Martha Holden Jennings · PDF fileMartha Holden Jennings Foundation SPRING 2014 ... higher education, or the ... public education keep its role in being the

PRO EXCELLENTIA • SPRING 2014MARTHA HOLDEN JENNINGS FOUNDATION

Martha Holden Jennings Foundation S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Professional artists visit Massillon preschools to teach lessons in music, dance, literature, and art. The experience builds leadership skills that can last a lifetime. (See story pgs. 13-14)

Crafting Leaders


The purpose of the Martha Holden

Jennings Foundation is “to foster the

development of individual capabilities

of young people to the maximum

extent through improving the quality

of teaching in secular primary and

secondary schools” and “to provide a

means for greater accomplishment

on the part of Ohio’s teachers by

encouraging creativity in teaching and

bringing greater recognition to the

teaching profession.”

Pro Excellentia is published to describe

a sampling of those efforts.

We ask that you please share this copy

with colleagues who may gain valuable

information and ideas from articles

covered in this publication.

Mary Kay Binder, Editor

© 2014 Martha Holden Jennings FoundationThe Halle Building1228 Euclid AvenueSuite 710Cleveland, Ohio 44115

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Foundation Selects aNew Executive Director

Last fall, Dr. William Hiller announced his plans to retire after serving 44 years as an educator, 13 of those as the Foundation’s Executive Director. Reflect-ing on his professional experiences, he remarks: “Teaching is both an art and a craft that requires not only updated knowledge of one’s content area but also an ability to promote active learning practices. Students will learn more deeply when they can apply classroom gath-ered information to real world problems and when they take part in projects that require sustained engagement and col-laboration.” Dr. Hiller was instrumental in guid-ing the Foundation as it established new grant making themes–Deep Learning and Excellent Teaching. Those themes will continue to steer its efforts as the Foundation moves forward under the leadership of newly appointed Executive Director, Dr. Daniel Keenan, Jr. Currently the Superintendent of Westlake City Schools, Dr. Keenan is familiar to the Foundation having served on the Distribu-tion Committee as well as the selection committee for teacher awards during the past seven years. The Foundation welcomes Dr. Keenan to this new position and would like to share some of his comments regarding his new role.

Q: What do you believe is the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation’s pri-mary role in education in Ohio?A: Through my involvement with the Foundation, I’ve been fortunate to learn of its history and the principles upon which it was built. The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation is about recognizing and supporting Ohio’s best teachers and providing excellent learning experiences for public school children in Ohio. I’ve always loved how the Founda-tion stays true to its great history and tradition yet has always been on the front line of what is going on in education. Great resources have been provided due

to the generosity of our founders. Our primary role is to ensure we utilize those resources to honor the best teachers and to make a significant difference for Ohio’s students. An exceptional grant provides essential opportunities for students and puts them in the best position to learn and grow beyond where they realized possible. It always comes back to the vision and goals set by Martha Holden Jennings and Arthur Holden in 1959. They 'got it' back then, and we need to keep finding ways to bring it back to that.

Q: You have been associated with the Foundation in various positions for several years, what are you most excited about as you assume your new role as Executive Director?A: For seven years, I’ve been involved in some capacity in the Foundation and it’s been great from every perspective. When I was an assistant superinten-dent and involved in curriculum, it was wonderful to see, through my Founda-tion work, the great things going on around the state and then push myself to keep the priority on moving the needle forward in regard to student learning in my district. As superintendent, I have observed how the Foundation draws different groups together--whether it’s the Museum of Art, higher education, or the business community. The Foundation sends the message to districts, 'You have great opportunity to concentrate resourc-es with others who share mutual goals; we are going to bring you together, pro-vide some starter money, and establish a framework for things to grow.' This has been a real advantage for me as superintendent because it taught me how to make connections with vari-ous partners in Westlake. We have been able to do some great things as a result --our IB programs, STEM programs, and partnerships with Hyland Software and Baldwin Wallace University are examples. I thoroughly enjoy working with, and

PRO EXCELLENTIA • SPRING 2014MARTHA HOLDEN JENNINGS FOUNDATION 3

learning from, groups of committed people with diverse perspectives but the same end goal. I have seen how this has really benefited students in our district, and now I get to replicate that for students across Ohio. This position calls for deep think-ing and for making recommendations regarding innovations, trends, and future considerations relative to PK-12 public education. That’s the allure of this job–concentrating my energies on those types of activities.

Q: What will you miss in your current role as Superintendent?A: My dad was a superintendent, my brother is a superintendent, and I’ve been a superintendent. This has been a way of life for me. But, I think the transi-tion will go well. I’ve always had a 'this is your team, this is your community you are impacting' approach. I’m very close to our administrative team, teachers, parent groups, and students. We are all partners. I will miss the relationships here, but I know the Foundation and I’ve seen the impact on a grander scale and I look forward to building similar relation-ships across Ohio.

Q: What do you believe are some of the most significant challenges in education, and how do you see the Foundation’s role in meeting some of those challenges?A: I think the biggest challenge is strip-ping away all the static and making sure that the focus remains on keeping students first. Sometimes we get too caught up in Common Core, technologi-cal advances, STEM or IB. It’s not about chasing the next greatest thing, it’s about the students’ future and keeping their needs the priority. The Foundation has always been great about challenging people to think further and to be visionary. Bill Hiller recently shared an article with me that suggested public education is about 'becoming'. I found that an intriguing perspective. Ultimately, we want stu-dents to 'become' continuous learners, we want students to 'become' deep

inquirers, we want students to 'become' fulfilled adults. Whatever fosters them to continually push their boundaries, to ask questions, to understand that there’s so much potential to grow and to continue to consider what they can 'become', is what we should be seeking.

Q: What do you see as the bright spots in education today? A: There is a lot more collaboration. More and more schools are working together and partnering with commu-nity resources, businesses and higher education. Those involved in improving education bring a variety of perspectives; I believe that’s a real benefit. Technology can greatly complement learning experiences by providing greater access to information and even greater levels of collaboration. The world is get-ting smaller and opportunities for kids to collaborate with peers all over the world are exciting. They gain perspective and have a better understanding as to why people see things a different way. The renewed emphasis on project-based learning connected to problems kids experience in communities is also exciting. John Dewey said years ago that learning has to be relevant--something students understand is important in their own environment. When I first started teaching that was a huge emphasis, I am glad we are starting to get back to that.

Q: The Foundation is unique in its mission ‘to recognize teachers.’ Why do you believe this is significant? A: I have always appreciated how the Jennings Foundation identifies those out-standing teachers who we can all point to and say, 'They are making an impact,' and highlights them. It’s positive and renewing. When one is named a Jennings Scholar it means something. When you go to the Institutes because you’ve been nominated, it means something. I think it’s amazing that Martha Holden Jennings and Arthur Holden recognized this so long ago and it has been sustained. It inspires people and really makes a difference.

Q: Are there certain aspects of education about which you are particularly passionate?A: I am passionate about working to help students and teachers do more than they thought possible, better understanding their potential. I am motivated to see public education keep its role in being the great equalizer. I am driven to see that education is recognized, understood, and valued, not only as the profession that can best contribute to making all profes-sions better, but as serving the critical role fostering continual improvement, growth, inquisitiveness, and learning.

Q: In referring to the Foundation’s work, Chairman Emeritus Arthur Holden frequently asked: ‘Did we do a little bit of good today?’ What does that mean to you?A: George Milbourn says that a lot, too, and I love it because that succinct state-ment demonstrates the Foundation’s core vision, humility, and focus on the right thing. It’s a reminder that it’s very clear that this Foundation is intended to help the children in Ohio’s public schools. We can get caught up in, 'What’s the next thing?' but when it gets down to it, the intent is to 'Do a little good.' Keeping focused on improving the life of a child, providing that key opportunity, opening up doors so someone can better tap into their potential, has resulted in a whole lot of good. When all is said and done, we need to make sure we all 'Do a little good.'

Dr. Daniel Keenan, new Executive Director of the Jennings Foundation


Stand-Out Educators

Stephen StirnOhio Outstanding Superintendent

When Stephen Stirn assumed leader-ship of Logan-Hocking Local Schools in 2000 the district was in Academic Watch. Nine years later, the Ohio Department of Education upgraded that designation to Excellent. Today, all schools in the district excel in core academics, the arts, tech-nology, and agricultural education. During his tenure, Mr. Stirn has been instrumental in guiding and supervis-ing the construction of five elementary buildings, the remodeling of the middle school, and the construction of a new high school. Over the years he assembled an outstanding educational team and es-tablished an Open Door policy that has resulted in strong relationships among students, faculty, parents, and residents. “This is a great district hidden in the hills of southeast Ohio,” says Mr. Stirn, remarking on what he wants the rest of Ohio to know about this district. “People value education here; they may lack financial resources, but they make up for that in other ways.”

Last year when Mr. Stirn received the Ohio Superintendent Outstanding Perfor-mance Award, he knew exactly where to apply the accompanying funds. The high school had developed a robotics program three years ago under the guidance of teacher Matthew Denny. Those involved, however, had been continually challenged to raise funds to support the students’ ef-forts to participate in the annual FIRSTTM Tech Challenge robotics competition. “I thought: ‘Here is the perfect op-portunity to help these students compete in the tournament,’” says Mr. Stirn. “And I am really impressed to see what that $10,000 purchased.” Shortly before the competition date, four students demonstrated the capabili-ties of the robot that had consumed their free time during the prior six weeks. They had worked at least three hours every day after school--first building a prototype out of wood and then con-structing the final model from metal. They programmed the robot to perform a variety of tasks specified by competi-tion rules--passing a 2’ diameter exercise ball to other robots and shooting the ball into a 10’ goal. In all, 20-25 students

participated in some aspect of the proj-ect, contributing skills in programming, coding, welding, and electronics. In the process, says Mr. Denny, “They learned how to think creatively to solve problems and to work together as a team to get the robot built effectively in a short period of time.” Several of these students plan to major in engineering in college and the opportunity to compete in the FIRSTTM robotics competition has been an invalu-able experience. “As superintendent, I give the teach-ers the tools they need in order to make life better for kids in the classroom,” adds Mr. Stirn.

Tessie RiveroGeorge B. Chapman Jr. Teacher Award for Excellence in Mathematics Education

“She doesn’t just teach one way, she will show you multiple ways to solve a problem.” “She makes sure you know it.” “She definitely cares about you succeeding.”

These are the responses of high school calculus students when asked what is so special about their teacher, Tessie Rivero. A mathematics instructor at Waynesville High School in southwest Ohio, Ms. Rivero received the Founda-tion’s George B. Chapman, Jr. Teacher Award for Excellence in Mathematics Education last year. She used the funds from that award to purchase a class set of iPads to incorporate more project-and inquiry-based learning in her classroom. “The Common Core Standards for mathematics require students to solve rich, non-routine problems,” she re-marks. “The upcoming PARCC tests (testing related to the Common Core) will require students to be fluent in tech-nology. Having the technology available quickly and using it frequently allows my students to increase learning and to increase their level of comfort with com-

educator excellence

Students explain their robotics project to Mr. Stirn. “I was proud to hear these kids are going to be engi-neers,” he remarks. “That’s my job, giving them the skills they need to go out and be successful.”


puters in the mathematics classroom.” After doing a significant amount of research to determine which technology would be best for her students, Ms. Rivero chose to invest in iPads for several rea-sons: She and her students were already familiar with the technology, iPads do not require outside tech support, and they can be shared easily with colleagues. During a recent classroom visit, Ms. Rivero demonstrates a variety of apps she uses daily in classes from Algebra I to AP Calculus and everything in be-tween. The apps allow students to verify hypotheses and test conjectures on a routine basis. “This makes learning so much more interactive,” says Ms. Rivero. “The students are ‘in’ the math.” She also likes to use the iPads to flip the classroom. Using the Show Me app, she records lessons students can watch at any time. They, in turn, record their work, save it, and submit it electroni-cally. This gives Ms. Rivero insight as to how they work out the problems, allowing her to evaluate which topics the students know and which ones need further review. Using the iPads allows students to experience more fully the Rule of 4, a mathematics term that refers to rep-resenting mathematical functions with graphs, tables, equations, and words. “All too often math is taught by pro-cedure, meaning: ‘Here is the problem, do it this way every time.’ Then there are

20 homework problems where you just practice the same procedure. As opposed to, ‘Here’s the problem, let’s talk about a variety of ways to solve it.’” Mathematics becomes more meaning-ful, she emphasizes, as students make connections between the different meth-ods and procedures.

Susan WeberMaster Teacher Award

What is the secret to reaching some-one with words?

Susan Weber posed that question to her 8th grade English students at Rocky River Middle School. Her objective was to teach the young people how to respon-sibly evaluate what they read, hear, and see in the media. “I always wanted to do a project with media literacy because media is such a big part of their world,” explains Ms. Weber, who has been teaching middle school students for almost 30 years and received the Foundation’s Master Teacher Award in 2013. “These kids are growing up with Intsagrams, Facebook, and YouTube; they trust [this media] more than I do, because they know how to manipulate it. But today, anybody can put anything out there, and the students think that just because it’s out there, it’s true. I want to teach them how to find information that results from responsible research–how to

filter through the drama and the enter-tainment and get to the truth.” Ms. Weber wove the media project into the students’ study of Anne Frank. They read her diary and a play based on that work and then watched an award-winning film that dramatized the young Jewish girl’s plight during the years she hid from the Nazis. Ms. Weber wanted students to recognize how the media at that time manipulated the German people with anti-Semitic messages and to question whether, given our current media technology, an event like the Holocaust could happen today. The students’ final assignment is to produce their own media piece, such as a PSA, news report, or short film, addressing one of the seven elements of character addressed in Paul Tough’s book, How Children Succeed. (Mr. Tough was the presenter at the Foundation’s annual Educators Retreat last summer.) They are going to have to decide what to report on and how to do so in a respon-sible way. “I hope that by practicing it them-selves, by crafting quality, truthful media presentations with integrity, that they will be more discerning with what they view, that they will look for quality, know how to dismiss material or media that is suspect, and get to the truth.”

Top Educators continued

Master Teacher Susan Weber says she loves teaching 13-year-olds because they are “creative, clever, and smart.”

iPads in the classroom allow Ms. Rivero to individualize learning in her high school math classes.


Regarding WritingKenston Intermediate School

“It’s all about inspiring kids.”

Fourth grade teacher Helen Hannon sums up a building-wide literacy event held last year at Kenston Intermediate School in Bainbridge. Students, teachers, parents, staff--everyone associated with school--participated in the weeks-long program that revolved around children’s author Kate Klise and her book series “Regarding the…” (Fountain, Bees, Trees, Sink, and Bathroom). Led by Principal Jack DiCello, a com-mittee of teachers and staff designed the project, which kicked off during Right-to-Read Week in March with a special deliv-ery of 500 Kate Klise books, one for each student in the school. It concluded with a week-long writers workshop in May con-ducted by the author herself. The weeks in between were filled with daily reading assignments; 14 clever PA announce-ments; and art, writing, and “bell work” activities incorporating the characters, plots, and themes in Ms. Klise’s books. Everything was intended to build excite-ment for the culminating residency. “We are trying to touch a lot of differ-ent kids, who have different interests, desires, talents, and abilities,” explains Mr. DiCello, who worked for months in conjunction with the committee to pull off the “all encompassing” event. “By creating a program that is multifaceted, you really can touch all of them.” For the past six years, Kenston Inter-mediate has been designing school-wide programs that build community, are tied to the curriculum, and offer enrichment experiences for the 4th and 5th graders who comprise the student body. “Each year, we do something differ-ent,” explains Mr. DiCello. “It usually has literacy infused in it; it usually has art infused in it, whether visual or perform-ing art; and every year it takes on a different theme.” With a grant from the Jennings Foundation, Mr. DiCello and his committee developed the literacy-based

program and selected Ms. Klise’s books because of their wide appeal. “All children can relate and find humor in her stories,” says Ms. Hannon. “Even the most reluctant reader can take some-thing away from them.” The series’ whimsical main character, Florence Waters travels the world and communicates with 6th graders back at Geyser Creek Middle School via letters, phone messages, telegrams, and memos. “Flo” is continually stirring up trouble for the school’s principal and encouraging students to be creative and think outside the box. There is always a mystery or conflict taking place in the story followed by an AHA moment at the end. By using a creative combination of words, illustra-tions, characters, and humorous plots, Ms. Klise is able to capture a child’s imagination as the story unfolds. “There is a lot of humor and a lot of play on words in her books,” says Title 1 teacher Julie Beynenson, adding that without realizing it, even non-readers are “tricked into reading.” All students read at least one of Ms. Klise’s books leading up to her visit in May. The committee created 10 or more classroom activities related to each book. With so many possibilities, the teachers easily integrated the stories into all areas of the curriculum in unusual and creative ways. “They lend themselves so well to all academic areas,” says Librarian Bev Buettner. Teachers can easily incorpor-ate it in art, geography, and science. “We tried to incorporate all the differ-ent things kids are talented in,” adds Ms. Beynenson, “so that everybody had an opportunity to shine.”

“This was not what I call a ‘Drive by’ project,” adds Mr. DiCello. “It was integrated right from the start, and that’s a very important piece. The teachers were able to connect the project to something bigger.”

After weeks of anticipation, Ms. Klise visited the school for a full week conduct-ing hour-long workshops in every class-room. She shared her writing “formula” with students and encouraged them all to write a book. She also held an early morning session for teachers where she described her technique of “circular writing,” which helps students plan out their writing and makes an average story more interesting. In giving advice to others who may want to design a similar project, Mr. DiCello says: “Tap into the creative side of things and make projects engaging for students. It’s not easy work. But in the end it is worth the effort. “You want to create those memorable experiences for kids that go beyond test taking. I definitely think there’s a way to think outside the box, be creative, but also tie in to some of the things we need to do in the classroom. “You also have to have a committee that’s willing to put in the time, energy, and creativity. I could have never done this without them.”

For more information contact:Mr. Jack DiCello Kenston IntermediateChagrin Falls, Ohio [email protected]

Art students created a mural to hang above the school’s water fountain after reading Kate Klise’s book, Regarding the Fountain.

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In just a few weeks downtown Lima, Ohio, will be more bike friendly. Cyclists will be able to park their bikes in two unique racks designed by 8th grade art students at Lima’s Liberty Arts Magnet School. The students hope to contribute to Lima’s de-sire to become a healthier and more environmentally conscious city by supporting residents who choose to pedal around town rather than drive. “There is a movement nationally, but also within our county and city, to become more bike friendly,” explains Mike Huffman, who has been an art educator for 35 years. “One of the reasons people don’t bike around Lima, Ohio, is because there is no place to put your bike.” Mr. Huffman challenged his students to design models that could hold eight to twelve bikes and be aesthetically pleasing as well. He wanted them to learn how to meld form and function and develop “sculptural bike racks” that work well and have artistic value.

The longitudinal project required students to complete a sig-nificant amount of research over the course of several months. They examined topics in urban planning, community health, engineering, and product fabrication. With a Grant-to-Educators from the Jennings Foundation, Mr. Huffman called on outside experts to work directly with his class. “I am not an expert in all of this,” admits Mr. Huffman, who often connects students with those who have the knowledge they need to solve a problem. “It’s important for students to under-stand that when they are problem solving they can find experts when needed. If they don’t know the answers, they can find somebody who does.”

grants-to- educators

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Mr. Huffman’s 8th grade students create a prototype of their musical bike rack during art class.

Purposeful Art Liberty Arts Magnet School

During the year, the students engaged with representa-tives from community agencies that promote active living and healthy lifestyles in Allen County. They learned of the health benefits associated with cycling and how a healthier community environment attracts and retains residents. Urban planners helped them determine where to locate their racks and how their effort complements the city’s walking/biking trail that connects to the central business district, schools, and parks. A production engineer from General Dynamics acted as a teaching cohort throughout the project. He consulted with the students about the technical aspects of fabricating their designs. All the final specifications would come from the students, but the engineer gave them ideas as to what could and could not be produced. “I really like having that expertise in the classroom,” says Mr. Huffman. “It’s incredibly valuable. It’s ‘first person’ research, which is a whole lot better than researching through a book.” With their newly acquired knowledge the students worked collaboratively to design structures that would meet both the artistic and engineering parameters. They worked with card-board and constructed 22 separate models. “If I had a rubric, everybody would have hit the mark,” explains Mr. Huffman, “but four or five of them were really outstanding.” “Our idea was to keep it simple,” explains one student whose design will be manufactured and installed at one of two down-town sites. Her 6’ sculpture consists of a combination of large circles with notches carved in the base to support up to eight bikes. The second model, sculpted in the shape of a 7-foot high musical note, reflects the school’s artistic nature. “We drew a lot of pictures to get what we wanted,” remarks one of the designers. “We had to think of ways to make it steady so it wouldn’t wobble in the wind.” While only two of the students’ models will be produced, Mr. Huffman knows all students learned valuable lessons. “This is project-based teaching/learning with performance-based assessment attached,” he explains. “It is not limited to ‘pencil and paper.’ The research is delivered by experts and is directed at an authentic, real-life problem in the immediate community.” While the students enjoyed the creation process, one remarked that the best is yet to come: “Actually seeing it being made and being able to enjoy what you have created will be great,” she says. Another adds, “I will be so excited to see it in the community and point to it and say, ‘I did that.’” For more information contact:Mr. Mike Huffman, Liberty Arts Magnet [email protected]


Connecting Young Studentswith ScienceBath Elementary School


Science at Bath Elementary School in Lima is a collaborative effort between classroom teachers and science lab instructor, Jill Vogelgesang. “We found that elementary teachers don’t have enough hours in one day to teach reading, writing, math, social studies, and science,” explains Ms. Vogelgesang, noting that time spent on science often suffered because of it. After teaching in a self-contained classroom for a dozen years, Ms. Vogelgesang has spent the last eight creating and building a hands-on science lab where she works with all students in grades K-4. Recently, with a Grant-to-Educators from the Jennings Foundation, she was able to purchase new materials, equipment, and kits to add to the lab offerings. This year students were able to dissect owl pellets, experiment with ultraviolet light, investigate the principles of air, and test open and closed circuits.

“The first thing students realize by having the science lab is that science is everywhere,” says Ms. Vogelgesang. “It is unusual for a school to have a separate lab for students so young.”

Classes rotate through the lab once every six days giving them designated time to experiment with topics they have already read about in class.

“In the lab, students are involved in a total learning experience, which enhances their ability to think critically,” Ms. Vogelgesang remarks. Following the scientific method, she says, they ask questions, test ideas, and articulate results in their own words. The hands-on work makes the lessons more memorable. Ms. Vogelgesang provides classroom teachers with curricu-lum materials, including non-fiction books on several reading levels that correspond to science topics they are required to teach. The literature, also purchased with grant funds, provides the background knowledge of the concepts they will explore in the lab. Ms. Voglegesang writes all lesson plans using the 5E’s (engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate) learning model. The curriculum follows the Academic Content Standards for Science and ties learning from one grade level to the next. “I try to make it as easy for teachers as possible, because if I do they will use it,” comments Ms. Vogelgesang. “The greatest benefit the science lab offers classroom teachers is the ability to spend more time teaching reading, writing, and mathematics.”

For more information contact:Ms. Jill Vogelgesang, Bath Elementary [email protected]

Fourth graders test open and closed circuits during a visit to the science lab at Bath Elementary School in Lima.


Building Mental MathLogan Elm School District

Students and teachers in the Logan Elm School district are talking numbers. The conversations are the result of a profes-sional development book study involving K-5 teachers through-out the district. From January to March, the teachers met biweekly to discuss mental math and computation strategies detailed in Sherry Parrish’s book: Number Talks: Helping Chil-dren Build Mental Math and Computation Strategies. “We’ve always done book talks in our district,” explains Laurelville Elementary 2nd grade teacher Tammy Sharb, who suggested studying Parrish’s book after learning about it at summer workshop in Columbus. On her recommendation, Logan Elms’ Curriculum Director Jill Riddle purchased 30 copies of the book and accompanying DVDs with a Grant-to-Educators from the Jennings Foundation. Ms. Riddle believed the study would help support teachers as they begin to fully imple-ment Common Core Mathematics Standards in the elementary grades. Parrish’s text explains what a classroom number talk is; how to follow students’ thinking and pose the right questions to build understanding; how to prepare for and design purposeful number talks; and how to develop grade-level specific strate-gies. The DVDs include clips of teachers using the strategies in their classrooms. “‘Number Talks’ is a way for students to share strategies as to how they mentally solve a multitude of problems–addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division,” explains Ms. Sharb. The program emphasizes using a variety of ways to solve prob-lems and encourages students to verbally share how they reach their solutions with classmates. Ms. Sharb has been holding Number Talks two or three times a week with each of her three 2nd grade math classes since October. During this time the students gather on a carpet in one corner of the room. Ms. Sharb presents a problem, challenges the student to use mental strategies to solve it, and then asks them to share those strategies with the class. “We learn how to regroup and break up numbers and see them in many different ways,” she explains. The answers students give during the number discussions are not always right, she adds, but every answer is acceptable.

“This takes away from always having that one student having the right answer. My goal is to try and get them all to participate. It is non-threatening. They each get their own chance to share–right or wrong. It puts the ownership back on them.”

During the book study the teachers discussed how to create a classroom environment that is conducive to sharing. “You have to be willing to create a respectful environment where the students are not afraid to share, and sometimes that’s hard

to do,” she says. “I think that’s what a lot of teachers were concerned about at first.” Ms. Riddle believes the 27 teachers who took part in the study are very open to having Number Talks with their students but finding the time for it can be challenging. “Many teachers feel they need more time in the day to teach math, and a math talk requires dedicating ten+ minutes per day,” she remarks. “They understand the benefit from incorporating math talks–it’s worth the time–but they are sill concerned about time over all.” Yet from kindergarten to 6th grade, teachers are practic-ing Number Talks with their students. They have taken the first steps in posing problems, giving students think time for mental math, and capturing in writing students’ thinking about solving problems. “The goal is for teachers to feel comfortable coming up with Number Talks in their own classrooms,” adds Ms. Sharb. “More than anything I want them to get over any fear of teaching math and know it’s okay to try something different.”

For more information contact:Ms. Jill Riddle, Logan Elm Local [email protected]

Tammy Sharb has been using Mental Math with her 2nd grade classes since October. Here a student explains the mental strategy she used to solve an addition equation.


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Lessons in Music TechnologyCrestview High School grants-to-

educatorsStudents at Crestview High School are investigating careers in the arts by recording and editing the school’s live musical performances as well as their own original works. They work during class time and after school to produce high-quality CDs using professional recording equipment. The hands-on experi-ence reinforces 21st century skills by engaging students in a real world project that requires collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills. Band Director Chris Thompson, who currently teaches music history and theory courses, oversees the students’ work in what he defines as an ungraded class. Eventually he hopes to add a graded music technology course to the curriculum. Mr. Thompson transformed two small rooms adjacent to the gym into a fully functioning, soundproof recording studio. With a Grant-to-Educators from the Jennings Foundation, he purchased a computer and software, a sound board, and sev-eral high quality microphones, which supplements his personal equipment, which he allowed students to use in the past. The equipment is available to any interested student, but because of the limited space can only be used by five or six at a time with preference given to juniors and seniors. Students work on a variety of projects throughout the year in collaboration with their peers. Those in the music theory class are required to record their original pieces while others work on compositions for their own enjoyment and entertain-

ment. Often, students use the studio to mix different tracks, both instrumental and vocal, which they may have recorded at home. Mr. Thompson guides all the work–both classroom and extracurricular projects–helping students improve their final productions. “They are learning how a real recording studio works,” says Mr. Thompson. “They are getting real world experience. The way they are recording is exactly as it would be done in the major studios in places like Nashville.” While many of the students who enjoy the studio are current band or choir students, Mr. Thompson says the new technology attracts some who may not have been interested in the arts otherwise. “It brings in a new group of kids and offers them something they are interested in.” Mr. Thompson admits that the studio project demands a lot of his time, yet he is willing to put in the effort because the kids enjoy it: “Listening to their music projects and talking with them about what they can do differently is a lot of fun. It goes back to creativity and collaboration. They are learning a lot from that interaction, a lot that can’t be taught from a textbook.”

For more information contact:Mr. Chris Thompson, Crestview High [email protected]

Mr. Thompson works with high school students on individual projects in the school’s recording studio.


GlobalEd For AllColumbus Council on World Affairs

Several years ago, the Jennings Foun-dation provided seed money to create the GlobalEd Network of Central Ohio. Comprised of teachers and administra-tors from 14 Ohio school districts, the Network's mission is to ensure high school graduates from central Ohio are globally competent. This year, Columbus Council on World Affairs received a grant from the Founda-tion to work towards implementing the Network’s goals. Foremost among those was to pilot its core initiative, the Global Scholars Diploma, in select central Ohio schools. (The guiding framework of the Global Scholar Diploma stems from a na-tional committee of experts convened by The Council of Chief State School officers whose members are the superintendents from all 50 states.) The diploma would be a credential earned by high school students who demonstrate an in-depth level of knowledge and skills with real-world application and global significance. With commitments from Columbus North International and Granville high schools, the Network began to move forward with this work. Each school recruited a small cohort of students–40

in total–to participate in activities that would define them as “Global Scholars.” “In the last few years, districts in Ohio have begun to take steps to bring a global perspective to their schools,” ex-plains Donna Nesbitt, Director, GlobalEd Network, who previously served as In-ternational Education Coordinator at the Ohio Department of Education. “We have 14 districts in the Network and are work-ing with World Affairs councils around the state to partner with districts in their regions. We’ve moved from talking about global education to implementing it.” Ms. Nesbitt and her colleagues met with the principals of the two pilot schools early in the year and mapped out a three-year strategy for students inter-ested in earning a Global Diploma: Year one, students will explore what it means to be globally competent; Year two, students will participate in group work on a global issue; and Year three, students will complete an independent capstone project working with mentors on a global issue. During that time, the scholars will participate in cross-cultural experiences, service learning, and career exploration.

”We told the students that there will be four domains: investigate the world, recognize perspective, communicate ideas, and take action.” explains Ms. Nesbitt. “For each of those four domains there will be four outcomes. They need to demonstrate that they have met 12 of the 16 to earn the diploma.” Those behind the program believe the GlobalEd Network has considerable potential for being replicated throughout the state and beyond. “I think Ohio is leading the way nationally,” says Pat-rick Terrien, President & CEO, Columbus Council on World Affairs, who receives input from a national group of advi-sors that includes organizations such as Harvard, Gallup Council on Foreign Rela-tions, and Asia Society, among others. The advisors have commented that no other state is moving forward in this area with such focus and momentum. Mr. Terrien adds that the central Ohio Diploma program is unique because it is cross-district, provides schools and students flexibility and choice, and is designed for every student, regardless of income or academic achievement.

“The idea for a credentialed Diploma is not new,” explains Mr. Terrien. “It’s being implemented in pockets. But what’s different and innovative about this program is that it’s meant for every student. Our vision is Global Ed for all. It’s not just the wealthy who get the benefit of the global experience; every student gets a chance.”

The one criterion students at Granville High School had to meet to participate in the pilot program was to be enrolled in a high-level language course. Because many are already juniors, they realize they will not be involved long enough to earn the Diploma, yet they were still interested in taking part.

Ms. Bing Mu, an Ohio state University instructor, teaches students how to pro-nounce some introductory phrases in Chinese.


their curriculum. The ESC just provided an opportunity for them to come to-gether, to dialogue, to collaborate. “It’s not just about gathering knowl-edge,” she adds. “The real message is to take this new found knowledge from a number of different sources–whether it’s from a book discussion or a confer-ence–then share it with students, because they are going to be working in a global economy. They need to be global citizens. “Teachers need to model for the stu-dents what that means,” she continues. “By doing so they need to ask students to deliberately think about their roles as global citizens and what that means in terms of what they do–giving back to their communities, reaching out to ethnic groups in their area, or reaching out to others internationally.” Ms. Grimm says that plans are in the works to convene a fall conference on careers with a global perspective. “Each time we do these conferences,” she says, “it attracts more people.”

In cooperation with higher education, K-12, business and community part-ners, the ESC of Cuyahoga County hosts workshops, institutes, and programs for professional development on themes relevant to global education. In the past year, the Foundation funded a profes-sional development project for Northeast Ohio teachers to promote their knowl-edge and understanding about global competencies. This included three book talks at area high schools for teach-ers and students and the first annual “Flip your World! Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Without Borders” Conference, which was held last spring. Students and educators from elemen-tary through college joined leaders from Northeast Ohio’s business, non-profit, cultural, and community organizations at the conference to network and discuss the importance of preparing and enhanc-ing youth in cultural and global compe-tencies for success in future careers. In addition, funding provided mini-grants for K-12 educators to extend their op-portunities to integrate innovative cur-ricular planning, networking, or commu-nity collaborations. “This effort that we’re doing in terms of global education has a longtime histo-ry,” explains Nadine Grimm, Coordinator of 21st Century Learning, ESC Cuyahoga County. The results of these activities she says is that “there are hundreds of teachers who are actually integrating themes, topics, cultural knowledge into

Global Education in Northeast Ohio Educational Service Center of Cuyahoga County

12

GlobalEd Network continued

23 other students from their high school. “Meeting and working with kids from around the world who are like us will be really cool,” one comments. “We will not be with people we know and it will force us to learn how to make new friends.”

“The students are motivated and taking ownership of their learning,” says Ms. Nesbitt, which she believes exemplifies deep learning. “They are doing things independent of the classroom, and that is putting them in the position to become lifelong learners.”

“It’s deep learning when it’s applied and utilized,” adds Mr. Terrein, remark-ing that schools request assistance to help students apply what they learn in the classroom in “real world” situations. As a result, his organization focuses on providing cross-cultural and career/job related experiences. For example, students in the pilot program were invited to a Cross-Cultural Experience at Ohio State where they were introduced to Chinese culture and learned introductory Chinese phrases in preparation for the student summit in Shanghai. They also toured Honda’s manufacturing facility in Marysville, Ohio, and interacted with executives who inter-face with international associates daily. “If we can make their learning rel-evant,” he concludes, “then it’s deep learning.” As the pilot program’s first year winds down, Ms. Nesbitt hopes students gained a broader perspective of their world. “I hope that they look beyond their neighborhood or city to see how diverse the world is and how many opportunities there are for them to have an impact.”

For more information contact:Ms. Donna Nesbitt, GlobalEd NetworkColumbus Council on World [email protected]

“They chose kids who would be most committed and interested in global issues,” remarks one Granville student, who says the program appealed to him because he enjoys “learning about dif-ferent aspects of different cultures.” Another likes the idea of getting to know and communicate with people of other

cultures. She would advise friends to take advantage of this opportunity if they have the chance. “Don’t be afraid to reach out,” she says. “It will be life changing.” Both students were looking forward to participating in the Education First Student Summit in Shanghai, China, with

Eaton Corp. Executive Vice President Ramanath Ramakrishnan discusses “Innovation and Creativity in the Global Context” at the recent conference.


Arts Immersion Builds Creativity and Confidence

Julie Sarver spends Monday mornings and Thursday afternoons at Franklin Elementary School in Massillon teaching preschoolers about music. At a recent visit, she brought a xylophone to intro-duce the 3-and 4-year olds to the terms “allegro” and “adagio.” She passed the instrument from child to child, giving each an opportunity to tap out a melody, expressing their personal creativity. “They are just little sponges; they take it all in,” says Ms. Sarver, who is not a professional educator but a flutist for the Canton Symphony Orchestra. “I am continually surprised at what they remember from week to week.” Ms. Sarver is one of 11 professional artists who visit preschool classrooms in Massillon and Canton each week. They teach a variety of lessons to almost 400 children through The Artful Living Program. Developed by educators at the Massillon Museum, the program is based on research that shows a correlation between leadership and exposure to the fine arts early in life. “If we constantly impact these children with fine arts, we will develop their creativity,” says Christopher Craft, a former high school art teacher and director of the program. “That will lead to the development of their knowledge of themselves and their own innate abilities and talents.”

The Artful Living Program, which has been supported by grants from the Jennings Foundation, has been active in Massillon City Schools for six years. Each week, it provides lessons in visual arts, music, dance and movement, and literature to 130 preschoolers in eight classes. In January 2013, instructors began offering lessons in music and visual arts in 260 youngsters in the Canton City Schools.

The instructors or “providers,” are all professionals in their fields. They are associated with the Massillon Museum, Canton Symphony Orchestra, Anada Center for the Arts in Massillon, the Massillon Public Library, Canton Ballet, and Canton Museum of Art. Based on the attention span of preschoolers, they cre-ate 20-minute, standards-based lessons each week that coincide with themes the classroom teachers are addressing at the same time. “What’s key to this program is that we work closely with teachers,” explains Marti Livingstone, the program’s coordi-nator. “We have been in Massillon for six years and teachers all say they view this program as part of the curriculum. They depend on it. It’s not an intrusion.”

Franklin Elementary School’s Pre-school Coordinator Kristi Muzi agrees. At the start of the school year, she collabo-rates with the artists and provides them with the themes teachers will address throughout the year. For instance, if the weekly theme is “families,” each provider will incorporate “families” in their par-ticular art lesson. As the topics change, the art lessons change to reflect those topics. Classroom teachers also provide an outline of the arts lessons to parents through a weekly newsletter. “It is really meshed together,” says Ms. Muzi, referring to the program’s alignment with the curriculum. “What the artists are doing and what we are doing has become one curriculum. We play off each other.”

Massillon Museum

13

Through their work in preschool classrooms, professional artists hope children will discover their own talents and abilities in the arts.


Ms. Sarver, who has been an Artful Living music provider for four years, was attracted to the program as a way to get young people started in music. Over the years she’s learned that it builds academic skills too, such as pre-reading and pre-math. Without an education background, she was hesitant to take on the assignment at first, but now she highly recommends the program toother artists. “Just jump in and do it,” she says. “The kids bring it out in you. You can come down to their level easily enough and accomplish great things. “They’ll even say, ‘I love that song, I want it at my birthday party’--and it’s a trumpet concerto.”

For more information contact:Mr. Christopher Craft, Massillon [email protected]

“Our goals were to improve academic achievement and stimulate creativity and leadership skills, but we’ve gone beyond that, and we did it serendipitous-ly,” adds Mr. Craft. “We are integrating arts into the core curriculum. It’s artsimmersion–four days a week, every week for 25 weeks.” “We’re hoping to prove that the arts aren’t ancillary,” he continues. “They are important and integral to teaching core curriculum courses…just as important as mathematics, just as important as history.”

“Our educational system empha-sizes the arts as ‘add-ons;’ yet, we are impacted daily by the arts,” adds Ms. Livingstone. “The fine arts are not separate from real life. It should be core curriculum.”

In order to enhance children’s exposure to the arts, The Artful Living Program invites families to participate outside of the school environment. The program hosts regularly scheduled family meetings; offers art classes for all children in the family; presents helpful information to parents on topics of well-ness, nutrition, and local social services; and provides art supplies to all children in the family to use. “I can’t speak enough about this program,” comments Ms. Muzi, the preschool coordinator. “There’s nothing it can do but good for your classroom. It’s 20 minutes of fine arts every day. It really brings out good qualities and char-acteristics in the kids. It is giving these kids an opportunity to experience arts in a way they may never have otherwise.”

Arts Immersion continued

14

Those behind The Artful Living Program believe the fine arts are everywhere and cannot be separated from real life. Artists demonstrate that philosophy everyday in preschool classrooms.

Educators from the Stark County

Educational Service Center and the Depart-

ment of Education at Malone University

evaluated The Artful Living Program in

2012-2013 to determine if preschoolers

participating in the program experienced

gains in achievement and creativity as

compared to peers in a control group. They

administered pre- and post-tests to the

two groups using Thinking Creatively in

Action and Movement (TCAM), which tested

fluency, originality and imagination; and

Young Children’s Achievement Test (YCAT),

which tested general information, reading,

mathematics, writing, and spoken

language.

Students who participated in The

Artful Living Program scored significantly

higher rates on both the TCAM and on

all but one category of the YCAT (Writing).

The Artful Living Program’s philosophy

that immersion in fine arts will improve

creativity and achievement is supported

at a statistically significant level by

this study.


Putnam County iTraining

Putnam County has recently furnishedmany of the schools in its system with one-to-one iPads, and technology prolif-eration within the districts is continuing to grow. While the majority of teachers have become comfortable with the basic usage of the tablets, many had not realized their educational potential. “All this is very new to me,” says Tom Nicholson, referring to the process of incorporating iPads into the classroom. A first year teacher at Leipsic High School, Mr. Nicholson owned a computer company for many years before becom-ing a math teacher. Yet even with his technological background, he admits he feels “nervous and anxious” using iPads in the classroom. “I know a lot about technology, but I don’t know anything about educational technology,” he remarks. “But my stu-dents love it, so if I can learn to use it to show them math differently, it will go a long way toward keeping their attention.” Mr. Nicholson is one of 65 Putnam County teachers who were treated to a professional development program last year to learn how to integrate the devices into their day-to-day lessons. The program was designed by The Northwest Ohio Center for Excellence in STEM Edu-cation and Bowling Green State University together with the Putnam County Educa-tional Service Center. It aimed to increase the teachers’ confidence, efficacy, and knowledge of the technology’s benefits. The program was split into two sessions–one designed for elementary teachers that was held in the fall and another for teachers of grades 7-12 that took place during the winter. Each program was comprised of three late afternoon sessions that addressed the following: creating content using the iPad, identifying content specific apps, and managing a digital classroom. Gary Herman, Curriculum Coordina-tor, Putnam County ESC, led each of the sessions. His goal was to present the technology as an educational tool that would deepen students’ learning. Using the SAMR Model for Integrating Technol-ogy in the Classroom (see chart),

Mr. Herman hoped to encourage teach-ers to move from simply using the iPads as a substitute for paper/pencil tasks to redesigning and creating new projects that would not be possible without it. “This is not a beginner course,” explains Mr. Herman. “We are fortunate that we have had a lot of technology in the county so teachers know how to use it. This is about how to fully integrate it in your classroom.” For example, at the high school program’s second session he focused on content specific apps, demonstrating several possibilities to the group. He also

Putnam County ESC

presented a handout that listed 80 differ-ent apps that address the core academic subjects along with Family & Consumer Science, Physical Education, Health, Business/Computers, Spanish, Special Education, and Agricultural Science. A second focus for the professional development program was to allow teachers time to meet and collaborate. “It is all about sharing ideas,” he re-marks, adding that he has created a blog to allow the participants to communicate beyond the afternoon sessions. “In a small rural county there are not many chances for teachers to collaborate because most high schools have only one math teacher, one science teacher, one English teacher. They don’t have a department to collaborate with. This is an opportunity for them to talk with other teachers and ask, ‘What are you doing in your classroom?’” Mr. Herman recognizes that it will take time for teachers to fully integrate the tablets into their teaching. “I don’t want them to think they have to be here (the redefinition level) imme-diately,” he says referring to the SAMR chart. “But they do need to start think-ing about moving to a higher level.”

For more information contact:Mr. Gary Herman, Curriculum CoordinatorPutnam County [email protected]

Gary Herman talks with teachers about apps they can use to create engaging lessons.

SAMR Model for Integrating Technology into the Classroom

Tra

nsfo

rmatio

nE

nh

an

cem

en

t AugmentationTech acts as a direct tool substitute,

with functional improvement

SubstitutionTech acts as a direct tool substitute,

with no functional change

ModificationTech allows for significant task redesign

RedefinitionTech allows for the creation of new tasks,

previously inconceivable

SAMR model developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, www.hippasus.com


Exposure to Art Inspires Studentsto Write with Imagination

Wexner Center for the Arts

More than 200 students from centralOhio are participating in a year-long, writing-based program called Pages. The experience builds critical-thinking skills while providing a creative platform for students to make their voices heard. Pages was developed by educators at The Ohio State University’s Wexner Center for the Arts, a multidisciplinary, international laboratory for the explora-tion and advancement of contemporary art. The goal is to encourage students to express their observations, thoughts, and critical opinions on contemporary art. A grant from the Jennings Founda-tion allowed the program to reach stu-dents from seven different high schools in the Columbus area. Classes participating in Pages visit the Wexner Center on three occasions during the year. They are treated to works in the visual arts, film, and the performing arts. Back in their classrooms, they write about what they experienced through a variety of assignments: poetry, essays, and even research papers. Each student keeps a journal for the duration of the program, crafts a piece of writing for each of the three experiences, and has an opportunity to publish their writing in a final anthology. Professional educators and artists-in-residence from the Wexner Center collaborate with classroom teachers throughout the year and visit the schools before and after the field trips to discuss the art experiences with the students. “We are giving students permission to think, be imaginative, and share their ideas,” explains Pages Director, Dionne Custer Edwards. Students from all seven high schools attend the perfor-mances at the Wexner Center together, but back in the classroom, they develop distinct writing projects that align to in-school curricula and meet individual

teachers’ objectives. Teachers must complete a rigorous application process to take part, explaining how they expect the program will be of value to their students or possibly change their lives. Students in Andrea Patton’s AP English class at Whetstone High School in Columbus participated in Pages for the first time this year, an experience she believes will benefit them when they take the AP test.

“This is not part of the AP curriculum,” she remarks, “but I’m confident it’s really helping them to think critically. It’s a way to enrich what we are already doing, and that’s really valuable. It’s not some-thing you can get out of a book.”

“There’s not a book in the world that can replace that,” adds Ms. Custer Edwards. “There’s not a video in the world that can show you that–you have to be there and experience it.”

An important aspect of Pages is the collaboration it fosters among educators. Those who are actively involved meet before and after the art performances to share ideas. To expand its reach, they have created a Pages website and blog (www.wexpagesonline.edublogs.org) that provides a rich array of resources to teachers and students. “True collaboration and partnership is so vital to students’ learning,” explains Ms. Custer Edwards, “and this program really creates authentic partnerships. “And what is so powerful about Pages is any teacher can go on our blog and be inspired by what these teachers are talking about, what they are reading about, and what they are sharing.”

For further information contact: Ms. Dionne Custer EdwardsWexner Center for the Arts [email protected]

AP English teacher Andrea Patton says the Pages program allows her high school students to write with more flexibility –“taking what they have to do and making it more interesting.”

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Martha Holden Jennings · PDF fileMartha Holden Jennings Foundation SPRING 2014 ... higher education, or the ... public education keep its role in being the