Outside and Outstanding

An afternoon with the Maine 2021 Teacher of the Year

On a turned over bucket, under a tarp sail, Cindy Soule, a fourth grade Portland Public Schools teacher, reads to her students. Each student sits on their own carefully placed rock in what is the new outdoor classroom for fourth graders at Gerald E. Talbot Elementary School. This is a typical day for the 2021 Teacher of the Year.

"The fourth-grade classes split the time for this space," explains Soule. Today, the story is accompanied by snack time, making their eating even safer as each child is carefully spaced apart and they're outdoors. During this time, Soule doesn't have to worry about the gentle reminders to physically distance as students remain still, engaged in the reading.

Though you can't see her facial expressions, due to her mask, the story comes alive in Soule's voice as she stops to ask the children what they think will happen next in the book. Soule has embraced the outdoor learning spaces at her school and spent much of the day with her class outside, in multiple locations.

"Educators are agents of change. This pandemic has proven that to be true and emphasized the importance of engaging all students in ways that inspire," said Soule.

The inspiration continued as students head to Science class, which today takes place with a quick walk to the school's outdoor garden.

"Where do you see seeds?" asks Soule of her students. When learning about the lifecycle, there is no better place to be than the school's garden, where students can explore and experiment in real time. Soule takes advantage of this space as she shows her students different plants, pulls a dandelion from the ground giving it later to a student to spread its seeds across the garden. Students are so interested in the lesson Soule must continually remind them to keep their space as they eagerly gather around her to see what she's picking and pruning.

"Is this a seed?" asks one student who finds a tomato plant that is past its prime. Science is a passion for Soule who has been a leader in helping to develop the first comprehensive Science curriculum in the Portland Public School district.

The robust science lesson outside concluded with students documenting their findings, writing and drawing pictures from the garden. With clipboards in hand, students found a spot to safely share what they learned, tying in science and writing in the safest way possible.

"We will learn so much from her passion for teaching inquiry-based science and literacy!" said Heather Whitaker, the outgoing Maine Teacher of the Year.

Maine Educator invited Cindy Soule to share her thoughts on her teaching, the pandemic, the future, her students and more. The following provides insight into education and sound advice and teaching tips from the 2021 Maine

How has your role as a teacher evolved over the years?

I work in a school with a substantial set of unique challenges, in that our students embody a diversity of language, culture, race, and socioeconomic statuses. I have always held firm to the belief: All students can learn. This belief has motivated me to continually refine and evolve my teaching practice. Over the years I have developed a strong foundation of literacy instruction, acquired technology skills, and implemented social emotional learning practices. While these efforts yielded impactful results, I believed I could do more to more fully engage all of my students. After researching high-leverage strategies, I decided to focus my professional learning on science instruction. By harnessing the learning power of science, students develop agency and grow in myriad ways. I select topics to study that have a presence in our community. In doing so this fosters authentic connections between the natural world, its fragility, and academic content. Maine and the world we live in are beautiful; by studying our local community my hope is that my students become inspired to view the natural world around them with a sense of amazement.

I have also taken on several leadership roles such as peer evaluation, Leadership Team Representative, and District Vertical Literacy Team. My goal is to advocate for students and staff in each of these roles in a way that empowers them and creates a learning community where everyone flourishes!

Portland is a diverse community; how do you involve families in your students' education, especially now?

I believe in a strong partnership with students' families. Our school has grade level blogs that I have linked to our school website. This is an engaging way to keep families updated with what their child is learning. I have found the use of an app like Talking Points is highly effective at reaching all families and staying connected. I use the app to communicate individual needs and share quick notes on student progress as well as to send links to the grade 4 blog. By sending links to our website the updates I post there can also be translated for families with google translate. Families are excited to see and hear what is happening in our fourth-grade classrooms. The app also translates messages which is so helpful for families who do not speak English as their first language. I also invite families as frequently as possible to hear from students about their learning. An example of this is a gallery walk grade 4 hosted. Families got to visit and learn about animal adaptations and see the beautiful informational books they created in partnership with Side x Side.

What have you learned from your students?

Determination. Gratitude. Perseverance. The importance of laughter. Acceptance. Forgiveness. The list could go on. My students have brought me such joy amidst this pandemic, and I love their spirit and willingness to be present in each moment.

Why do you think you were selected as Teacher of the Year? (I know it's hard to talk about yourself, but what do you think your peers might say?)

Wow, tough one. Unwavering commitment to have each child walk out my door feeling as though they are valued, heard, and know that I believe in them. By doing so they are empowered to see the possibilities of their future. Dreams are powerful. Each of my students is a unique individual, but all with incredible potential. Here is a note from colleague Alex Lawrence, Math Coach, "You have so many strengths as a teacher to choose from, but the one that stands out the most for me is how you don't give up on any student and insist on finding a way to meet their needs and move them forward. That is true no matter how many issues they come with, or how complicated the issues are, or how little success others may have had in the past addressing them. I feel like the idea of finding a way forward for every child gets a lot of airtime, but you actually do it!"

From Dr. Kate Cook, Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance, "Perhaps most importantly, Ms. Soule is an incredibly reflective teacher and is always striving to learn more and advance her practice. She takes the time to critically reflect on each and every lesson, identifying areas of success and areas for growth. Further, she regularly seeks out opportunities to learn more. Ms. Soule is a leader in advancing STEM education in her district. She eagerly seeks professional learning opportunities and leadership roles outside of the requirements of her position. Ms. Soule is a critical driver in advancing science education in elementary school throughout her district and throughout the state."

From a colleague of 10 years, Kim Elliot, former Literacy Coach, now teaching ELL at South Portland. Cindy also excels at creating classroom communities that are kind, purposeful and infused with joy. She is attentive to student's social-emotional needs, and implements positive, differentiated supports and strategies to ensure all students can access instruction. She is mindful of barriers that may keep students from learning, and works closely with ELL teachers, social workers, specialists and families to create and implement multi-tiered plans of support. Cindy works tirelessly to ensure that students know that with hard work and confidence, they can succeed.

If you had the power to change one education policy right now, what would it be and why?

Over the last 8 months I have reflected upon how as a result of the pandemic we have been, in a way, forced to step outside the status quo and do things differently. While there are many inherent challenges, we have also learned a tremendous amount about what works for kids, ways to engage learners, and how some learners excel at learning remotely. Though I don't name a specific policy, I would suggest as educators we make a commitment to consider the ways we have learned from stepping outside the status quo. Fear of change can be a significant barrier, but my hope is that one of the positives we take away from this experience is that there can be a real benefit from making significant changes. In particular, I hope that we can think more carefully about systemic racism. It is critical that our education systems take action to disrupt racism and narrow the opportunity gap faced by far too many students.

What specific strategies do you use to help reach your students that you think could help other educators around the state?

Making a shift from a teacher-led explanation to student-led inquiry, allows students to work collaboratively by asking questions and exploring curiosities. An inquiry-based model will invite all students to explore and discover the natural world. By providing shared experiences to our students, they will be supported in a way that is inclusive of their backgrounds and knowledge they bring to learning. This type of instructional approach creates a learning environment where all students collaborate and self-construct science knowledge in a way that cultivates critical thinking and communication skills. Students will be provided opportunities to explain phenomena, ask questions, carry out investigations, discuss theories, create and revise visual models of thinking, and share their ideas publicly. The student products created throughout the unit will be a reflection of their own learning. The engaging design of these learning experiences will provide accessibility for all our students in a way that fosters a sense of community while simultaneously deepening students' scientific understanding. To implement this instructional shift anchor each science unit in a "phenomenon," otherwise known as a mysterious event that occurs in the natural world. Preferably something local. In doing so, students will participate in conversations to develop initial explanations about the how and why of each phenomenon. Students keep a science notebook to record their observations, questions, and visual models of thinking. As students generate questions, gain key scientific understandings, and test theories, they revisit the anchoring phenomena, work with peers, and revise their models to incorporate new ideas. To document questions, list investigations, identify student products, and record findings, I co-construct a driving question board with students that is posted in the classroom and shared with families on our class blog. Students use this tool to navigate through lessons and reflect on learning and determine next steps. During this phase of the inquiry process, I use supplemental images, videos, and interviews to guide students to discover answers to specific questions and identify related phenomena. As a part of the investigative process, students conduct experiments and analyze artifacts. The end result is that students put all the pieces of their investigations together to scientifically explain the phenomena in a way that incorporates key science ideas.

Any advice for other educators to help keep them motivated while teaching during a pandemic?

In moments of vulnerability, teachers have and will continue to come together and provide each other with the strength needed to ensure our students learn and grow. Reach out and ask for help. Teaching by design is not meant to be done in isolation. It is also important that we remind ourselves and our colleagues to continue to engage in activities that are restorative and sources of joy. It is critical that educators remind ourselves and each other that our health and wellness matter.

Anything else you want to share?

It is my belief that one of the most critical contributions I have made throughout my tenure at Talbot is modeling, with passion and conviction, my belief that all students can learn. It is a natural reaction for teachers to lessen expectations given signs of trauma, poverty, or struggles of access due to language barriers. However, educational research has demonstrated that when given clear and high expectations, students will rise. In all that I do at Talbot, I repeatedly convey this as one of the most critical elements we can employ to mitigate the widening of the opportunity gap faced by many Talbot students. Also, I am so incredibly proud to be Maine Teacher of the Year. Maine teachers have flexed with creativity and innovation to deliver instruction in ways that are assuredly different than anything we have ever done before. In moments of vulnerability, we have leaned on one another and lifted one another up. Educators across our state have demonstrated the power of our collective strength as, together, we navigate the challenges of this pandemic with creativity, ingenuity, compassion and a commitment to our students' growth and learning as well as their social and emotional well-being. Teachers have the power to energize students to read, write, and think critically in powerful ways. Our students must believe that they are brilliant individuals whose voice matters and have the confidence to use it. Our classrooms can instill in students the belief that they can positively impact the future. Cultivating passion and dedication will better prepare our students to participate as informed, respectful, openminded, and responsible citizens who care for their environment and possess compassion for humanity.