." The school, which serves students with special needs, filled its multipurpose room with a host of sensory activities inspired by elements of the book. Doris A. Sanders staff regularly plan the fun, interactive events as a way to engage students and family members. The students "are using their fine and gross motor skills in these activities," Principal Polly Bruno says. "It's just reinforcing what they're doing in the classroom ... we've taken it to another level."
Masquerading with Poe
Rebecca Walters, Lakeland Highlands Middle
@notyourmomsenglishteacher Rebecca Walters knows how to create a lively lesson on Edgar Allan Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death." Walters, who teaches eighth-grade English at Lakeland Highlands Middle, covers Poe's biographical details and writing style, but her students also have the opportunity to decorate blank masks, using Poe's recurring themes for inspiration. The project culminates with an in-class masquerade where students display and discuss their masks. “I love seeing the creativity, and how students bring Poe's common themes to life," Walters says.
C.O.P.S. on Duty!
Walter Caldwell Elementary
There's been a heavy law enforcement presence at Walter Caldwell Elementary recently, as students became C.O.P.S. to investigate crimes of Capitalization, Organization, Punctuation and Spelling. Working together as partners, they identified grammar crimes and issued citations before writing the correct sentences. (C.O.P.S. is filmed on location with the boys and girls of Brandi Miller's and Cassie Willis' classrooms. All bad grammar suspects are innocent until proven guilty.)
Walter Caldwell Elementary
Stephanie Narramore, Lawton Chiles Middle Academy
And now for some Greek mythology from Lawton Chiles Middle Academy, where Stephanie Narramore's students have been reenacting Perseus’ quest to destroy Medusa. “The students had a great time using classroom elements for props," Narramore said. "They are learning how the sequence of events in a text (chronological or not) can affect the conflict, tension, tone and overall meaning."
Timothy Frost, Ridge Community High School
@_travelingteacher "With the help from my friends at the @lakewaleslibrary and the @cityoflakewales, I had my students complete some complex analysis using children’s literature. It was our first dive into complex critical thinking, and there were times when it was a bit rocky - but ultimately, I’m incredibly impressed with what they have come up with to showcase their thinking."
Floral Avenue Elementary
At Floral Avenue Elementary, measuring surface tension with drops of water on a penny. "Our fourth-grade students are turning into scientists right before our eyes!"
Emerge Symposium Highlights
Our first ever Teacher-Led Emerge Symposium was held on October 17, 2019. The Emerge Symposium is an opportunity for teachers to lead their peers in professional learning. The theme for this Symposium was “Switch” based on the book of the same title by Dan & Chip Heath. We challenged teachers to Switch up their classrooms through practical transformation ideas.
Our Fabulous Emerge Symposium Presenters!
Left to Right:
Claire Alford, Stambaugh Middle - Philosophical Chairs Debate: Student Engagement and Higher Order Thinking
Firdaws Ali, Kathleen Elementary - Inclusive Design
Rebecca Harris, Lake Gibson Middle - Maximizing Student Engagement & Learning
Taylor Cameron, Pinewood Elementary - Flip The Switch
Neil Allen, Sandhill Elementary - Student Teaming for Engagement and Student Ownership
Michelle Dinwiddie, Lake Gibson Senior High - Breaking Barriers: Maximizing Student Growth by Breaking the Barriers of Fear and Mistrust
Mallory Williamson, Wendell Watson Elementary - Flip The Switch
Hispanic Heritage Month Features
Polk Teachers are Amazing!
Jazmin Ghent, Crystal Lake Elementary School
Julie TerHaar, Bartow High School
Sherry Scott, George Jenkins High School
Mark Your Calendars!
New Teacher Seminar - Trauma Informed Teaching
Tuesday, Nov 19, 2019, 05:00 PM
Jim Miles Professional Development Center, Wallace Road, Lakeland, FL, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Teacher Engagement
- Teacher Support
- Teacher Leadership
- District Culture
Contact us today to see how you can plug in and be a part of a community of learners focused on supporting your growth, both inside and outside of the classroom.
Email: teacherengagement@polk-fl.net
Website: http://thehub.polk-fl.net/hr/teacherengagement/
Location: 1907 South Floral Avenue, Bartow, FL, USA
Phone: 863-534-0781
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teacherengagement/
Twitter: @TeachEngagePCPS
Teacher Engagement Sponsors
Grand Canyon University
https://degree.gcu.edu/lps/eapa/chss/polkschoolsfl/step-1/?utm_source=EAP-PolkSchoolsFL
Carolina Burdier
University Development Counselor
407-988-9381