Appetite for Instruction

With dreams of turning the railroad caboose that sits on their school’s side lawn into a reading room, these teachers help their school and community appreciate the historical aspects of their area, while also using modern technology to enhance student learning. Listen to the podcast (click the play button above) to hear Karen Bilak and Denise Bustamante discuss their school’s unique qualities.

Adjacent to railroad tracks, Lakeville Elementary’s mascot is a train engineer. Denise helped open Lakeville ES in 1998 and has a deep appreciation for the learning opportunties centered around railroads. In the school’s opening year, students wrote to request archives and memorabilia from collectors and afficinados throughout the country. Artifacts collected are in the school’s train museum. The museum contains items like lanterns, ticket boxes, conductor suit, a student-built model wooden train, an electronically powered railroad track, and working railroad crossing lights.

One unique celebration is Casey Jones day (sometime in the spring) to commemorate an infamous railroad engineer. Students dress as an engineer for the day and look for the Golden Spike in hopes of winning a prize.

To help build student leaders, Denise trains the museum docents (third, fourth and fifth graders) to conduct tours, create scavenger hunts about railroad history and teach railroad safety. These students become history masters of their specific area in the museum, as well as learn valuable public speaking skills.

Like other elementary teachers throughout the district, their school became a one-to-one digital school this academic year. As Digital Curriculum Teacher Leaders, Denise and Karen train other teachers on digital learning best practices. Their key piece of advice to implement blended learning is to pick a lesson where a digital device enhances student learning and isn’t added because a teacher felt the need to use a device.  One of Karen’s favorite digital tools is Nearpod, which is available on the OCPS Launchpad through a district license. She loves the ability to create interactive Powerpoint lessons and virtual reality field trips. The VR glasses and digital devices provide opportunities to students they might not otherwise have access.

Here’s a taste of the railroad inspired decor (and some sweet patriotic melody):

 

A peek at the train memorabillia:

Inspiring whiteboard messages:

Young scientist at work:

 

P.S. If you know anyone who can help make the caboose reading room dream a reality, let us know. Send an email to [email protected].

 

ABOUT THE GUESTS – 

Karen Bilak is a UCF graduate and fifth-grade math and science teacher at Lakeville Elementary. This is her 10th year as an educator – all at Lakeville – and she has taught second, third, fourth and fifth grades. In 2016 she was the school’s Teacher of the Year and in 2018 she was one of Florida’s High Impact Teachers in 2018. She values building relationships and trust with her students, which allows her to build their capacity to push them to be the very best they can be. Lakeville holds a special place in her heart because it is where she did her junior internship.

Denise Bustamante works as Lakeville’s Media Specialist. She’s been teaching in Orange County for 30 years: 10 years at Lovell ES, three years at Piedmont Lakes MS and the other 17 at Lakeville. The Train Museum’s dedication was in 1999, which helped her and the fourth-grade team win a

As the district commemorates its 150 anniversary, Chartine and Tammi celebrate their combined 70 years of experience within OCPS.

From film projectors and mimeograph machines to laptop computers and robotics, Chartine Griffin and Tammi Young explore the evolution of teaching within OCPS and their longevity secret.

As the district commemorates its 150 anniversary, Chartine and Tammi celebrate their combined 70 years of experience within OCPS. 

Teaching in a Title 1 school with 80% of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch, these teachers are excited about their students having access to modern-day technology. Now a 1-to-1 digital device school, Tammi no longer focuses on teaching the card catalog and Dewey decimal system, instead, she teaches students how to use Destiny, an online catalog, and cyber safety security. 

Tucked into the historic town of Eatonville, Hungerford Elementary School serves 300 students who learn their town’s role within the local culture, especially in January when the town sponsors the world-renowned Zora Neale Hurston Festival. 

Listen to them discuss their school and community’s rich history and how they create unique learning experiences.

 

ABOUT THE GUESTS – 

Chartine Griffin began teaching more than 40 years ago. This veteran teaches fifth grade at Hungerford ES and is celebrating her successes learning 21st Century technology. She earned a Disney Teacheriffic Award for her collaboration on making Saturday School innovative.

Tammi Young began her career at Hungerford ES. She worked as a classroom teacher for 22 years and has spent the last six as Hungerford’s media specialist. She’s a proud product of OCPS. She earned two Disney Teacheriffic Awards for her creative method to teaching history and she was also on the team that won one for making Saturday School innovative.

No matter a student’s disability, these three teachers work to ensure all students feel a sense of belonging.

No matter a student’s disability, these three teachers work to ensure all students feel a sense of belonging. This episode focuses on the positives of inclusion, from technology to success stories to course codes – you don’t want to miss this one.

Click the play button above to hear how Crystal Carrasquillo, Christy Dove and Kay Turley work to teach students at their schools the meaning and value of inclusion, which is more than proximity. 

At Stone Lakes ES, teachers talk to kindergarteners about the students with disabilities and explain what their challenges are and how they can help them. The SWD participate in grade-level specials (like physical fitness, music and art) and any other educational opportunities that arise. She also uses MILO the robot (click the link to see a news story about him) to help her students learn social cues.

Christy wanted her students to not only be included academically, but socially too. To assist with this, she created the Eagles United club. The 40-50 members have so much fun getting to know one another, doing icebreakers, games and activities together, that it’s helped form lasting friendships.

Crystal also has her students go to general education electives so they can meet other students and they eat lunch in the cafeteria to be with their peers. Outside of the academic day, she started a Best Buddies chapter on campus. This club builds one-on-one meaning friendships between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Kay created Peer Inclusion Team because she agrees with the other guests that inclusion is about building real relationships. The PIT service club focuses on equity.  Oftentimes, SWD have not had good experiences in school. They’ve been isolated and built walls to protect themselves. When she trains the PIT Crew members she wants them to learn how to show up faithfully and how to support SWD in class. In time, she sees the barriers begin to disappear and friendships form.

 

This #OCPSGrads video shares the impact PIT Crew had on the interviewees: 

You should also meet Leo, a student who received PIT Crew services:

 

You have to listen to get the full scoop.

 

ABOUT THE GUESTS – 

Crystal Carrasquillo, from Union Park MS, is in her eighth year teaching students with varying disabilities who are working on a modified curriculum. She oversees the school’s Best Buddies program, Green team, CHEER (staff morale program) and Partners In Education program. She’s proud to be a hometown girl. She graduated from an OCPS high school and earned her undergrad and master’s degree from the University of Central Florida.  She absolutely loves working with students with disabilities and considers herself fortunate to have a job she loves to wake up and go to.

Christy Dove teaches students with autism spectrum disorder at Stone Lakes Elementary. She utilizes MILO, a robot that assists students with social cues and calming techniques, in her classroom. She works hard at inclusion, in part by working with their K-Kids group on inclusive activities, but also helps teachers with information/techniques whenever possible.

Kay Turley, from Timber Creek High, began teaching students with disabilities 34 years ago. She started working for OCPS after receiving her bachelor’s degree from UCF. Kay is also a proud product of OCPS. She attended Sadler Elementary, Westridge (Jr. High back then) and Oak Ridge High School. She started the PIT Crew at Timber Creek in partnership with the Florida Inclusion Network about nine years ago.  PIT Crew has changed the culture of their school...

Kyle Dencker and Priscilla Reyes discuss the importance of mastering problem solving and how computer science helps students learn this valuable life skill.

In this episode Kyle Dencker and Priscilla Reyes discuss the importance of mastering problem solving and how computer science helps students learn this valuable life skill. The two explain how their classes help students learning problem solving methods in other classes, too. (You’ve got to listen to hear what they have to say about math teachers!)

Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles is a portfolio assessed class that provides students the opportunity to explore something of their own interest. For example, if a student has a passion for agriculture, he can explore ways to make it more effective on smaller patches of land. The topics to explore are endless, which appeals to a variety of students.

One group of students both teachers work to increase is females in computer science. Since each student tackles a problem using prior experience as their base knowledge, having gender and racial diversity in these classes (and professionally) helps increase the variety of solutions available. Each person’s unique idea helps contribute to the collective solution.

With that in mind, Kyle has all of his female students apply for the National Center for Women and Informational Technology Aspirations for Computing award because it provides recipients with recognition, scholarships, access to internships and female role models.

Take a listen to how they recruit, why they teach and being responsible digital citizens.

 

ITEMS OF NOTE

Hour of Code

Girls Who Code

 

ABOUT THE GUESTS– 

Kyle Dencker teaches Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles at Timber Creek HS. He was the 2019 Orange County Public Schools Teacher of the Year and a state finalist, and a National Center for Women and Informational Technology Aspirations for Computing Educator award recipient for Central Florida in 2013 and 2017. He also sponsors the competitive Programming Team.

Priscilla Reyes teaches AP Computer Science Principles at Apopka HS and is the National Center for Women and Informational Technology Aspirations for Computing Educator award recipient for Central Florida. She sponsors the Girls Can Code club and is adding the Bro Code club next year.  She’s also exploring going into Title 1 schools in Apopka to help teach younger students how to code.

Learn why Melissa Pappas, the current Orange County Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year, chose to teach students who cannot advocate for themselves.

Listen to the podcast (click play button above) to hear Melissa Pappas, the current Orange County Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year, discuss why she chose to teach students who cannot advocate for themselves.

In this episode, Melissa shares what we can all learn from non-verbal students, whether from a disability or shyness.

As the 2020 OCPS TOY, she hopes to educate others about students with special needs and how to help or react to them when they have behavioral issues. 

Take a look inside her classroom:

 

To hear her acceptance speech from the Stellar Awards, watch this video: 

 

ABOUT THE GUEST– 

Melissa Pappas teaches K-5 students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and special needs at Brookshire ES and is the 2020 Orange County Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year. As a former student of Brookshire, it has a special place in her heart.

Two teachers discuss being new to the profession and the challenges and successes they experienced.