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In The Classroom

Education Tube Tie

I’m a sucker for online videos: From Michael Cera’s turn as Alexander Hamilton on Drunk History to break dancing babies, it doesn’t take much to amuse me—or the masses, for that matter, from the millions of individuals who view these videos. Thus, I must marvel at the gumption of the ed video spinoffs, SchoolTube and TeacherTube.


Diary of a Math Tutor

Twelve pairs of eyes stared at me as I stood in front of the classroom. The teacher introduced me to the group and it wasn’t until that very moment that I realized I was nervous to meet the 2nd and 3rd grade students I would be tutoring.  I had forgotten how uncomfortable it is to be “the new girl” in class.  Luckily, the teacher immediately tasked me with the job of passing out a snack, so I instantly became the most popular person in the room.  As I handed out crackers and juice, the polite “pleases” and “thank yous” from the students made me smile. Snack distribution I’ve now mastered. Tutor, I was yet to be.


My Contribution to the Solution

TutoringWith the last two posts detailing the bleak realities of the dropout crisis, I thought I’d share my slightly more optimistic experience as a new tutor at Graham Hill Elementary. The idea to become a tutor came to me after a Communities in Schools (CIS) newsletter came across my desk. Lately, it has been easy for me to bemoan the “failing education system” – dropout rates soaring, inequalities rampant, test scores low, a diploma that doesn’t effectively prepare students – with each issue compounding on itself, I get more and more disillusioned. It has been less appealing and quite overwhelming to actually get my hands dirty and DO something, until now….

 


Hats off to the Seattle Writer’s Workshop!

Hats off!

Teaching English Language Learning (ELL) students has long been a challenge in Washington schools as our population continues to expand and diversify. But thanks to a program developed by the Columbia University Teaching College and recently implemented in Seattle Public Schools, teaching ELL students to read and write English and accelerating their success, just got a little bit easier.


Hats off to Kaaren Andrews at Madrona!

Hats Off!

 

Weren’t we just talking about the power of good principals? Looks like Seattle can now claim another one of its own: Principal Kaaren Andrews of Madrona K-8 has been awarded the Andrews Thomas B. Foster Award for Excellence for outstanding leadership.


Pamelia Valentine: Taking Time to Reflect

Pamelia ValentineA new year with all the angst and shiny promise is upon us! Well, O.K. it actually began in September as all “teacher-years” do. But for teachers, the new start is a new semester and many of us have already got it planned out. Reflection-it’s how we work.


Partnership Welcomes Guest Blogger Molly Berger!

Molly BergerLast week, we welcomed our first guest blogger, Pamelia Valentine, to the Hall Monitor and this week we are pleased to announce our second, Molly Berger.

 

Molly teaches Senior English and is a co-coordinator of senior projects at East Valley High School in Yakima. She has also taught middle school and 9th-11th grade English and drama. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees from Central Washington University and has her National Board Certification in Adolescent/Young Adult English Language Arts. Molly has additional training in media literacy and technology. She is currently president of the Washington State Council of Teachers of English.


Partnership Welcomes Guest Bloggers! This Week: Pamelia Valentine

At the Partnership, we’re always looking for ways to bring you innovative education content and insight. And what better way, we thought, than to bring a few new perspectives in to the fray. Over the next few weeks, you’ll meet two of our new guest bloggers. Both teachers in Washington state, these women bring wisdom, passion and reflection from the area in education that matters most: the classroom.

 

Pamelia Valentine

This week, we welcome guest blogger Pamelia Valentine! Pamelia graduated from the Masters in Teaching program at Evergreen State College in 1999 and was hired by the Shelton School District that fall. She received her National Board Certification in Early Adolescent/Young Adult Art in 2006. She is a life-long artist and a mother of three beautiful children and one darling granddaughter.


Hats Off to Maple Elementary School!

Hats Off Logo

This week, we tip our hats to Maple Elementary School in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood.