Tar Heel Teachers: October 2014

Monday, October 27, 2014

Interview with Rudy Tatum: At-Large Candidate for the Cumberland County Board of Education

Rudy Tatum is eager to join Cumberland County's Board of Education.

Rudy Tatum is an education veteran who has over 37 years of experience at various levels. He is determined to bring his background knowledge to the Cumberland County Board of Education. His tagline is "A Track Record Matters."

Here is our in-depth interview about what he will bring to the table if he's elected:

About Rudy Tatum:

FAMILY AND EXPERIENCE

Family: wife, Eleanor, retired teacher and two daughters, Meg and Beth, who attended our county schools and state universities.
Member of Salem United Methodist Church.
Elementary, Middle, High School, Central Office Experience.
Principal, Teacher, Parent Facilitator, Director of Federal Programs and Instructional Specialist.

EDUCATION

*Ed.S, East Carolina University
*MA, Fayetteville State University
*BS, Campbell University
*Graduate, Cumberland County Schools

HONORS

Recipient of The High Flying School Award.
Recipient of The NC Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award.
Recipient of The US Blue Ribbon School Award.
Recipient of The US Title I Distinguished School Award.
Recognized by NC Governor as the top school in NC for working conditions and student achievement.
Recognized by SDPI for sustained academic student achievement.
Recipient of NC Governor's Instructional Program of Excellence Award.
Recognized in Southeast Curriculum Coordination Network Communiqué for demonstrations and research and development on documenting student achievement.
Recipient of NC R&D grant to develop and field-test computer software to document student achievement of course objectives. The results were used to develop the Vocational Competency Achievement Tracking System (VoCATS) for North Carolina.
Served as member of Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Visitation Committee.
Selected to represent Cumberland County Schools in the NC Model Instruction Technology Contest.
Developed vocational instruction guide recognized by NC instructional review team.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Team Lynx Assessment Portfolio (Weekly)

Each week, my academic team completes standardized assessments with our middle school students.

Assessment is such a major component of the teaching process.

What I love about working in a middle school setting is the ability to engage in interdisciplinary and cross-curricular tasks.

Every Thursday, my academic team administers a standardized assessment to all of our students. The assessment consists of 5 questions for English/Language Arts with a lengthy passage (building stamina and endurance), 5 questions for Mathematics, 5 questions for Science, and 5 questions for Social Studies for a total of 20 questions.

We utilize the results to guide our instruction, remediation/enrichment efforts, and Festive Friday activities.

We want our students to be just as reflective as we are. Therefore, we have devised a form that allows our students to analyze their own data while observing how they measure to the class average.

Here is what the form looks like:

Team Lynx Assessment Portfolio (Weekly)

Assessment Name/ Number	Team Average English/Language Arts	Team Average Math	Team Average Science	Team Average Social Studies
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
My Total Percentage	My English/Language Arts Percentage	My Math Percentage	My Science Percentage	My Social Studies Percentage
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Reasons for My Results – Beside #1 – Write the reasons for your Week 1 Test Results. Beside #2 – Write the reasons for your Week 2 Test Results. Follow the same routine for the other weeks.

1. ______________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________

5. ______________________________________________________

6. ______________________________________________________

7. ______________________________________________________

8. ______________________________________________________

9. ______________________________________________________

Monday, October 20, 2014

Interview with Carmela McKeller: At-Large Candidate for the Cumberland County Board of Education

Carmela McKeller, is campaigning to join the Cumberland County Board of Education.

Former Wall Street Business Systems Consultant, Carmela McKeller, is a parent of a 6th Grader who wants to make a positive contribution to her community. She believes that by joining the Cumberland County Board of Election, she will be able to influence the school system - not just for her child, but for all children.

Here is our honest conversation about what she will bring to the board:

About Carmela McKeller:

Born in Fayetteville, NC
Married with 2 Children
Member of Cumberland UMC
Educated in NYC Public School System & Public University
10 yrs. NYC Government as a Business/Operations Analyst
10 yrs. Wall Street Business System Consultant
Community Volunteer

In the Schools - Classroom Volunteer, PTA President, School Improvement Team Member, Mentor, and Jack Britt High School Parent Group School Board Liaison
In the Community - United Way of Cumberland County, Habitat for Humanity, and Party with a Purpose

Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Stay tuned for my additional interviews with the other candidates!

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Interview with David Booth: At-Large Candidate for the Cumberland County Board of Education

David Booth is a candidate for the Cumberland County Board of Education.

Two-time retiree, David Booth (Special Forces Lt. Colonel & High School Civics Teacher), desires to obtain an at-large seat on the Cumberland County Board of Education. He believes that he will bring an honest, classroom teacher perspective to the board. His tagline is "Common Sense + Experience = Better Schools for Our Children."

Here is our comprehensive conversation:

About David Booth:

B.S. in Criminology from Florida State University
Master's in American History from the University of South Florida
Retired U.S. Army Special Forces LTC
Retired South View High School Civics Teacher with 18 Years of Experience
Part-time Instructor at Fayetteville Technical Community College
Former PTA President at Morganton Road Elementary
Member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church

Stay tuned for my additional interviews with the other candidates!

Thursday, October 16, 2014

National Boss's Day - Interview with Dr. Frank Till (CCS Superintendent)

I spoke with Dr. Frank Till (CCS Superintendent) for National Boss's Day!

Today is National Boss's Day, and I had a chance to sit down with my boss - Dr. Frank Till. We discussed a variety of topics including what the word "boss" means to him, his tenure as a teacher, why he became an administrator, and his selection as Superintendent of the Year for the Sandhills Region.

Here is our candid conversation:

We would like wish Dr. Till well as he competes for the title of North Carolina Superintendent of the Year!

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

"Enforcing" Curriculum - SVMS Curriculum/Career/Community Watch Night

October is National Crime Prevention Month, and I have devised a way for SVMS to participate in style!

On October 28th, South View Middle School will host "Enforcing" Curriculum - A Career Night, Curriculum Night, and Community Watch Night for our students, parents, and other community members. The time is 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM. This is our way of combating violence in Cumberland County with awareness and information!

Here is a brief description of the event:

• “Enforcing” Curriculum is a Career Night because lawyers, judges, police officers, lawmakers, and other officials will share occupational knowledge with our students.

• “Enforcing” Curriculum is a Curriculum Night because students and teachers have been investigating reading materials (Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, Touching Spirit Bear, The Giver, and The Outsiders) that highlight the importance of law enforcement and good citizenship.

• “Enforcing” Curriculum is a Community Watch Night because life-changing advice will be shared to improve the quality of our communities.

Here are some of the individuals who have signed on as distinguished presenters:

NC Representative: Rick Glazier

Family Law Attorney: April Smith

Attorney/School Board Member: Michael Boose

Sgt. Gary Womble - Major Crimes Division -
Fayetteville Police Department

Attorney: Duane Gilliam

Former Fayetteville City Councilwoman: Val Applewhite

Assistant District Attorney: Rita Cox

Attorney: Billy Richardson

Hope Mills Mayor: Jackie Warner

Judge Clark Reeves

Here is a commercial that I created to entice the students of my school to attend the event:

Stay tuned for additional updates and presenters!

For More Information Contact:

Marlow M. Artis

"Enforcing" Curriculum Creator/Coordinator

Chair of Assessment/Effective Instruction at SVMS

marlowartis@ccs.k12.nc.us

(910) 424-3131 ext. 3119

Monday, October 13, 2014

Utilzing Instagram to Engage Students in Book Talks

I have decided to utilize the Social Media Phenomenon, Instagram, as an instructional tool.

As a middle school teacher, it is imperative that I keep my ears to the ground about the latest happenings and pop culture fads. I strive to strategically integrate certain topics and applications into my instruction if it may lead to a greater understanding of English/Language Arts Standards.

My most recent integration is the Social Media Mainstay, Instagram. I have decided to utilize Instagram as my students engage in Book Talks.

Each week, students have to submit 4 videos to Instagram.

Create a 15 Second Video Introducing the Book
Create a 15 Second Video Providing a Short Summary
Create a 15 Second Video Sharing Additional Information
Create a 15 Second Video Rendering a Rating

For the students who do not have Instagram Accounts for whatever reason, they must:

Write 6-8 Sentences Introducing the Book
Write 6-8 Sentences Providing a Short Summary
Write 6-8 Sentences Sharing Additional Information
Write 6-8 Sentences Rendering a Rating

Both methods help me to engage my students with their reading materials. However, what I love about Instagram is the fact that the dialogue continues because students are able to comment and like the videos as a form of positive affirmation or constructive criticism.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Beginning Teacher Tuesdays!

I have created a new program for the newest teachers at my school (SVMS) in partnership with local restaurants.

Mentoring/nurturing new teachers is one of my educational passions. In an effort to support these individuals, I have devised a gathering session called Beginning Teacher Tuesdays.

The program is open to all SVMS Beginning Teachers in their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Years of teaching.
Veteran teachers who are brand new to SVMS are invited to attend.
This is a great way to orient these individuals to SVMS and the profession.
Typically, the meetings convene on the 1st Tuesdays of every month.
Time Frame – 2:45 PM until 3:45 PM
Teachers are able to clock 10 additional contact hours throughout the year.
Light Lunch

Donations and/or discounts provided by our business partners.

Guest Speakers

Central Services Personnel
Principals
Teachers from SVMS as well as other schools
Retired Teachers

Article Discussion

Articles read prior to the meeting in order to maximize time for discussion.

Open Discussion

Participants are able to pose relevant questions and matters for rich conversation.

Friendly Feedback

Beginning Teachers observe at least one other BT every month. During this segment, the BT’s share positive and constructive feedback with one another.