april 29th 2006 p.k. yonge developmental research...

April 29th 2006P.K. Yonge Developmental Research SchoolGainesville - Florida

2006 Inquiry Showcase page 1

April 2006

Dear Fellow Educators, The Center for School Improvement at the University of Florida’s College of Education, in partnership with the North East Florida Educational Consortium and P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, is proud to sponsor the second annual Teaching, Inquiry and Innovation Showcase. The purpose of this annual event is threefold: (1) To celebrate the practitioner who, through the processes of inquiry, has contributed to improving schools from within; (2) To enable practicing teachers and administrators across North Central Florida and from different programs and affiliations to network with each other; and (3) To connect prospective and practicing teachers through this forum, enabling prospective teachers to be socialized into the profession as inquirers, and practicing teachers to shape the next generation of those entering the teaching profession. Practitioner inquiry is defined as practitioners problematizing their practice, systematically studying that practice, and taking action for change based on such study. Through the process of inquiry, the individuals sharing their work this morning have taken charge of their professional growth and learning, and have joined fellow educators across the nation in a powerful mission – to better understand, inform, shape, reshape and reform school practice! Practitioner inquiry differs from traditional professional development for teachers and administrators, which has typically focused on the knowledge of an outside “expert” being shared with a group of practitioners. This traditional model of professional growth, usually delivered as part of traditional staff development, may appear an efficient model of disseminating information, but often does not result in real and meaningful change in classrooms and schools. In the collective sharing of our inquiries across different programs and affiliations, schools, districts, grade levels, and career stages, we, as fellow educators, develop new knowledge about teaching and learning. The generation of knowledge by practitioners heavily contributes to the possibilities for real change to take place in the classroom – for improving schools from within! Thanks to all who are participating in the Showcase as presenters and audience! As a prospective teacher, practicing teacher, administrator, professor, or other educational professional interested in problematizing your professional practice, you contribute to a larger educational reform – the transformation of the teaching profession itself. This transformation is characterized by the recognition that practitioners generate valuable knowledge about teaching and learning, and the knowledge generated by practitioners is necessary to improve the learning and lives of every student! To improve the learning and lives of every student, it will take the work of us all! Sincerely, atÇvç Y|v{àÅtÇ WtÇt Professor and Director Center for School Improvement


The Second Annual Teaching, Inquiry, and Innovation Showcase

April 29, 2006 P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School

University of Florida

8:15 a.m. Performing Arts Center

Opening Session Welcome To P.K. Yonge Fran Vandiver, Director, PK Yonge Developmental Research School Welcome To University of Florida’s College of Education Catherine Emihovich, Dean, UF College of Education Orientation to the Showcase Nancy Fichtman Dana, Director, UF Center For School Improvement

8:45–9:15 a.m. Session I

Room J304

So Much Data, So Little Time: Where Will My Student Data Carry Me? Michelina MacDonald, High School Biology Instructor, P.K. Yonge, [email protected] Looking at my regular biology students’ first semester grades, I became concerned that my students’ grades “appeared” deflated compared to the first semester scores of students in other subjects and grade levels. I wanted to find out in what ways could examining my students’ grades in biology and math, and FCAT achievement levels in reading and math, enable me to address the apparent grade deflation that my students experience. Poster Presenters: Ting Tseng, Teaching Self-Monitoring Behavior to Improve Performance in Math Dawn St. John, Cracking the Code: A Study in Phonological Awareness

Room J306

Inclusion…Stress…An Rx Julee Gunter, 8th Grade ESE Teacher, Brenda Smithey, 8th Grade Language Arts Teacher, Lake Butler Middle, [email protected], [email protected] When Calgon can’t take you away, what do you do to survive the inclusion chaos? Come away with us to discover a prescription to alleviate your pain. An insightful dose of strategies for a healthy inclusion classroom awaits you. Poster Presenters: Kristen Deleuze, Increasing Reading Fluency Through Daily Practice and Personal Goal Making Jenny Hankinson, Developing Phonological Awareness Skills

Room J307

How Does Team Teaching Influence Job Related Stress? Nancy Collins, 3rd Grade Teacher, Fort White Elementary, [email protected] No child left behind!... What about the teachers? With all that is expected of teachers today, we’re the ones getting left behind! This inquiry will explore the emotional benefits of team teaching. Poster Presenters: Kimberly Nolan, Improving Reading Skills Through the Use of High-Frequency Flashcards Angie Skeens, How Can We Improve a Student’s Fluency?

Room J309

On the Road to Remediation: Is There an End? Denee Hurst, Principal, Anderson Elementary School, [email protected] A principal reflects on data collected from struggling readers in her school to gain insights into the question, “What happens to struggling readers after interventions are over?” Come travel the road to remediation with Denee and discuss the question, “Are we there yet?” Poster Presenters: Arielle Barritt, The Relationship Between UFLI Tutoring and Development of Sight Word Recognition Rachel Stolz, Using Word Families and Segmentation Activities to Improve Initial Sound Recognition and Phonemic Awareness

Room J310

Differentiating Math Instruction in Primary Grades Marisa D. Ramirez, 1st Grade Teacher, P.K. Yonge, [email protected] An instructional strategy was put into place in an attempt to differentiate math instruction for both higher and lower achieving students while still utilizing the prescribed curriculum. Poster Presenters: Aimee Wiegner, Increasing Reading Fluency through the Use of Visual and Auditory Computer Technology Jessica Cummings, Teaching Number Sense through the Use of Auditory and Visual Computer Technologies

Room J312

Protocols Promote Performance, Practice, and Pride in Students of The Studio Visual Arts Dianne Skye, High School Art Teacher, P.K. Yonge, [email protected] When faced with the challenge of increasing high school art students’ participation and investment in critique sessions, I implemented the use of protocols that involved students in the practice of giving specific written and oral feedback. Working in the safety of small groups, students developed a sense of ownership in their process. Through the use of midpoint critique protocols, confidence and student work improved while many insights were gained. Poster Presenters: Jeanet Brooks & Mary Robinson, Using Lunch Dates to Break One Student's Silence


Room K324

Listen Up! EARS and Kindergarten Classrooms Beth Flaitz, Speech Therapist, Carla Harrison & Debra Walters, Kindergarten Teachers, Joseph Williams Elementary, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] This presentation will focus on the effects of the EARS program in an inclusive kindergarten classroom as compared to other inclusive kindergarten classrooms in the district that are not using the EARS program. The focus will be on how this program affects student achievement as measured by DIBELS. Poster Presenters: John Kabot & Marci Kaplowitz, The Effect of the Use of UFLI Tutoring Program on the Writing Mechanics of Two Struggling Readers and Writers

Room K326

How Home Visits Help Homework Marlene Bennett-Broce, Reading/Spanish Teacher, Williams Elementary, [email protected] This inquiry project focuses on the relationship between home visits and student performance, in this case reading and spelling. The main goals for this project are to improve fluency, comprehension and test scores by observing and monitoring a series of home visits to three students. Poster Presenters: Angela Klatt, The Effects of the UFLI Program on the Progress of a Struggling Reader Denise Avila, Motivation – Key to Individual Students’ Effectiveness When Reading Fluently

Room K327

A Systematic Approach to Answering Comprehension Questions Valdenora Fortner, Curriculum Resource Teacher, Williams Elementary, [email protected] After noticing that students were simply providing the quickest answer, I decided to try a more systematic approach. Through modeling, high expectations, and constant questioning, I came to some conclusions. Poster Presenters: Alyssa Lee & Juary Lopez, Improving Self-Confidence of an ESOL Student in English Language Abilities Through Vocabulary Building Exercises and Dialogue

Room K329

Can the Techniques of Ancient Masters Affect the Task Engagement of Modern Day Students? Dianne Murphey, Dance Teacher, Donna Nelson-Simon, Kindergarten Teacher, George Sherouse, 2nd Grade Teacher, Duval Elementary School, [email protected] When faced with off-task behaviors, teachers strive to increase student engagement. We turned to ancient masters of China to see if we could use the arts to increase student engagement. Poster Presenters: Melissa Hill & Pam Webb, The Effect of the UFLI Tutoring Program on Struggling Readers’ Progress



Room K330

Teachers Tame the Testing Tiger Sue Latini Guidance Counselor, Donna Bergen, 4th Grade Teacher, and April Annis, Reading Tutor, Duval Elementary School, [email protected] When fourth-grade students are faced with the daunting challenge of FCAT, they may experience different levels of test anxiety. By providing various strategies to reduce anxious feelings, students will be empowered to monitor and reduce their own anxieties independently. Poster Presenters: Kelly Aguis & Meredith Schneider, Using Different Tools to Improve Reading Fluency and Self-Esteem

Room K332

Teacher Inquiry as a Tool for Understanding CRISS Strategies in The Elementary Classroom Jeff Means, Principal, High Springs Elementary, [email protected] This session demonstrates how one school has used teacher inquiry as a tool for studying the effectiveness of CRISS strategies within the elementary classroom. The inquiry into the use of CRISS strategies helps teachers better understand how the strategies can support diverse learners. Poster Presenters: Mark Hughes, Will Precorrection and Behavioral Intervention Strategies Help a Fourth-Grade Student with Mild Misbehaviors? Rebecca Blount, Do Skills and Conduct Go Hand in Hand?

Room M347

Writing Across the County: The Kindergarten Student Pen Pal Exchange Project Rebecca Beran, UF Masters Student, Katie Chowdhury, Kindergarten Teacher, Newberry Elementary, and Kristen Shumbera, Kindergarten Teacher, Rawlings Elementary, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] What started as a pen pal project grew and grew into a year-long literacy project linking a rural and an urban kindergarten classroom. Through group letters, individual letters, book reviews, class books, and more, the project created multiple opportunities for learning to read and write. Poster Presenters: Lindsay Boyer, Improving Student Writing by Implementing Writer's Workshops Focused on Editing Brooke Johannessen, How Can We Improve a Student’s Comprehension Skills?


Room M348

Middle School Classroom Management Phillip Poekert, UF Doctoral Student, [email protected] Working with the Beginning Teacher Support Program at H.L. Watkins Middle School in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, I addressed a common concern of all teachers: classroom management. Three main suggestions arose from the research literature, and teachers and I worked together to devise ways to incorporate them into their classrooms. Poster Presenters: Hope Hughes, Using Morning Meeting to Create Classroom Community Michelle Knapp, How Can Learning Word Families and Timed Readings Impact Fluency?

9:25-9:55 a.m. Session II Room J304

Improving Algebra Problem Solving Skills David Kotait, 9th Grade Math Teacher, Trenton High, [email protected] How do I help struggling students take time to read Algebra problems? How do I motivate them to learn problem solving strategies? Poster Presenters: Rachel Chastain, Stressed Out: Working Through Elementary School Test Anxieties D. Kelly Thomas, Stop and Visualize: Helping Students Pay Attention to and Visualize What They Read

Room J306

Saxon vs. Holt: Crunching the Numbers Denei Morehouse, 7th Grade Math Teacher, Chiefland Middle, [email protected] Everything in schools boils down to student achievement. Wouldn’t you look for the best text to facilitate this endeavor? Poster Presenters: Litza Lopez, Struggling Readers: Effects of the UFLI Model for Reading Intervention Diana Elysee, Flashcard Fun: Decoding Double Vowel Sounds and Words

Room J307

Fluency: Does it Frustrate or Facilitate? Allyson Beatty, ESE Teacher, Crystal Swilley, 3rd Grade Teacher, Lake Butler Elementary, [email protected], [email protected] This inquiry explores ways in which fluency timings impact student growth. The presentation focuses on outcomes observed through the use of DIBELS materials and fluency timings. Poster Presenters: Erin Branch & Meghan Miller, How Does UFLI Tutoring Affect the Progress of Two Struggling Readers?


Room J309

HELP! Critical Friends Needed! Kim Sullivan, 2nd Grade Teacher, Macclenny Elementary, [email protected] Educators talk a lot about student work, classroom/student dilemmas, and current research, but sometimes that’s not enough. After attending a summer workshop about creating “learning communities,” I helped form a Critical Friends Group at our school. What positive impact will a Critical Friends Group have on the teaching of the members of the group? Poster Presenters: Susan Oliver, Developing Better Writers through the Usage of Personally Relevant Topics Sharon Sloan, Increasing Reading Fluency Through the Use of Technology

Room J310

A Principal Reflects on Ruby Payne’s A Framework for Understanding PovertyMark Bracewell, Principal, Lake Butler Middle School, [email protected] A principal shares his reflections on a book study he led on A Framework for Understanding Poverty with his entire faculty. Learn about the insights Mark gained into his practice as an administrator as a result of this book, as well as how he used the book with his teachers to create change and work towards breaking the cycle of poverty. Poster Presenters: Erica Walker, The Use of Book Clubs to Enhance Motivation to Read Kristin Hill, Improving Reading by Teaching High Frequency Words

Room J312

Minority Students Attitudes about Academic Achievement: What’s the Relationship? Lawson Brown Jr., 6th Grade Teacher, P.K. Yonge, [email protected] Over the years I have observed a pattern in some students that indicates a correlation between their academic achievement and their attitude about learning. Through the use of surveys and observations I hope to identify some characteristics that may provide insight into why student achievement is either high or low in relation to their attitude about academics. Poster Presenters: Kevin Fess, Increasing Fluency and Reading Speed with the Assistance of Technology Sarah Austin, B-l-e-n-d-i-n-g: Helping Students Sound Out Words


Room K324

A Demo-A-Day in Chemistry Stephen Burgin, High School Chemistry Teacher, P.K. Yonge, [email protected] How does the frequency and use of discrepant event chemistry demonstrations aid in the retention and comprehension of knowledge in the subject of high school chemistry? Is there a difference in achievement when students watch me perform the demonstrations compared with when they perform and explain the demonstrations to a group of elementary students? Video tape data, along with test grades were used to examine student involvement during observation and performance of demonstrations and to assess student understanding of complex topics such as acid/base chemistry, dynamic equilibrium, and catalysis. Poster Presenters: Bridgette Wicke, A Fifth Grader Discovers the Importance of Fluency by Becoming a Buddy Reader Andrea Schoen, Tracking My Own Success

Room K326

Higher Order Mathematical Problem Solving Skills and the GEMS Curriculum Chris Lake, 1st Grade Teacher and Petrina Leggon, 3rd Grade Teacher, Williams Elementary, [email protected], [email protected] In past years our students have struggled when faced with challenging math problems. The types of problems we are referring to require multiple steps, and higher level problem solving skills in order to successfully complete. We decided to include part of the GEMS curriculum within our math block to attempt to begin addressing this problem. Poster Presenters: Katie Lyall, The Effect of the UFLI Program on the Progress of One Struggling Reader Alyson Deskins, Fluency Firecracker: Igniting the Fuse of Fluency

Room K327

Reading Mastery through Making Words Beverly Dewar, Michelle Edwards, Randi Garlitz, Claudia Singerman 1st Grade Teachers and Title One Teachers, Williams Elementary, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Four teachers with very different reading groups participated in this inquiry that combined the Fast Track Phonics Program with the Making Words Program. Our study looks at the relationship between oral reading fluency and the Making Words Program. Poster Presenters: Lindsey Lydecker, Using QuickReads Reading Program to Improve Independent Reading Fluency Rachel Stolz, Using Word Families and Segmentation Activities to Improve Initial Sound Recognition and Phonemic Awareness


Room K329

Team Teaching in an Inclusive Math Class Monica Leon, Collette Thomas, Christy Chandler, Terri Bain, Teachers, Prairie Academy, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Presenters will share their experiences of team teaching in an inclusive 3rd grade math class. The focus will be on how all students benefited academically as well as socially. Poster Presenters: Rebecca Bibliowicz & Jillian Seybert, Which Fluency Building Strategies Work Best to Improve Fourth-Grade Students’ Fluency?

Room K330

Facilitating the Inquiry of Others Nancy Fichtman Dana, Director, Center for School Improvement, Diane Yendol-Hoppey, Director, School Board of Alachua County-University of Florida Elementary Professional Development Communities (PDC) Partnership, [email protected], [email protected] For years, we have been advocating for and teaching about the process of practitioner research as a powerful form of staff development and have facilitated the first inquiries of hundreds of prospective and practicing teachers and principals. Yet, we realized that in our years of facilitating inquiry, we never made the work of facilitation explicit -- it was something we just did. Hence, this year, we embarked on our own inquiry journey with the teachers we worked with to explore and better understand the experience of inquiry facilitation. Join us in the discussion of three critical junctures we were able to identify in the process of inquiry facilitation, and the actions facilitators might take at each of these junctures to support and guide teachers through the inquiry process for the first time. Poster Presenters: Toni Staudenmaier, Enrichment Through Inquiry: Following a Gifted Student’s Growth in Reasoning and Writing Jessica Klahr, From Sounds to Sounding Out to Sight Words: A Child’s Progression in Reading

Room K332

Using Cooperative Learning Environments to Build a Community Elliott Adams, 1st Grade Teacher, Tracy Norman, 3rd Grade Teacher Duval Elementary School, [email protected] Maintaining positive student behaviors impacts student classroom performance. This presentation discusses the use of cooperative learning strategies to promote positive social interactions and a sense of classroom community. Poster Presenters: Jessica Malara & Erin Masi, Does UFLI Help Struggling Readers Soar?


Room M345

Developing Action Plans for Challenging Students: Conducting Inclusion Meetings at Duval Elementary School Lilliemarie Harvey, Special Education Inclusion Teacher, Susan Smith, 5th Grade Teacher, Duval Elementary School, [email protected], [email protected] When students with disabilities are included in general education classrooms, teachers may need help solving the puzzles of teaching and learning that they present. Weekly inclusion meetings can help teachers learn from one another as they work to ensure that all students succeed. Poster Presenters: Alyssa Lee & Juary Lopez, Using Vocabulary, Pre, During, and Post Reading Strategies to Raise Self-Confidence in an ELL Student

Room M347

Using Assessment Driven Mini-Lessons To Enhance Comprehension And Fluency Elaine Langford, Reading Coach, and Janet Walters, Curriculum Resource Teacher, Rawlings Elementary, [email protected], [email protected] We noticed a group of children who could read at a third grade level but were not successfully using good comprehension strategies. We used FCAT test maker to create pre-tests, formative assessments, and passages for instruction to build both fluency and comprehension. Poster Presenters: Christy Black & Lauren Kling, Will Instruction in Phonological Strategies Help Kindergarteners in Danger of Retention Improve Sound and Letter Symbol Relationships?

Room M348

A Simple Approach to Improving High School Parental Involvement Meg Kamman & Emily Peterk, UF Doctoral Students, Angela Jones, Special Education Teacher, Eastside High School, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] High poverty secondary schools often have low parental involvement. To tackle this problem in special education classrooms, we used a simple weekly newsletter combined with email to increase communication with parents. Poster Presenters: Monica Robinson & Kate Ionata, Will Using a Combination of CRISS Strategies Help Fourth-Graders with Content Comprehension?


10:05–10:35 a.m. Session III Room J304

Word Challenge: Building Vocabulary With a Competitive Spirit! Jennifer Page, 8th Grade Language Arts Teacher, Suwannee Middle, [email protected] Teaching reading to middle school students is a complex challenge in itself. But no matter what skills and strategies are taught, the students’ limited vocabulary always gets in the way of comprehension. This inquiry focuses on implementing a vocabulary plan that will effectively motivate and engage students in their own personal vocabulary development…with a touch of competitive spirit included. Poster Presenters: Allison Briggs & Maureen Loughran, The Effectiveness of the UFLI Intervention for Students Reading on Grade Level

Room J306

Classroom Walk Through Leads to Inquiry? How Did We Do and What Do We Think? Jack Hughes, 6th-8th Grade Reading Teacher, Chiefland Middle, [email protected] What happens when we manage by walking around? Do we get a picture of what is going on, how it is happening, who is doing what, what is being used, and is there really student achievement because this stuff takes place? This sounds like a reflection of “Snapshot/Classroom Walk Through” to me. Poster Presenters: Karen Pearson & Amber Ray, The Effect of the UFLI Tutoring Program on Struggling Readers' Fluency

Room J307

Organizational Skills: Who Needs Them? Charlene Leasor, High School Teacher, Trenton High, [email protected] Can students be taught organizational skills that will improve their academic performance? Students were provided with planners and an overview detailing expectations and different organizational styles. Poster Presenters: Emily Allen, They Have the Brains but Lack Organization: Teaching Gifted Students How to Stay Organized in Order to Keep On-Task with Their Classroom Work Maria Johnson, Will Summarization, Motivational and Organizational Strategies, Coupled with Parental Support, Improve a Fourth-Grade Student’s Reading Comprehension?

Room J309

Third Grade FCAT Vocabulary: To Improve Comprehension Carol Snider, 3rd Grade Teacher, Bronson Elementary, [email protected] Third grade students need vocabulary instruction that is research based, and is pertinent to FCAT Testing. This instruction should be 12 minutes daily of hands-on activities based on words found on FCAT. Poster Presenters: Kim Chisling & Heather Kurz, The Impact of the UFLI Reading Intervention on the Progress of Two Struggling Readers


Room J310

Learning ‘Round the Block, - - P.K. Yonge D.R.S. Implemented an Alternating Day, 100-Minute Block Schedule Five Years Ago in the Secondary School Brian Marchman, Assistant Principal & Assistant Professor, P.K. Yonge, [email protected] Block schedules are widely viewed as opportunities for teachers to change their instructional strategies so students may become more engaged, higher achieving learners. This inquiry examined P.K. Yonge teacher perceptions of the effectiveness of our current block schedule. Poster Presenters: Jessica Nease, The Effect of One-On-One Tutoring on a Struggling Reader’s Progress James Vlaadingerbrock, Using a Graph Paper Strategy to Help Improve a Student’s Writing Ability/Structure

Room J312

Why Can’t We All Get Along?: If Cooperative Learning is Such a Great Teaching Strategy, Why is it So Painful Sometimes? Carlee Escue, High School Math Instructor, P.K. Yonge, [email protected] When implementing a group project on playground design, I have noticed the most difficult aspect and hardest to foresee are creating groups that function and get along. I also have found it challenging to get parents to support the idea of cooperative learning and to support me when I tell them it will all work out in the end. Through trial and effort and research, I will present my findings and hopefully positive outcomes of getting everyone to cooperate with cooperative learning. Poster Presenters: Mallory Ovitt, Teaching Math Content to Improve Class Participation Brandi Hartzog, Will Numeracy Strategies Increase the Mathematical Skills of a Fourth-Grade Student?

Room K324

The Relationship Between Student Journaling and Their Grammar Development in Spanish Class Grisell Santiago, Spanish Instructor, P.K. Yonge, [email protected] While trying to figure out how to help my students from Spanish II and III improve their grammar, I came up with the idea of doing a weekly journal about topics in which students in this age group would be interested. The journal entry questions use the grammar rule that we are learning on that particular week, and in this way the students are also practicing new things that they have learned in the classroom. Every six weeks I collected the journals and after returning the journals, we talked about the grammar mistakes that the majority of students had in common. I analyzed improvement my students made from one journal entry to the next. Poster Presenters: Melissa Rickabaugh, Metcognition: Catching Own Daydreaming Danielle Robinson, Using Self Monitoring to Improve Academic Performance


Room K326

Implementing Notebooks in Science and Social Studies for Organization and Study Skills Development Melinda Craine and Deb Magnusson, 5th Grade Teachers, Williams Elementary, [email protected], [email protected] Presenters will share their experiences using spiral notebooks in both science and social studies classes. These teachers decided to implement the use of notebooks in this manner after attending a History Alive workshop. Insights were gained as to the effectiveness of using year-long interactive notebooks. Poster Presenters: Cassandra Leth & Julie Durrance, Will Fluency Strategies Help the Reading Skills of First-Grade Students in Danger of Retention?

Room K327

Strategies to Promote Better Writers Sandy Davis, Karen Sroka, Kay West, 2nd and 4th Grade Gifted Magnet Teacher, 4th Grade Teacher, Williams Elementary, [email protected] The inquiry process began as an effort to narrow down the deluge of materials available for the teaching of writing. Presenters will share practical resources and activities for enhancing focus, organization, elaboration, and conventions in students’ writing. Poster Presenters: Melissa Wallace, The Effect of the UFLI Tutoring Program on a Beginning Reader’s Progress in Phonological Awareness Nancy Brown, How Can I Decrease the Amount of Time Lost to Challenging Behavior?

Room K329

Engaging the Minds of the New Generation of Low-Socioeconomic First Graders Through the Arts Jennifer Lindquist, Art Teacher (K-5), Williams Elementary, [email protected] This inquiry explored how to capture the interest and attention of first grade students, who have been exposed to a higher volume and frequency of passive-experiences (T.V., Video games, computer) than in the past, through an arts lesson. Poster Presenters: Ashley Wilder, Let's NOT Give Him Something To Write About: Free Choice as Motivation for a Struggling Writer Amy Gindoff, Using Tactile Learning Strategies to Help a Learner with Patterns

Room K330

Inquiry, Reflection, and National Board Certification Kristin Weller, 7th Grade Math Teacher, P.K. Yonge, [email protected] A teacher inquirer who has prepared for National Board Certification this year reflects on the process and the ways teacher inquiry and National Board Certification align with each other. Poster Presenters: Lindsey Costello, Will Numeracy Strategies Increase the Mathematical Skills of a Fourth-Grade Student? Roxanne Butts, Improving Reading Fluency Through Practice with High Frequency Words


Room K332

How Effective Is A “School Wide” Vocabulary Policy? William Griffin & Paul Montgomery, 9th Grade Critical Thinking & Government Teachers, Jean Ribault Senior High, Jacksonville, FL, [email protected], [email protected] The teachers in this inquiry project questioned the impact on student learning of a school-wide practice of writing a weekly root word and daily vocabulary words from the weekly root word on the board each day. This inquiry examined whether using a vocabulary word map or sentence extension strategy would provide better results in increasing students’ vocabulary than the school’s vocabulary policy. Poster Presenters: Allison Sadler, Advancing Writing Through Phonemic Awareness Haley Johnson, How Can I Help a Struggling Fourth-Grade Reader Improve His Fluency and Word Recognition Skills?

Room M345

Does the Infusion of the Arts Help Students Understand Math? Karen Magruder, 3rd Grade Teacher, Jenny Eckenrode, Music Teacher, Duval Elementary School, [email protected], [email protected] Presenters will share how arts infusion, particularly music, art, and dance, increases math achievement by making connections between the arts and math. Poster Presenters: Theresa Minder, Teaching Phonemic Awareness to Improve Independent Writing Karla Lacayo, Comprehension: Using Decoding and Reading Strategies to Enhance Understanding

Room M347

You’ve Got Mail: The Kindergarten Student Pen Pal Exchange Project Tricia Ayoub, Kindergarten Teacher, Rawlings Elementary [email protected] Everybody likes to get mail. In this project kindergarten students wrote and received mail with in-school mentors, cross school penpals, and kindergartens from across the country in order to develop skills in reading and writing. Poster Presenters: Charlie Cookerly, The UFLI Program: Is It Beneficial for Struggling Readers? Lisa Williams, Stop the Guessing: Using Strategies to Decode Words

Room M348

Building a Culture of Inquiry at One Elementary School: Teacher Inquiry as a Synonym for Teacher Professional Development Jim Brandenburg, Principal, Alachua Elementary School, [email protected] This session describes how one school developed inquiry as the central component of the teachers' professional development plan and integrated prospective teacher inquiry into the school improvement efforts as well. Specific attention will be given to the process used to build a shared commitment and understanding of the inquiry process within the faculty as well as the overall changes that are resulting in the school's culture. Poster Presenters: Kim Webb, How an Organizational System Can Enhance Student Learning Kelly Wheeler, Using Alphabet Manipulatives to Enhance Decoding Skills


10:40-11:10 a.m. P.K. Yonge Cafeteria

Refreshment Break* *Refreshments sponsored by the Lastinger Center for Learning with support from Wachovia Foundation

11:15-11:45 a.m. Session IV Room J304

Using New Technology to Help Struggling Readers Lynn Marshall, 3rd Grade Teacher, Hampton Elementary, [email protected] Teachers are always hit with “something new!” By using new technology, this third grade teacher found that the Interwrite Pad is a positive force in increasing vocabulary and fluency with her struggling readers. Poster Presenters: David Feuerbach & Jenna Lindsey, Is UFLI Effective in Increasing Achievement for Students Who Are Reading Below Grade Level?

Room J306

Does Quality Have a Place in Geometry Class? Jim Bice, High School Geometry Instructor, P.K.Yonge, [email protected] I have an informal Geometry class that is not working. Is it me, them, or something else? Can I use the Quality Improvement Process that I learned in business to improve my teaching? I tried the steps from this process for my class. It did make me a better teacher and helped me enjoy the class a little more. Poster Presenters: Lindsey Ferdinandsen, Intrinsically Motivating a Student to Read Independently in Order to Improve Reading Comprehension. Amy Finkelman, How Does Reading More at Home and Practicing Reading Comprehension in the Classroom Affect Reading Fluency?

Room J307

Technology vs. Text: Which Tastes Better? Leanne Criscitiello, 7th-8th Grade Reading Teacher, Trenton High, [email protected] Do students in an intervention reading class perform better on assessments completed in the computer lab or do they excel on the traditional text assessments in the classroom? For our students’ benefit, do we need to embrace technology as a necessary ingredient in a successful classroom? Poster Presenters: Tracy Gault & Melanie Kottke, Effects of the UFLI Program on the Progress of Struggling Readers


Room J309

How Does Team Teaching Influence Student Achievement? Juli A. Marcus, 3rd Grade Teacher, Fort White Elementary, [email protected] This inquiry looks into the benefits of team teaching and how it influences student achievement. This presentation will explore student gains academically and emotionally. Poster Presenters: Megan Connaughton, How to Find the Buried Treasure of Good Behavior Jessica Nolan, Improving Frequency Through Increased Reading Aloud Practice

Room J310

Brain-based Learning and Lessons: Success for Struggling Students? Kathy Hunt, 1st-3rd Grade ESE Support Facilitator, [email protected] When dealing with national and state imposed standards and expectations that are developmentally inappropriate, using a developmentally appropriate approach to teaching is becoming more and more difficult. Will brain-based learning activities increase the success rate for struggling (including ESE) students in a general education classroom? Poster Presenters: Brooke Goldfeder, Providing Individualized Attention and Basic Skill Practice to Improve Off-Task Behavior with Struggling Students Kimberly Kuntarics, Will Spelling Strategies Improve the Spelling Skills of Third-Grade Students?

Room J312

Growing Pains: Dealing with Turnover in a Principal Learning Community Over Time Cheryl Beauchamp, Principal, Bronson Elementary, [email protected] Lynn Bishop, Principal, Lake Butler Elementary, [email protected] Mark Bracewell, Principal, Lake Butler Middle, [email protected] Denee Hurst, Principal, Anderson Elementary, [email protected] Lynette Langford, Principal, Trenton Middle-High, [email protected] Norri Steele, Principal, Suwannee Middle, [email protected] Rick Stephens, Principal, Hampton Elementary, [email protected] Bobby Turnipseed, Principal, Chiefland Middle, [email protected] Fran Vandiver, Director, P.K. Yonge, [email protected] LuAnn Williams, Principal, Mcclenney Elementary, [email protected] Learn how a group of principals across 6 counties have come together and sustained a powerful principal learning community over a 6-year period. Presenters address how the community dealt with turnover of membership, regrouped, and sustained the power of this learning community of administrators over time. Poster Presenters: Stacy Hawkins & Hayley Simon, Do I Show Him I Care?: It Is All About Relationships


Room K324

Parent-Teacher Book Clubs in the Middle Grades: Improving Communication and Understanding among Parents, Teachers and Students Greg Cunningham, 7th Grade Instructor, English Language Arts, [email protected] The communication triangle between parent, teacher and student breaks down in the middle grades. Parents already confused by their children’s behavior are often overwhelmed by the sudden number of teachers and their diverse expectations. Teachers find it difficult to get to know individual families well with student loads in the hundreds. And the students themselves are caught up in an emotional maelstrom that leaves little room for academics or communication, but has one ironclad principal: “Keep things on the ‘down-low’… Talking to your parents is definitely not cool.” This inquiry examines the effects of using the body of literature written for parents about young adolescents’ development and behavior as the focus of a monthly evening book club. Goals for these meetings are to (1) engage in text-based discussions, (2) break down parents’ sense of isolation, (3) foster networking and building of school community, and (4) enjoy each other’s company. Poster Presenters: Lauren Brown, Encouraging the Use of Phonemic Awareness to Improve the Writing of Struggling Students Amanda Whitehurst, Slow Down When You’re on Your Own: Teaching a Student to Effectively Use Reading Comprehension Strategies

Room K326

Ensuring Every Student’s Success in Math Adam Escue, 4th Grade Teacher, P.K. Yonge, [email protected] When faced with the challenge of ensuring my students success within math I found that I had a population of students all with different needs. So, I began a process of differentiating my instruction in order to meet individual students at their level. Through this experience I have discovered approaches in teaching math that have benefited each and every student. Poster Presenters: Jessica Cook, Can Organization Strategies Help Two Struggling Gifted Fifth Graders Succeed in Mathematics? Luz Maria Delfin, Using Reciprocal Teaching to Aid in the Comprehension of Non-Fiction Texts

Room K327 Using Journals for Development of Social Skills and Conflict Resolution

Dory Schofield, Sandra Sukhraj, Bernard Baez, 5th grade teachers, Williams Elementary, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] This presentation will show how social skills and conflict resolution was addressed in the classroom through the use of journal writing. This is the second year of implementing journal writing by these teachers. This inquiry was originally developed as a result of their book study work with Habits of Goodness by Ruth Charney. Poster Presenters: Mary E. "Molly" McCoun & Allyson Jennings, Implementing Behavior Intervention Strategies to Promote or Enhance Student Performance


Room K329

Supporting the Reading Development of a Struggling Third Grade Student Cecelia Lockwood, CRT Aide, Williams Elementary, [email protected] My inquiry focused on understanding how I could help one third grade student, who is reading on a first grade level, develop his reading skills. Since this student enjoys writing and takes pride in his hand-writing, I explored the question, “Can writing help improve his reading ability?” Poster Presenters: Christine Guggenheimer, Does UFLI Increase a Student’s Reading Level? Chris Ammen, Can I Improve a Student's Reading Comprehension by Implementing the "Sticky Notes" Strategy?

Room K330

ESOL and Essay Writing Rebecca Wolfson, 4th Grade Teacher, Lake Butler Elementary, [email protected] In Florida, teachers are challenged to prepare students for the FCAT Writing test. ESOL students usually struggle on this test. Through teacher inquiry, I looked for effective strategies that would allow my ESOL student to create an effective essay. Poster Presenters: Summer Nolen & Michelle Norberg, Will Fluency Building Strategies Improve a Fifth-Grade Class’ Fluency Skills?

Room K332

Successful Strategies for Minimizing Defiance in a Productive Learning Community Fabiola Calixte, 3rd Grade Teacher, Barbara Henry, Behavior Resource Teacher & Assistant Principal, Ally Jandik, 3rd Grade Teacher, Duval Elementary, [email protected] A researcher in the area of student defiance wrote, “Some of our students have experienced painful rejections. To guard against being rejected or unsuccessful again, they opt to reject us first, believing that the best defense is a good offense.” We chose to do this inquiry to foster positive relationships between teachers and students displaying defiant behaviors. Poster Presenters: Amanda Denahan & Jill Blythe, Teaching the Alphabetic Principle and Phonemic Awareness for Reading Readiness

Room M345

Helping First Graders Learn To Ask Questions Elizabeth Johnson, Carolyn Maguire, and Kesia Singletary, First Grade Teachers, Rawlings Elementary, [email protected] When reading stories to our children we noticed they were having difficulty generating questions related to stories. We implemented a plan to further their comprehension by teaching them the purposes and process of question asking. Poster Presenters: Lesley Burrell, How Can Increased Knowledge of Word Families Improve One Student’s Decoding Skills? Mary Shannon, Using Sight Words with Picture Reinforcement to Improve Student Fluency and Reading Efficiency


Room M347

Linking Kindergarten Students From Diverse School Cultures Through Pen Pals: The Kindergarten Student Pen Pal Exchange Project Elmira Goode and Katie Reed, Kindergarten Teachers, Rawlings Elementary, [email protected], [email protected] Kindergarten teachers and their students from different school cultures corresponded and interacted with each other to develop reading and writing skills. Linkages across urban, rural and suburban schools created the context for kindergarten students to experience letter writing as a communication tool and to learn to understand and appreciate diversity. Poster Presenters: Lauren Brown, Encouraging the Use of Phonemic Awareness to Improve the Writing of Struggling Students Wendy Abrams, /ar/f! – Helping an ESL Student Develop Phonemic Awareness

11:55-12:25 p.m. Session V Room J304

New Reading Coach: How Can I Best Utilize My Time and Activities? Debbi Hubbell, Reading Coach (K-5), Fort White Elementary, [email protected] I was faced with the challenge of being a new reading coach this year with demanding tasks combined with a loosely defined role. My inquiry explored ways to understand how to effectively use my time and ways to improve what I did. Poster Presenters: Paula Heilman, The Effect of a Structured Reading Program on the Progress of a Struggling Reader Cailin Huppert, Do Repeated Readings Mixed with Sight Word Timings Help with Reading Fluency?

Room J306

The Reading and Writing Connection in the Early Childhood Classroom Ivy Dix, Kindergarten Teacher, Bronson Elementary, [email protected] Looking for new ways to improve my students’ reading comprehension, I turned to one of my favorite subjects: WRITING! Come take a look into my kindergarten classroom as I investigate the connections between reading comprehension and writing. Could a writing activity that immediately follows a story read aloud improve my students’ comprehension? Poster Presenters: Ben Haines, The Impact of the UFLI Tutoring Program on Struggling Readers’ Progress Ryan Aschenbrenner, Motivational Strategies


Room J307

Motivation in the Middle: Creating Data Driven Students Nancy H. Nielsen, 6th Grade ESE Inclusion Teacher, Suwannee Middle School, [email protected] Education is becoming increasingly data driven, with tests and assessments used to determine decisions ranging from funding to placement to actual lesson plans for the classroom. What happens when we invite students to use their own data to become more engaged in their educational experience? Poster Presenters: Katie Almon & Elizabeth Homan, Improving Reading Comprehension through Word Recognition Strategies

Room J309

“Teacher, I’m Finished! What Do I Do?” Sherri Jackson, 3rd Grade Teacher, Macclenny Elementary, [email protected] In my classroom, when students completed their assignment and were waiting for others to finish, they would read their AR book. I wanted to find a way to use that time in a way that reinforces FCAT skills. I discovered take-it-to-your-seat centers and have started using them in addition to the option of reading. My data shows that using these centers allowed students to reinforce FCAT skills, and in addition, student behavior improved. Poster Presenters: Kimberly Rice, If A Student is Given an Allotted Time to Spend on Assignments, Will His Work and Overall Effort Improve? Stephanie Apolaro, Using Mini-Lessons as a Means to Improve Student Writing

Room J310

Teaching Other People’s Children: Examining and Improving Teacher and Administrative Practices towards African-American Students Randy Scott, High School Assistant Principal, P.K. Yonge, [email protected] This inquiry began around the reading of Lisa Delpit’s 1995 book, Other People’s Children. Several teachers and administrators selected this book in a process of examining and improving their practices towards African-American students. The book serves as an informal and un-intrusive guide as educators ask the following questions: How can I help meet the needs of African-American students? Do my instructional practices help or hinder these students? What role has my heritage and upbringing played in the lives of these students? What can I do to help close the achievement gap and improve my practices toward African-American students? Come join in a discussion of the learning that occurred when a group of teachers studied this book and developed a better awareness of African-American students and student achievement. Poster Presenters: Jason Stubbe, The Use of Preferential Seating to Improve On-Task Behavior Pam Hall, The Relationship Between a Student’s Behavior and His Progress in Reading


Room J312

Getting Ready for the Big Show: Teaching Science Through Performance and Presentation Randy Hollinger, 7th Grade Science Teacher, P.K. Yonge, [email protected] Will students rise to the challenge when they have to perform or present to others? Remember the old saying "to truly know something is to teach it?” I was interested to see if students would learn with more efficiency, retention, and motivation if a performance or presentation is at the end (sort of like this inquiry project). With the pressure on, the students are studying animal diversity through a program called Science Live where they travel to local schools and teach elementary students about animal diversity with live specimens and presentations. Will they know their stuff? Poster Presenters: Rebecca Liem, Using Small Group Mini Lessons with Struggling Students to Improve Independent Writing Roxanne Stone, Improving Reading Fluency Through Practice with High Frequency Words

Room K324

Bridging the Gap: Making the Transition from Intervention Math To General Math Kathryn Albrecht, Middle School ESE Teacher, P.K. Yonge & Stephanie Harrell, 8th Grade Math Teacher, P.K. Yonge, [email protected], [email protected] Students transitioning from 7th grade intervention math to general 8th grade math lack confidence and struggle with grade level mathematical concepts. Through the use of student and teacher interviews, supports were designed to help students gain confidence and increase achievement. Poster Presenters: Mary Dukes, Enhancing Writing Instruction Through Focused Intervention Emily Neilson, Increasing Fluency Through the Use of Technology

Room K326

Everybody Loves PE or Do They??? Daniel Drost, PE Teacher, Williams Elementary, [email protected] Knowing the importance of physical activity, my students are expected to see at least moderate success or improvement physically. The more I try, some students just can’t see this. There has to be good reason and some solution to this problem. To gain insights into my physical education teaching, I explored the wondering, “How do non-athletic/non-motivated students experience Physical Education?” Poster Presenters: Stephanie Wignall, Engaging Students and Increasing Participation Through Improving Listening Skills Carly Tullis, Improving Fine Motor Abilities Through the Use of Technology

Room K327

Bridging the Gap Between School and Home Johnny Cromwell, Maggie Jossi, Sunshine Moss, & Kari Leigh Winegard, 4th & 3rd Grade Teachers, Williams Elementary, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Presenters will share data collected through surveys given to the families of their students attempting to answer the question, “How do parents perceive Williams Elementary School?”


The focus of the inquiry is to analyze common themes and develop a plan to help families become more involved at Williams. Poster Presenters: Kathryn Roegiers, A Step by Step Method to Sight Words Kendra Quesenberry, Do You Hear What I Hear?: Using Quality Children’s Literature and Flashcards to Develop Phonics in First Grade

Room K329

Exploring Language in Use Erica M. Jacobs, 8th Grade Language Arts Teacher, St. Patrick’s School, [email protected] Considering the continued debate over the need for explicit vocabulary instruction and the resistance from my students to learn new vocabulary words, merged with my sincere belief in the need for a combination of implicit and explicit instruction, I have designed a variety of creative activities which I incorporated into my curriculum and used on a daily basis. Poster Presenters: Christen Hamilton, The Effect of the UFLI Tutoring Program on the Fluency of a Stuggling Reader Shaina Nelson, Using a Written Contract to Increase Student Motivation and Focus

Room K330

Helping My Paraprofessionals Create Their Pedagogy Sharron Cuthbertson, PK-ESE Teacher, Bronson Elementary School, [email protected] In an effort to help my paraprofessionals understand their own orientation and beliefs defining their teaching pedagogy as well as my own, I engaged in a collaborative inquiry with them. Within our triad I created a questionnaire that we each completed in order to better understand our individual approaches to teaching and learning. We then collaboratively collected data on our students, as well as ourselves, to determine how closely our individual and collective actions related to our beliefs about teaching. By systematically sharing our own orientation towards teaching and looking at student data, we began to create a shared way of working within our classroom. Poster Presenters: Ashley N. Hope & Margaret A. Edgerton, How the Use of Positive Reinforcement Affects Students Attitudes within the Classroom

Room K332

Maximizing Mathematical Gains through Benchmark Clustering Shawnna Batie, 4th Grade Teacher, Wanza Wakeley, Curriculum Resource Teacher, Gloria Merriex, 5th Grade Teacher, Duval Elementary School, [email protected] This presentation addresses teachers’ concerns with increasing students’ achievement of the Sunshine State standards in mathematics. Through the use of benchmark clustering, the fourth-grade teacher was able to focus instruction on targeted skills. Poster Presenters: Amanda Fischer, Sound-Symbol Relationship Counseling Jennifer Serafin, STOP! Helping a Student to Stop and Decode Unknown Words During Reading


Room M345

Changing the Writing Culture in my Building Lacy Redd, Principal, Newberry Elementary School, [email protected] Principal Lacy Redd will share how her school is working to meet No Child Left Behind requirements. She will share her school’s efforts to involve all stakeholders, including the university, in changing the writing culture of her school. Staff development tips will be shared and important lessons in school change will be highlighted. Poster Presenters: Teri Anastasio & Meghan Walters, How Does the Use of Mini Lessons in Writer's Workshop Effect Student Paragraph Writing Development and Confidence?

Room M347

Hand Me That Science: Teaching Concepts Through Manipulatives Sharon Thomas and Katie Milton, Fifth Grade Teachers, Rawlings Elementary [email protected] When thinking about implementing hands on science through the GEMS program in collaboration with Harcourt science, we wondered about how using manipulatives influences comprehension. We explored the impact of teaching science concepts through activity based lesson and assessed students’ comprehension. Poster Presenters: Morgan Beasley & Leanne Harrison, Question: Can Personalized Attention and Strategies Help a Student Who Struggles With Communication?

Room M348

Here’s What Learning Looks Like! Rose O’Hara-Jolley, 3rd-5th Grade Teacher, One Room Schoolhouse & Cathy Hanek, UF Masters Student, [email protected], [email protected] My third, fourth and fifth grade reading and writing class uses methods derived from responsive classroom, writers workshop and the project approach. We wondered what students “really” do when engaged in independent activities. We documented what students do and the amount of time students are on task while engaged in independent learning activities. Poster Presenters: Carrie Werner, The Effects of the UFLI Tutoring Program on a Struggling Reader’s Progress Diana Cheesman, Becoming a Reading Detective: Using Decoding to Solve Reading Comprehension

12:30-1:00 p.m. Performing Arts Center Closing Session

A Celebration of the Practitioner Inquiry Experience Nancy Fichtman Dana, Director Center for School Improvement [email protected]


Post – Showcase Events

1:00-1:45 pm Media Center/Cafeteria

Pre-Intern Final Session & Recruitment Luncheon* *Sponsored by the Foundation for Rural Education Excellence(FREE)

1:00-2:00 pm J-304 & J-306

Lastinger Center Wachovia Focus Group Interviews & Lunch

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Programs Represented at the 2006 Inquiry Showcase

The Center for School Improvement at the University of Florida’s overarching goal is to promote and support practitioner inquiry as a primary mechanism for school improvement in schools throughout the state. In partnership with the North East Florida Educational Consortium and P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, the Center organizes the Teaching, Inquiry, and Innovation Showcase each year, bringing together practitioners from a number of different contexts that are devoted to improving schools through inquiry. Nancy Dana, CSI Director, collaborated with NEFEC and P.K. Yonge teachers and administrators on the individual inquiries shared at today’s Showcase. North East Florida Educational Consortium’s Florida Reading Initiative (FRI). The Florida Reading Initiative is a research-based school wide reform effort committed to providing the professional development and follow up support necessary for schools to achieve just that—100% literacy! Teachers are given the background knowledge, skills and strategies needed to teach all students. Thirteen schools in the North East Florida Educational Consortium (NEFEC) member districts began the FRI in year one, with twenty-seven additional NEFEC schools joining in year two of the Initiative. This K-12 Initiative promotes teacher inquiry, collegial conversation and professional development. The focus is on improving reading instruction by fostering teacher development. Teachers and administrators from the first thirteen schools presented at the Inquiry Showcase today. Support for their work was provided by NEFEC personnel (Sabrina Crosby, Marsha Hill, Bob Smith, Janet Valentine), Inquiry Facilitators (Nancy Dana, Debbi Hubbell, Jack Hughes, Michelina “Mickey” MacDonald, Kim Sullivan, and Diane Yendol-Hoppey), UF Head Education Librarian (Iona Malanchuk), and the “Lucky 13” principals (Cheryl Beauchamp, Lynn Bishop, Mark Bracewell, Denee Hurst, Lynette Langford, Nori Steele, Rick Stephens, Bobby Turnipseed, Fran Vandiver, and LuAnne Williams). PK Yonge Developmental Research School, a unit in the College of Education of the University of Florida, was established in 1934 to be a center

of educational innovation for students, K-12. Under the direction of Fran Vandiver, the primary role of the school is to develop, evaluate, and disseminate exemplary programs of education. P.K. Yonge serves the state of Florida by conducting research studies regarding management, teaching, and learning. Instructional practices are investigated through formal studies, faculty directed action research, and assisting graduate students and university faculty with research projects involving P.K. Yonge students. Seventeen teachers and administrators from PK Yonge presented their inquiries at today’s Showcase. The School Board of Alachua County – University of Florida Professional Development Communities (PDC) Partnership was created in response to the national Professional Development School movement and in an effort to provide all students within the University of Florida's Unified Elementary ProTeach program (approximately 200 prospective teachers per academic year) access to rich and connected field experiences. The partnership was established between the university and ten elementary schools in Alachua County: Littlewood, Williams, Terwilliger, High Springs, Newberry, Alachua, Foster, One Room School House, Norton, and P.K. Yonge. The PDC concept is designed to both acknowledge the unique qualities of each school as well as create space for each school's work with prospective and practicing teachers to further the school's own mission by targeting school improvement areas. Three critical attributes undergird the PDC work: 1) A shared overarching mission, 2) Field experiences with connected coursework driven by school needs rather than university developed syllabi, and 3) Networking among PDCs. One way networking among the PDCs is accomplished is through prospective teachers sharing ways they have contributed to school improvement in each PDC at the annual Teaching, Inquiry, and Innovation Showcase. One hundred and forty-four prospective teachers from the PDCs shared posters of their inquiries into school improvement at today's Showcase. Their inquiries were supported by PDC


Coordinator (Diane Yendol-Hoppey) and Special Ed Coordinator (Martha League), PDC Principals (Darla Boyd, Jim Brandenburg, Kathy Dixon, Glenda Good, Amy Hollinger, Sandy Maderios, Jeff Means, Lacy Redd, Gail Hamilton, and Ann Dolan), PDC Field Advisors (Ela Kaye Eley, Carl Fields, Angela Gregory, Jennifer Jacobs, Marty League, Joanne Pohlman, Vicki Vescio, Carolyn Beaunae, Darby Desmond, Suzie Mancil, Tiffany Ohlson, and Twila Patten), and numerous PDC Mentor Teachers. The Lastinger Center for Learning is a $4 million endowed center in the University of Florida’s College of Education. The Center’s mission is to promote sustained, measurable improvement in the academic achievement of Florida’s elementary school children by focusing on the recruitment, retention, and development of teachers and principals in high poverty schools. Teachers representing the Lastinger Center at this showcase are involved in the Florida Teacher Fellows Program, and teach in one of the nineteen schools in the Lastinger Center’s Florida Flagship Schools Network. Each Flagship School has 20-30 Teacher Fellows who have committed to working together to improve the education of students at their school through the use of teacher inquiry. Teachers meet monthly with an external facilitator in a year-long examination of their own practices. Fifty-six Lastinger teachers presented at today’s showcase, with support for their work from Director Don Pemberton, Coordinator Alyson Adams, Professors (Elizabeth Bondy, Nancy Dana, Holly Lane, and Dorene Ross), and six Teacher Leaders (Maggie Jossi, Randi Garlitz, Valde Fortner, Michelle Edwards, Terri Bain, and Donna Bergen). For more information on the Florida Teacher Fellows, or one of the many other Lastinger Center for Learning initiatives, log onto the website at: www.lastingercenter.com. The School of Teaching and Learning at the University of Florida Advanced Graduate Programs include: Curriculum, Teaching & Teacher Education, Early Childhood Education, Educational Technology, Elementary Education, English Education, ESOL/Bilingual Education, Foreign Language Education, Literacy & the Arts, Language & Literacy, Mathematics Education, Reading & Literacy, Science Education, Social Foundations, Social Studies Education, and Teacher Leadership for School Improvement.

Many UF graduate students enrolled in these programs work in school contexts to conduct inquiry around issues faced daily by practicing teachers. Some of these students are conducting inquiry within their own classrooms as part of their university coursework. Others collaborate with practicing teachers (and one another) to design inquiry that addresses teachers' questions and concerns. Eight teachers enrolled in advanced graduate study presented their inquiries at today’s Showcase, with support from their course instructors, Nancy Dana, Kara Dawson, Dorene Ross, and Diane Yendol-Hoppey. For more information on advanced study programs in the School of Teaching and Learning, visit http://www.coe.ufl.edu/school. The University of Florida Alliance is a university-wide partnership with six urban high schools. Focused collaborative efforts allow educators to explore new solutions, reflect on evolving issues, and put into practice new strategies in the demanding and dynamic field of urban education. Alliance partners work together to improve education and educational opportunities across the state of Florida and to empower students to become leaders in their schools, their communities, and in their chosen professions. Teachers representing the Alliance at this Showcase are involved in the Urban Teacher Induction and Retention Network, funded by BellSouth Foundation, which links and supports novice and mentor teachers. One mentor and one novice teachers from the Induction Network presented at today’s showcase, with support for their work from Alliance Director, Bernard Oliver, Project Coordinator, Wanda Lastrapes and Jean Ribault High School Principal, Royce Turner. For more information about the University of Florida Alliance and the Urban Teacher Induction and Retention Network, visit the following websites: www.coe.ufl.edu/Alliance and www.coe.ufl.edu/Alliance/Urban/index.htm. Special thanks to the following people at University of Florida for their support of the 2006 Teaching, Inquiry, and Innovation Showcase: Susan Stabel, Senior Secretary, Center For School Improvement, Juawon Scott, Graphic Designer, College of Education, Tom Dana, Director, School of Teaching and Learning, and Catherine Emihovich, Dean, College of Education.


Teaching, Inquiry, and Innovative Showcase

April 29, 2006 Showcase Feedback Form

I am a (please check one): ____ NEFEC Teacher ____ UF Faculty Member/Field Advisor ____ P.K. Yonge Teacher ____ School-Based Administrator ____ Lastinger Teacher Fellow ____ UF Administrator ____ UF Graduate Student ____ UF Alliance Teacher ____ UF Prospective Teacher ____ Other:_________________________ Did you present at the Showcase today? (please circle) Yes No Please provide any feedback you would like to share about your experience at the Teaching, Inquiry, and Innovative Showcase today:

april 29th 2006 p.k. yonge developmental research...

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