Wow! 2019, what a year! When I total it up, I'm in disbelief that this business has grown to reach over 360 teachers through 30 workshops! As I look back over the work from 2019 I want to share my top 4 highlights.
Capitan Municipal Schools
In April 2019 I provided a one day workshop for Capitan Municipal Schools, a small rural district in New Mexico. Hospitality is the first word that comes to mind. One teacher offered me her "casita" for "next time" I come visit and it was wonderful to see all of the teachers sit and each lunch together on our workshop day. But what was the real highlight for me is that, unexpectedly, this workshop was composed of special education AND general education math teachers from the middle school and high school. It was incredible to be able to facilitate a collaborative experience for all of these teachers in the same room! We had such great conversations about supporting ALL students and the reviews were incredible positive. It was such a joy to visit this lovely part of the country and have such a wonderful experience.
Milpitas High School
November 1, 2019 marked my one year anniversary of working with the Math Department at Milpitas High School in California. Working with this team has stretched me in ways that are both incredibly challenging and rewarding. We started our partnership working on increasing engagement of all students, especially Integrated Math 1 students, and my work with them has evolved to facilitate some of the most vulnerable conversations around grading practices. This work is SO important and needs to be happening at many other schools and organizations. I feel truly blessed to have been trusted by their leadership team to lead their teachers through this uncomfortable, but essential work!
East Side Union High School District
Now in our second full school year of collaborating, my partnership with ESUHSD in East San Jose, CA has been incredible. Over the last two years I’ve provided all of the professional development for the secondary special education math teachers. It’s a special treat to collaborate with this district as I taught Algebra there and was later an instructional coach and TOSA for this district that feels like family. But a highlight of working with this district is the special education teachers themselves that I get to call my colleagues. They use the same math book in their special education classes as their general education peers, no remedial subtraction worksheets or forcing fractions over and over and over again. These teachers all teach grade level content with fidelity to their students with special needs. They set high standards and expectations for their students and do everything they can to see their students thrive. In my work over the last year I have found this to be unique. I love being able to support these teachers as they work tirelessly to be their best for their students.
Colorado Secondary Math Workshops
The incredible interest and turn out for the secondary math special education workshops I organized in Westminster, CO in October 2019 was icing on the cake this year! Last year my mentor encouraged me to offer a workshop on my own, but to be honest, I was nervous no one would register. But I made it a goal to offer two workshops this year. I found the location. I planned the content. Then I began to share it with my network. To my surprise my first workshop SOLD OUT! It was a no-brainer that I needed to offer an encore date, so I did. To have 24 teachers attend one day and 16 the other, was more than I ever imagined. And the feedback! Teachers were so grateful that there was FINALLY a workshop specifically for them! This was a huge leap of faith, but I’m so glad I took it. Thank you everyone for your support!
So there you have it. My top 4 highlight stories of 2019! I’m excited to see what gets done in 2020! Cheers to the new year!
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