JeanneBates
1st-GradeLanguageArtsTeacher
IntroductiontoResponsiveClassroom•One-DayCourse
ThispastFebruary,Itookaone-dayIntroductiontoResponsive Classroomcourse.Theengagingandinteractiveclasswasexcitingand fun!TeachersandeducatorsfromallovertheUnitedStatesmet together.Thisopportunityforprofessionaldevelopmentgavemefresh ideasonhowtoengagemy1st-gradelanguageartsstudentsin learning!Itgavestrategiesregardingclassroommanagementtoensure thatallstudentsstayfocusedandreadytolearn.
IappreciatethegenerosityofourPinewoodparentcommunityin contributingtofundraisingeventslikethisonetoprovideopportunities forfacultyandstafftocontinuetogrowandeverimproveourteaching andbestpracticesinourclassrooms!
FacultyandStaffProfessional DevelopmentStories
DebbieDitton
LowerCampusMusicTeacher
ResponsiveClassroom–ForSpecialAreaTeachers•One-DayCourse InFebruary,IwasprivilegedtoattendanalldayProfessional DevelopmentWorkshopcalled"ResponsiveClassroom-ForSpecial AreaTeachers.”Thetrainingwascenteredonmakingtheclassrooma safe,productivelearningenvironmentforeverystudent.Welearned (andreviewed)techniquesforbringingstudentstogetherasagroup, focusingthemonthelearningfortheday,sendingthemoutofclass readyfortheirnextlearningexperience,andredirectingbehaviorsthat arenotconducivetoasafeandjoyfulclass.Becausethistrainingwas gearedtowards“specialareateachers,”alloftheamazingexamples andsuggestionswerecompletelypertinenttomypositionasmusic teacherandalsorecognizedthetimelimitationsthatexistinall enrichmentclasses. ThankyoutoallofPinewood’sparentswhomakethiskindoftraining availabletotheteachersatthisremarkableinstitution.
FacultyandStaffProfessional DevelopmentStories
MónicaLlagaria
MiddleCampusSpanishTeacher
AvantAdvanceTraining
IfIhadtochoosethePDcoursethathasimpactedmethemostitwouldbe theAvantAdvanceTrainingItooklastsummer.It’saconcrete,hands-on, andpowerfulasynchronousonlinetrainingthatshowsyouhowtoassess students'proficiencylevelinordertogivethemusefulfeedbacktogrowand moveforwardtothenextproficiencylevel.Thetrainingtaughtmehowto identifytheseproficiencylevelsinaconcrete,measurableway,withlotsof realexamples.Now,Icanbetterrecognizewhatproficiencylevelmy studentsareat,andwhattheyneedtodoinordertoprogressintothenext level.Ifeelmoreconfidentingivingthemfeedbackaimedtoimprovetheir performanceusingtheSpanishlanguageindifferenttasks.
ThankstothegenerosityofthePinewoodcommunity,Ifeelveryfortunateto beabletokeeplearningandgrowinginmyprofession.
FacultyandStaffProfessional DevelopmentStories
AuroraCollantes
K-6WorldLanguagesDepartmentHead, UpperCampusSpanishTeacher
DepartmentChairsInstitute,CATDC
IamverygratefulfortheopportunityPinewoodSchoolhasgivenmetocontinue myeducation,sponsoringcoursesformetotakeovertheyearsIhaveworked here.
Atthebeginningofthesummer,IattendedtheDepartmentChairsInstitute, offeredbyCaliforniaTeacherDevelopmentCollaborative(CATDC),togetherwith othercolleaguesfromPinewood.Theworkshopwasexcellentbecauseitprovided greatknowledgeandfoundationonhowtobeadepartmenthead.Also,the workshoppresentedbestpractices,differentmodelsofleadershipandgaveus theopportunitytointeractwithothereducatorsfromdifferentschools.Icameout fromthattrainingwithabetterunderstandingofwhattheroleofadepartment headshouldbeandwithmanypracticaltoolstoimplementinthatrole.
Iamsuremydepartmentwillalsobenefitfromthistraining.Ihavebeenvery excitedtosharemanyoftheseideasandtoolswiththemtostrengthenourteam andcollaborations.Ultimately,ourstudentswillbenefitfromallofthis.
FacultyandStaffProfessional DevelopmentStories
MarvinCoote DirectorofCollegeCounseling
CarolynSiegel AssociateDirectorofCollegeCounseling
NACACConference
OwingtoPinewoodSchool’sgenerosity,boththeDirectorandAssociateDirectorofCollege Counselingwereabletoattendthe2022NACAC(NationalAssociationforCollegeAdmission Counseling)conferenceinHouston,Texas.ThisisanessentialpartofourroleatPinewoodasitisan opportunitytolearnaboutprograms,opportunitiesandresourceswithinourfieldandtomeetwith representativesfrommajorcollegesanduniversitiesacrossthecountryandtheworld.
ForMarvinCoote,thisannualconferenceisagreatwaytoconnectwithrepresentativesfrom collegesanduniversitiesthatmanyofourstudentsattend.Itisalsoanexcellentopportunitytolearn newtrendsinthecontinuallychanginglandscapeofcollegeadmissions.Additionally,Marvinwas abletoconnectattendanceatthisconferencewithavisittocollegesthatPinewoodstudentshave appliedtoandattendedoverthepastfiveyears,includingbutnotlimitedtoSMU,TCU,Baylor University,andRiceUniversity.
ForCarolynSiegel,thisprogramisanopportunitytoexpandherknowledgeaboutdifferentcolleges anduniversitiesandalsowhatprogramsareavailableateachschool.Therearealsoworkshops thataregearedtowardscounselorswhoarerelativelynewtothefieldandothersthatincludeideas forcounselorslookingtoexpandtheircontributionstotheiroffices,bothofwhichCarolyntook advantageofthispastyear.Additionally,thisyearCarolyngaveapresentationonherworkwith socialmediaOutsidetheComfortZoneintotheConnectionZone:InstagramEssentials,whichwas significantasacontributiontoourpeers’workincollegecounselingand,moreimportantly,wasan opportunitytoshowcasePinewoodSchoolandtheworkbeingdonehere.
FacultyandStaffProfessional DevelopmentStories
JenniferMorris,andMarybethSmith MiddleCampusMathTeachers
CaliforniaMathCouncil—South•AnnualConference
DuringthefirstweekendofNovember,theMiddleCampusmathteachersattendedCaliforniaMath Council–South's63rdAnnualMathematicsConferenceatthePalmSpringsConventionCenter.The themeoftheconferencewas“RediscoveringtheJoyofExploringMathematics."
Theconferencestretchedoverthreedaysandofferedover500workshopsandpresentations coveringallgradelevelsandstrandsofmathematics.Together,wewereabletoattendover25 sessionsfromtopicssuchasDiversity,Equity,andInclusioninmathematicsinstruction,usingdice gamesandcardgamesforenrichment,creatingbinaryplacevaluelessons,andauthenticProblem BasedLearning(PBL)experiencestopromotestudentcollaborationandengagementinthe classroom,tonamejustafew.
Eacheveningwewereabletogettogetheranddebriefwhatwehadlearnedduringtheday.Thisis oneofthegreatbenefitsofattendingaconferenceasadepartment.Itprovidedanopportunityfor ustoplanandcollaborateonthemathcurriculumforMiddleCampusandworktogetheron strategiestobestmeettheneedsofallofourstudents.Oneofourfavoritesessionswasfroma FeaturedSpeakerentitled,“PublicMathPop-Up:BuildYourOwnMathInstallation”,encouraging ‘joyfulexplorationofmathematicsbeyondtheclassroom’.Wehavebeenusingthisideatocreate mathpostersandactivitiesaroundtheschoolforteachersandstudentstothinkaboutmath throughouttheday,notjustinmathclass.Itwasinvaluabletohavetheopportunitytospend focusedtimewitheachothersharingideasincurriculumandinstruction.Weleftfeelingenergized andexcitedaboutourclassroomsandmathatMiddleCampus!
FacultyandStaffProfessional DevelopmentStories
KristineKiene,KathyMendoza,
OliviaBradley
UpperCampusWorldLanguagesDepartmentHead, UpperCampusSpanishTeacher,DEIFamilyLiaison
GraduateStudiesReimbursementProgram:
MasterofEducationinCurriculumandInstructionatCSUBakersfield
IamdelightedthatPinewoodstartedtheprogramtosupportteacherswhowouldliketoobtain advanceddegrees.IcompletedmyMasterofArtsinTeachingover16yearsagoandreallywanted tostudymorecurrenttopics.TheMasterofArtsinEducation–CurriculumandInstructionatCSU Bakersfieldhasallowedmetolearnaboutcurrentbestpracticesinteachingandcurriculumdesign. ThecoreclassesincludeSocialJustice,AcademicLeadership,ActionResearch,andCurriculumand Design.Then,Ihavetheoptiontochoosetherestofmycoursesbasedoninterest.Thecourses rangefromLiteracyandReadingcourses,EducationalTechnology,CulturalPerspectives,andthe CommonCore,aswellasavarietyofotheradvancedtopicsbasedonwhatiscurrentineducation.
Iamalreadylearningsomuchinmycourses.TheSocialJusticecoursecontributedtoinitiativesand practicesthatIcanutilizeintheDEIcommitteeaswellasinmyclasses.MyActionResearchcourse providedmewithavarietyofsurveytoolsIcanusewithmystudentstoassesstheirlearningand myteaching.Italsohelpedmetodevelopmyskillasadataanalyst.Ilookforwardtolearningeven moreinmycoursesthissemester.IwillbeabletobringwhatIlearnedandshareitwithmy colleagues.Thegoaloftheprogramistoprovidemewithanewlenswhendesigningcurriculum andlessonsformystudents.After17yearsofteaching,Ithinkitisimportantthatwecontinuetostay currentinourpractices.Ibelievethisnewlenswillhelpmetorefreshmypedagogyandplanningfor mystudentssothattheyareabletolearninaninnovative,forward-thinkingenvironment.Iam gratefulfortheopportunitytobeabletomodelformystudentstheimportanceoflifelonglearning.
FacultyandStaffProfessional DevelopmentStories
RiaWalker MiddleCampusP.E.Teacher
GraduateStudiesReimbursementProgram:
MasterofArtsinEducationandTeachingLeadershipatSDSU
Throughthisinitiative,Ifinallyhavetheopportunitytopursuemylifelong dreamofearningagraduatedegreethatIhadhadtoputoffforyears duetofinancialobligations.Asoflastfall,IampursuingaMasterofArts inEducationandTeachingLeadershipatSanDiegoStateUniversity.Asa memberofthisteamofdedicatedteachersatPinewood,Iamboth gratefulandexcitedforthisopportunityandlookforwardtothepositive impactmyadvanceddegreewillhaveonmyworkandmystudents.
FacultyandStaffProfessional DevelopmentStories
