Author: engale28

Master in Teaching and Master of Education Programs

Fall 2010

Volume 10, Issue 1

MiT Class of 2012

Members of the 2012 cohort of The Evergreen State
College MiT Program of 2012 have officially begun their journey into the world of teaching!
This year’s class has already proven to be a dynamic, passionate and enthusiastic group.

Teacher Education
Programs Director
Sherry Walton
Certification &
Advising Specialist
Maggie Foran
Field & Community
Relations Officer
Loren Petty

Program Coordinator
Lynne Adair
Program Assistant
Lynarra Featherly
Newsletter Advisor
Loren Petty

M. Ed. Faculty
Sunshine Campbell
Grace Huerta
MiT Faculty 2009-2011
Jana Dean
Michael Vavrus
Sonja Wiedenhaupt
MiT Faculty 2010-2012
Scott Coleman
Andrew Gilbert
Anita Lenges

Newsletter Editor
Jennifer Pasternak
Newsletter Staff
Leah Baugh
Joseph Boyer
Alex Kuestner
Jennifer Pasternak

Cohort photo by Lynarra Featherly

MiT Class of 2012:

Leah Baugh Middle Level Humanities
Trygve Berg Visual Arts and Middle Level Science
Joseph Boyer Secondary History and Social Studies
Kellia Brinson Visual Arts
Hannah Brunink Elementary Education
Tony Cacchione English Language Arts
Christian Cox Designated World Language: Spanish
Robin Cutler Elementary Education and Middle Level Humanities
Jason Dearborn Earth and Space Science and Middle Level Math
Julie Dodson Biology and Science
Nikki Dunbar English Language Arts
Rosemarie Ackman (Emerson) Elementary Education and Visual Arts
Jordan Falk Middle Level Humanities
Elizabeth Gordon English Language Arts
Amy Gush Elementary Education
Justin Hinchcliffe Chemistry and Science
Lisa Johnson Elementary Education
Kyle Jutte Social Studies
Bridget Kameen Visual Arts and Elementary Education
Alexander Kuestner Social Studies and Middle Level Humanities
Benjamin Lee Biology
Kayla Lehman English Language Arts and Theatre Arts
Matthew Lester Social Studies
Cara MacMillan Elementary Education
Jennifer Pasternak Elementary Education and Special Education
Justin Poland Middle Level Humanities and Theatre
Ingrid Pugh-Goodwin Middle Level Humanities
Krystle Reeds Elementary Education
Starr Smythe Elementary Education
Kasinda Starmer Theater Arts and English Language Arts
Emily Statler Elementary Education
Katrina Stern Elementary Education and ELL
Matthew Stolz Elementary Education
Jody Tahja English Language Arts
Megan Trumm English Language Arts and Middle Level Humanities
Robin Tuckett English Language Arts and Theatre Arts
Sandra Warren Elementary Education
Rebecca Watts Science and Biology
Kobi Wilson Elementary Education and Special Education
Kate Winkley Elementary Education and Middle Level Humanities
Thomas Wright Middle Level Math and Middle Level Science

MiT students in Red Square

Photo by Jennifer Pasternak

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The Connection

Introducing some of our 2012 MiT students:

What brought you to the MIT program?
Kids are hilarious. Who doesn't want to laugh for a living?
- Cara MacMillan
I wanted a challenging program that would thoroughly prepare me for my teaching career.
- Robin Cutler
I came to the MIT because I was already teaching and decided I needed to finally get credentialed in a formal manner. I looked at other programs that were much faster, but decided on Evergreen because of the quality of education I knew I would get.
- Justin Poland
I joined the MIT program because of my desire to make a difference in the lives of young adults. I want everyone to have a good education and believe that teaching contributes tremendously to our society.
- Kyle Jutte
I always wanted to be a student at Evergreen because of their commitment to social justice and responsible citizenship.
- Nikki Dunbar
What excites you about teaching?
The look on a kid’s face as they experienced that moment of "aha!" I want to make that happen!
- Cara MacMillan
I am excited about the possibilities of inspiring students and building community through education.
- Katrina Stern
Working with kids is what excites me about teaching. They are funny, insightful most of the time, and amiable. Even when they think they can't learn things, they do, and when they get that they learned something, it is an emotional rush for me. - Justin Poland
Article by Leah Baugh

Launching a task

MiT favorite Quotes:
Benjamin Lee: “Do just once what others say you can't do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again.” - Captain James Cook
Thomas Wright: "Beware of all enterprises that require a new set of clothes.” - Henry David Thoreau
Megan Trumm: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” - Dr. Seuss.

M.Ed. Class of 2012

Mohamed Ali
Kristen Blegen-Bouyer
Benjamin Floyd
Sharon Hobson
Tricia Moore (Melton)
Spencer Olmsted
Maria Rodriquez
Laura Summers
Aileen Whitney

Photo by Jennifer Pasternak

MiT Study group

Benjamin Lee: “I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.” - Stephen Hawking

Volume 10, Issue 1

Page 3

Please Welcome Our New MiT Faculty Member Andrew Gilbert!

It's been quite a journey before I landed here at The Evergreen State College. I graduated from Virginia Tech in 1992 with a degree in Geology with a minor in Science Education. I earned my Masters in Science Education from East Carolina University (1998) and my doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from New Mexico State University (2002). My public school teaching experience includes teaching at both the middle and high school levels in the Washington DC area as well as K-6 experience in southern New Mexico through an NSF supported research project.
After completing my doctoral program, I was hired as an Assistant Professor at Kent State University. My work at Kent State included teaching elementary and middle childhood science methods as well as numerous offerings in the graduate program. My research focuses on social justice and equity goals, teacher attrition
and enacting innovative classroom
pedagogy.
I chose to come to Evergreen for a myriad of reasons. The first is my commitment to teaching and social justice were the paramount reasons for taking the position with Evergreen. The structure of the MiT program is, in my opinion, the best method for preparing future teachers. On a more personal note, it was a family decision to come to Evergreen. We really desired to live in a beautiful place that would allow us to spend more time outdoors hiking, birdwatching, camping, backpacking and snowboarding. It was an easy decision to accept the offer from TESC. So far, we are loving it.
Favorite Quote: We dance round in a ring and suppose, but the Secret sits in the middle and knows...The Secret Sits - Robert Frost
Favorite Music: My music taste is all over the map...Old school reggae, rock steady, 60's soul/R&B, ska/ punk, singer/songwriter…basically everything except Country, Jazz and Top 40’s.
People I admire: There are many, but in Education—Myles Horton is one that is very special to me.
Favorite authors: David Sedaris and Bill Bryson.
Words of Wisdom: This is tough to do on the spot like this! I usually subject the cohort to my supposed wisdom when inspiration hits me during our classes together.
Ambitions and Goals: Working at a place like Evergreen!
Superpowers: To play rugby like a 20 year old.
Article submitted by Jennifer Pasternak

Andrew Gilbert

Photo by Jennifer Pasternak

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The Connection

Inspiration: Working with children

Please Welcome Our New M.Ed. Faculty Member Sunshine Campbell!

My name is Sara Sunshine Campbell (I go by Sunshine). I grew up mostly in Washington State and received my undergraduate degree at Western Washington University in Mathematics Education. I became a high school math teacher and taught for my first 3 years in Bellingham. I then moved to Seattle and taught for two more years, where I met my husband Rob. Three days after we were married, we moved to Kathmandu, Nepal.
I worked as a middle and high school math teacher at the international school and Rob volunteered for an educational non-profit called Room to Read. We lived there for 3 amazing years (we even lived through the tsunami while visiting Thailand!). My son Deacon (now 7) was born in Kathmandu. We returned to Seattle in 2005 where I began my PhD program in Teacher Education at the University of Washington and had my daughter Merrick (now 5). I will defend my dissertation this June.
When I found out that Evergreen had posted a Math Educator position, I almost didn't apply. I hadn't even finished my degree yet! However, I knew that I wanted to eventually teach in a school that valued diversity, social justice, and progressive models of teaching. Evergreen seemed to be the right fit. I also liked the idea of being able to teach in several different programs - graduate and undergraduate - and with people from various areas of expertise. When I visited Olympia for my interview, I was still unsure if Evergreen was the right place for me. That all changed when I met the faculty and the students. They are amazing people and I feel very lucky to be here.
My family has settled well into life in Olympia. My children love their new school and have made many good friends. My husband and I feel very welcomed into the parent community. Who knew such cool people live in Olympia?! We are all happy to be closer to the coast and the Olympics and we are looking forward to trying out some new ski areas this winter.
Currently, I am teaching in the MEd program and supervising two student teachers in the MiT program. I have enjoyed working with our Evergreen students. They are insightful, caring people who want to support their students in being successful in any way they can. My advice to MiT students,
especially those who are student teaching: Hang in there! Becoming a teacher is one of the most challenging things I have ever done - and it has also been, by far, the best job I have ever had. Sometimes it seems like an impossible job. Always remember that you are only one person and you can't do everything. But you CAN do something. Find that something and DO it.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“Jump and the net will appear” (I live my life by this quote). --Zen saying
“Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.” -- Mother Theresa
“The true test of intelligence is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do.” -- John Holt
“They may forget what you said but they will never forget how you made them feel.” -- Carol Buchner
“Good teaching is more a giving of right questions than a giving of right answers.” --Josef Albers
Article submitted by Alex Kuestner

Sunshine Campbell

Photo by Jennifer Pasternak

Page 5

Volume 10, Issue 1

Northwest Teachers Gather for Social Justice Conference By Janine Gates www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com As public school teachers face with more pressures than ever, nearly 800 regional educators found friendship, education, and support at the third annual Northwest Teachers for Social Justice conference in Portland earlier this month. Many South Sound teachers and student teachers made the trip to experience the camaraderie of other teachers who care about social justice issues. The conference was sponsored by Portland Area Rethinking Schools, Olympia Educators for Social Justice, Puget Sound Rethinking Schools, Tacoma Coalition X, and Rethinking Schools Magazine.
What is Social Justice? According to the University of California, Berkeley Social Justice Symposium, social justice is a process, not an outcome, which (1) seeks fair (re)distribution of resources, opportunities, and responsibilities; (2) challenges the roots of oppression and injustice; (3) empowers all people to exercise self-determination and realize their full potential; and (4) builds social solidarity and community capacity for collaborative action. Josh Parker (2007 MiT graduate), a third year teacher with the Shelton School District, said, “It’s a delicate balance how social justice issues are introduced and discussed. It’s fine as long as we don’t step on too many toes - but we’re probably stepping on three-fourths of them. To me, reading and basic skills is a social justice issue. We’re allowing our kids to fail towards graduation…that’s unjust.” Another teacher said she feels that social justice issues are more acceptably discussed in social studies classes, but she faces them all day long, no matter what she’s teaching, and came to learn more. In front of the children, teachers walk a fine line between parents and administrators on how to address a wide range of delicate racial, social, cultural, political, environmental, economic and sexual orientation issues. Conference workshops included plenty of role playing using real life examples of the questions faced by teachers on a daily basis. Behind the scenes, teachers face daily administrative pressures including standardized testing debates, merit-pay controversies, required implementation of education reforms such as No Child Left Behind and Race To the Top challenges, budget cuts and layoffs, a lack of resources, paperwork, meetings and more. Some feel that current movies like “Waiting for Superman,” slam public school teachers. The pressure is felt by teachers and students alike. Recent teacher and student suicides weighed heavily on educators during the conference. Los Angeles area teacher Rigoberto Ruelas Jr., killed himself after his test score ranking was published by the Los Angeles Times as a “least effective” teacher based upon his student's test scores, and the recent suicides of several gay students, including that of the Rutgers violinist, Tyler Clementi, were mentioned in several workshops.

Evergreen PEAB Member Michi Thacker

Loren Petty (right) MiT Field & Community Relations Officer

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The Connection

South Sound Teachers Present Workshops Two South Sound teachers were presenters of the nearly 70 workshops to choose from, scheduled in three blocks at different times throughout the day. Katie Baydo-Reed (2006 MiT graduate), a 6th grade teacher at Olympic View Elementary School in Lacey, taught a workshop on learning about the history of Japanese American incarceration during World War II. “When I was in school I had no idea that there were civil rights struggles and violations that occurred in my own back yard, says Baydo-Reed. “Teachers mentioned Martin Luther King, Jr. a little and the civil rights movement of the south briefly, but I never learned about people in my region who were treated unjustly as part of a system of oppression.” “At Evergreen, I was exposed to more information regarding the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII and as a new teacher I brought that information to my classroom. I discovered that most of my students were completely unaware of how the Puyallup Fairgrounds were used as an incarceration center. In fact, in all the years I have been teaching this, only one student has known about it prior to my unit.” Baydo graduated from The Evergreen State College’s Masters in Teaching Program in 2006. “It's been a busy six years!” says Baydo. “It is important to me that students connect with their region and the place they live and this is one way to bring history literally closer to home. Through this kind of instruction they begin to realize that there are some similarities between events of the past and current events, and they are much more willing to learn about civil rights when they know it connects to their lives in place, if not exactly in time.”
Article and photos reprinted courtesy of Janine Gates

Sunshine Campbell (right)
M.Ed. Faculty

Volume 10, Issue 1

Page 7

The Evergreen State College MiT collaboration Grant with Garfield Elementary School
order to support and further The Evergreen State College’s Teacher Education Programs’ mission of social justice within the classroom, the MiT program, in collaboration with the Professional Educator Standards Board, is funding a collaborative project to positively impact student learning in the 2010-2011 academic years at a local elementary school. The grant’s approach to improving student learning at Garfield Elementary School (Olympia School District) is centered on three key goals: incorporating pre-assessment data in informing decisions regarding content goals and teaching methods, utilizing community and parental/guardian resources to authenticate the schooling experience to minority and underprivileged students, and the formation of ‘student voice’ in linking academic content to real life applications and individual students’ goals.
Sherry Walton, the Director of Teacher Education Programs at Evergreen, has worked with Garfield for three years in relation to student learning and is excited to coordinate this collaborative grant as a means to provide both in-service and pre-service teachers with opportunities and resources to positively impact student learning. “The MiT program’s Conceptual Framework and the content of the program reflect the understanding that teaching and learning must draw from many perspectives and include a multiplicity of ideas,” according to Walton, and that “MiT faculty intend for their candidates to become teachers who provide K-12 students with culturally responsive and equitable learning experiences.”
In addition to aligning with Evergreen’s mission of social justice within the classroom, the 2010-2011 collaborative grant also aims to improve pedagogy within a system of standards-based education. The grant’s focus on utilizing pre- and post-assessment data to inform teaching practices is a key component of this goal. Joseph Boyer, the Evergreen MiT graduate assistant working with the collaborative grants supported by the MiT Program, notes that “without the benchmark of pre-assessment, it is difficult to differentiate instruction and not possible to demonstrate growth towards standards and goals.” By working towards integrating pre- and post-assessment data in instructional planning, the collaborative grant hopes to demonstrate the positive outcomes of intentional planning based on assessment data in regards to student achievement and learning.
Throughout the Fall quarter, faculty from Garfield and Evergreen have met and worked on implementing the three core principles identified as having a positive impact on student learning. Evergreen students and staff are helping teachers across grade levels implement pre- and post-assessment journals, bring in community leaders for presentations, and helping aid in discussions surrounding teaching as a leadership tool and ways to encourage students to engage with their own ‘student voice’. Exciting things are happening and in later volumes of The Connection, specific programs descriptions and events funded by the collaborative grants will be highlighted. We look forward to sharing our successes and outcomes with all who share our goal of expanding educational achievement to all, because social justice in the classroom requires our participation.
Article by Joe Boyer

Place holder for Joe’s picture

Place holder for Joe’s picture

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The Connection

MiT Fall School Observations
Evergreen MIT students participated in an observation practicum this fall quarter in which they took turns visiting area schools. The purpose of these visits was for students to gain insight and understanding of the differences and similarities between suburban, rural and urban schools. These observations gave MiT students the opportunity to study various teaching and management styles and learn more about the teaching profession. Students had the opportunity to learn about aspects of teaching that were outside their own endorsement areas.
According to Evergreen MIT faculty member, Anita Lenges, the observations gave students “time to think, reflect and take notice of things.” It was also a chance for students to be exposed to “social inequities in schools.” The observations were a way for MIT students to learn about issues in schools that need to be addressed, such as the adverse impact that “dominant culture assumptions” can have on student learning.
The schools observed included Foss High School in Tacoma, Oakland Bay Junior High in Shelton, and Lincoln Elementary in Olympia. MiT students reported on very different experiences at these schools, both in terms of physical characteristics and methods of instruction. For the observations, MIT Students were divided into groups of three and placed in a variety of classrooms at these schools. The MiT students reported varying insights picked up from their experiences in these classrooms:
Justin observed third year French language classes at Foss High School. He found his observation experience a great way to gage student interest, see students’ “real life interactions,” and to “dispel preconceived notions” he had about how life was like in the classroom. He observed a French teacher who is in her 42nd year of teaching.
Tony observed at Oakland Bay Junior High. He enjoyed the “opportunity to see a real live classroom” and said that “just being in the classroom was positive!” He thought the observations were a great learning experience, to see what schools were actually like.
Alex observed a 14-year teaching veteran (and Evergreen MIT alumnus), who teaches calculus to seniors and geometry to freshmen students. The teacher used group work, student presentations, tests and a variety of other forms of pedagogy to engage the students and check their understanding of assigned material. Students in these classes were generally involved and attentive.
Amy observed at Lincoln Elementary. She saw Lincoln as a “welcoming, friendly environment” and a great place for her to see what work in schools could be like because it was a place where she could witness “real life” students interacting in their classrooms.
Article by Alex Kuestner

Photo by Jennifer Pasternak

Lincoln Elementary

Photo by Jennifer Pasternak

Photo by Alex Kuestner

Volume 10, Issue 1

Page 9

Isis Albert (MiT alumna), who teaches at Evergreen Elementary School, was named
Washington State Bilingual Educator of the Year.

A teacher from Evergreen Elementary School received statewide recognition for her work with bilingual education.
Isis Albert, Washington State Bilingual Educator of the Year by the Washington Association of Bilingual Education, was recognized at the June 8 Shelton School Board meeting.
“She was elected unanimously; there was not one dissenting vote,” Steve Warner, Evergreen principal and WABE board member, said.
“Her influence on children in her classroom creates a democratic, respectful environment. She is quite, fair and firm,” he said.
Albert became a GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design) trainer in 2008 and is also national board certified teacher in English as a new language. “Neither of those feats is insignificant, Warner said.
He called Albert “a deep thinker,” and said she is “respected for her depth of knowledge.”
Albert told The Journal she didn’t know about her nomination until they announce her name at the May 7 conference of the Washington Association of Bilingual Education.
She said she it was very exciting to receive statewide recognition but admitted she has mixed emotions about the award. “It’s nice as a teacher to be recognized,” she said, “but there’s a little guilt. It’s about where I work and the educators I have contact with who are all outstanding.
“I try to share this (award) with everybody I ever worked with,” Albert added. “I continue to grow because of the other teachers I come in contact with.”
She is completing her ninth year at Evergreen. She said she chose this school after graduating from the Master in Teaching Program at The Evergreen State College because the elementary school here had a dual language program. Albert also earned a bachelor’s degree from TESC.
“I didn’t want to move to the east side of the state. I felt very grateful Shelton had a school.”
Albert said Spanish is a passion and working with children is a passion. “It never occurred to me I would have the opportunity to do both.”
She said she has always had an affinity for languages and an interest in Spanish. She grew up in San Diego. “I had lots of friends who were from bilingual and bicultural households. I picked up bits and pieces from them.”
She started her formal study of the language in high school. She was part of a Spanish Club. Once a week, every week about 10 club members made a trip to Tijuana to visit an orphanage and help out. The group took school supplies and clothes.
“That was probably the beginning of it all, using Spanish with kids. Their curiosity is inspiring,” she said.
Now she teaches fifth grade on the English curriculum side but started by teaching third grade on the Spanish curriculum side.
“People have joked about the award saying, ‘You don’t actually teach in Spanish any more.’ As long as you’re in the field then you can win the award.”
When Albert began at Evergreen there was one bilingual classroom per grade level, mostly Hispanic students. “It almost looked segregated,” she said.
She was with the students all day – at recess, lunch, field trips – and noticed they were not integrated in school and remained apart from other students, even though they were a close-knit group with each other.
Every once in a while that sort of divide among students would be mimicked in the staff, bilingual and not, she said.
The following year the school decided to go bilingual schoolwide. While it was “a huge transition,” Albert said she sees multi-cultural interactions now.
“Kids aren’t scared. They interact and understand each other,” she said. “It’s rewarding to see that. We’re much more united and focused in our instruction as a complete building.”
She became a mentor for the teachers in her building. She was one of three on the staff who spent two years of training for GLAD. She works with staff at Evergreen and staff across the district. Workshops and in-classroom demonstrations.
Her National Board Teacher Certification, which she received in 2009, gives her a national teaching certificate any state will honor and in Washington it comes with a bonus stipend.
Article by Mary Duncan and reprinted courtesy of Isis Albert

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Isis Albert Washington State Bilingual Teacher of the Year and MiT Alumna

Photo courtesy of Isis Albert

Inside Story Headline

SAVE THE DATE!
The Second Annual TESC High School Math Meet will be held on Saturday, February 26, 2011.
High Schools are encouraged to form teams of students who are currently taking Algebra II or Integrated III and above. We will again be using exams from MathLeague.org. Participation in the February 26th event will provide an opportunity to qualify for the Washington State MathLeague.org math competition to be held later in the spring. For more information, contact Vauhn Foster-Grahler at fostergv@evergreen.edu

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The Connection

Brian Eggleston (MiT alumnus), who teaches at Washougal High School, was named
Washington State Bilingual Educator of the Year.

I was chosen as regional Teacher of the Year for Educational Service District 112, which covers all of SW Washington (roughly 30 school districts) for the year 2010-11. I work in a relatively small, mostly rural school district called Washougal, so to beat out larger districts such as Vancouver and Evergreen was a great win for us! I represented our area in the State Teacher of the Year decision, but that one was won by a fellow teacher from Kent. I'm satisfied even though I didn’t win the state award, since it would have involved weeks away from my students, which would have negatively impacted their learning. I'm pleased just to represent our district and the things we are doing here. Right now in Washougal there is a strong emphasis on collaboration in Professional Learning Communities, and the Master in Teaching program gave me a solid foundation in the principles and practices involved in teacher collaboration. So much of what we learned and did was in concert with other candidates that when I left to teach down here it was second nature for me to immediately begin planning lessons and assessments with my fellow language teachers. In my opinion, Teacher of the Year awards need a sort of caveat. When the ten of us stood up on stage in Seattle in September, I couldn't help thinking of the countless other highly competent teachers around the state, many of whom had mentored us, served as examples of great teaching to us, and changed so many lives. Our true rewards are not hanging on walls or on mantels or in newspapers; they are in seeing students' smiles when they gain a new skill or concept and feel good about it, in seeing their progress and growth that we invest so much in, in earning the trust they place in us and in seeing those results. So many teachers deserve to be Teacher of the Year—I tell everyone this so that they don't have the mistaken idea that one teacher is the best. Every school in this state has outstanding teachers; individuals wholly committed to student learning. They are so involved in their teaching that you may not see them anywhere else, but they are earning a very different kind of award than what we might read about in the papers once a year. I dedicate my award to all of those highly competent teachers, especially the ones who helped me to get where I am, such as Sherry Walton (MiT and M.Ed. Director).
TESC Master in Teaching program has a heavy emphasis on aligning our teaching with everything that matters in education: state standards, assessments, effective teaching strategies, and most of all how we know our students learn. At MIT I learned the importance of truly getting to know my students: their learning styles, special needs, interests, questions and goals. Designing teaching is really an art at Evergreen, and I enjoyed the continual challenge to craft worthwhile, purposeful experiences for students. What I am most thankful for was how we learned the importance of giving students active roles in their learning and growth; an Evergreen classroom is truly student-centered.
I serve as Chair of the Foreign Language Dept at Washougal High School. Since I started in 2005, our Spanish program has nearly doubled in size and we have added our own Foreign Language Department. Students take part in multi-cultural celebrations such as El Día de los Muertos, take salsa lessons, and even have the opportunity to go on a trip to Spain and France next summer. We're a school that, despite its size and rural location, has a rich tradition in languages - German, Japanese, French, ASL, and Spanish. I'm truly fortunate to teach in such a great district!
It gives me a lot of joy to see my students go on to college and take semesters abroad in Spain or Latin America. As a country, we need more of an international perspective, and supporting foreign language study at early ages can help facilitate cross-cultural understanding.
Article and photos courtesy of Brian Eggleston

Brian Eggleston receives Teacher of the Year (TOY) award from the Educational Service District 112 region

Washougal High School Spanish teacher Brian Eggleston was recently named Education Service District 112 region Teacher of the Year. This means he has a one in nine chance of becoming a state winner. Photo by Danielle Frost.

Volume 10, Issue 1

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The Evergreen State College and Teacher Education Programs
Proudly announce
The 2011 Distinguished K-12 Educator of the Year
Call for nominations The purpose of this award is to recognize and honor an alumni educator who has made a significant contribution to the field of education. Nominees must be a alumni of The Evergreen State College Teacher Education Programs, TEP, MiT and M.Ed., and have demonstrated expertise or outstanding service (current or retired) in the classroom, school, district, and/or community. Self-nominations are welcome.
NOMINEE INFORMATION: Please reply to this email/post with the following information:
Name of Nominee
Place of Employment and Position currently or formerly held (required)
Mailing address (desired but not required)
Phone; work or home (required)
Email address (required)
Please attach a brief letter of recommendation describing why the nominee should receive a Distinguished Educator of the Year Award.
YOUR INFORMATION:
Your Name
Place of Employment and Position currently or formerly held (required)
Mailing address (desired but not required)
Phone; work or home (required)
Email address (required)
A ceremony recognizing award winners and nominees will be held ?
All nominations must be received by January 31st 2011.
SUBMIT NOMINATIONS TO:
pettyl@evergreen.edu
 I am supporting the Teacher Education Programs Alumni Scholarship program with a gift of $____ . Thank you for your online payment. Need link

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The Connection

Joe’s Bio

Washougal High School teacher (and Evergreen State College MiT alumnus) Brian Eggleston received the Washington State Teacher of the Year Award in August of this year. He will represent Washington State in the National Teacher of the Year Program.
Eggleston has taught Spanish at Washougal High School for the past five years, and serves as chair of the Foreign Language Department.
“My teaching rests on the belief that students learn best when we teach through activities that are engaging, worthwhile and purposeful,” said Eggleston, who is described as enthusiastic, fun and inspiring by coworkers and parents.
“Brian’s contributions in the classroom, school and district are remarkable,” said Assistant Superintendent Rebecca Miner. “It is sometimes said that teaching is a combination of art and science and Brian is a teacher whose artistry makes the science of teaching a pleasure to observe and his students richly benefit from his talents.”
Former Washougal High School Principal Gerry Stavney calls Eggleston “one of the strongest teachers I have observed in my thirty-plus years in education”. “The students of Washougal High School are fortunate to have a teacher of Mr. Eggleston’s caliber,” said Stavney.
Superintendent Teresa Baldwin said, "Mr. Eggleston consistently provides intellectually challenging and engaging instruction for students, and it is fun to visit his classes and watch students actively engaged in learning."
Eggleston’s coworkers describe him as “a truly caring advocate and mentor” for students.
Eggleston is currently working toward earning National Board Certification.
Photo and article reprinted courtesy of Washougal School District

MiT Graduate Assistant Leah Baugh:

“Skip Around the Room”

Name: Jennifer Pasternak
Education: B.A. University of Colorado at Colorado Springs with additional M.SPED credits
Endorsements: Elementary Education and Special Education.
Why Evergreen: A significant factor in choosing the MiT Program was the daytime hours that the courses were offered, as my children are all school age and the child care would be sky-high for an evening program. It is very beneficial to me to have a block schedule, even as diverse and intensive as that block is. It is refreshing to go through the entire two years with the same group of people and the same faculty.
How I Made it Work: I am paying out-of-state tuition and supporting a family , so I applied for a received an MiT scholarship, work study, a TEACH grant and graduate student loans. It was also an incentive to me that up to $17,500 of my graduate student loans may be forgiven in a federal program if I choose to teach for 5 years in a targeted school.
What I Like So Far: I like that the program is challenging yet enlightening—every single day I learn something new to take with me into the classroom!

MiT Graduate Assistant Alex Kuestner:

Education:
Endorsements: Middle Level Humanities
Why Evergreen: Growing up in the Washington, D.C. area, I have always been interested in the connections between history, politics and culture. That, and my experiences as a camp counselor, anthropology major, and environmental educator all drove me towards becoming a middle-school humanities teacher. I knew I wanted a program that would support my interests in alternative education, and prepare me to run a democratic, community-oriented classroom. I chose Evergreen’s MIT program first because of its reputation of producing teachers who are both effective and passionate about social justice in the classroom.

(Leah Baugh cont.)
How I Made It Work: The fact that Evergreen’s program was affordable made it an even easier choice – the Americorps award-matching scholarship, financial aid loans and work-study have all helped make it possible for me to join this program.
Education: A.I.S. Cascadia Community College, B.A. University of Washington - Seattle
Endorsements: Social Studies/Mid-level Humanities
Why Evergreen: I chose the Evergreen MIT program because of my interest in social justice as it pertains to helping children. My long-term goal is to teach here in Washington State, and a friend of mine attends Evergreen and told me that it was a nice, friendly school. There is also the matter of in-state tuition, which when compared to out-of-state school tuitions, makes the MiT program much more affordable.
How I Made It Work: I was able to make attending Evergreen work financially by drawing money from a variety of sources. I applied for and received three different forms of financial aid: The Evergreen Need Grant, MIT Tuition Waiver and State Work Study. I paid the remaining difference out of pocket.
What I Like So Far: I have enjoyed the Evergreen MIT program, especially the practicum observations in area schools, as I feel they are very useful for learning about issues relevant to actual teaching.

Name: Joe Boyer
Education:
Endorsements:
Why Evergreen:
How I Made It Work:

Check us on out the web!
www.evergreen.edu/mit

The Evergreen State College
Teacher Education Programs

THE CONNECTION
CONNECTIONCCONNECTION

THE CONNECTION
CONNECTIONCCONNECTION

The Evergreen State College
Teacher Education Programs
Seminar II E3120

The Evergreen State College
Teacher Education Programs
Seminar II E3120

The Evergreen State College
Teacher Education Programs
Seminar II E3120

For program questions and inquiries, please contact Lynarra Featherly

Social Justice in the Classroom Requires Your Participation!

Phone: 360-867-6856
E-mail: featherl@evergreen.edu

For program questions and inquiries, please contact Lynarra Featherly

Volume 8, Issue 3

Volume 8, Issue 3

Volume 8, Issue 3

Volume : Issue 1: Fall 2010
F
Fall

Page #

The Evergreen State College
Teacher Education Programs
Seminar II E3120