Category: 2018

Meet Jennifer Wilkinson, Physical Science Special Ed

What’s your first and last name?

  • Jennifer Wilkinson

What do you teach / what is your ‘title’ at school?

  • Physical Science Special Ed

How are you involved in education?

  • I am a lead teacher two hours of the day, the rest of the time I am a co-teacher with three amazing other teachers. My co-teaching responsibilities are English !!, English IV, and Physical Science. I also am emergency certified but LOVE teaching and have chosen to continue to get my Masters in Education.

What does your ideal school or classroom look like?

  • Very hands-on! I love doing activities with my kids and getting them to experience science or English, not just hear about it! If all my kids would work together and become a positive classroom environment (supporting one another) while learning every single day – that would be my ideal classroom.

If you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?

  • Phenomena before the lesson! Let your kids experience the real-life situation before learning about it, that way they have something to connect their concepts to!

Do you have a website or blog?

Are you on Twitter?

If you are attending EdCampOKC, we’d love to feature your information here too! Please submit this contribution form, including a small photo we can use in your post.

Meet Crystal Szymanski, Principal

What’s your first and last name?

  • Crystal Szymanski

What do you teach / what is your ‘title’ at school?

  • Principal

How are you involved in education?

  • I am a MS building principal at Chisholm Middle School in Enid. My roles include technology committe chair for the district, instructional and curriculum coach, student discipline, building maintenance, event planning, and more.

What does your ideal school or classroom look like?

  • Student-centered with teachers as facilitators. Lots of show me and student empowerment.

If you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?

  • OER or Standards Based Grading

Do you have a website or blog?

Are you on Twitter?

If you are attending EdCampOKC, we’d love to feature your information here too! Please submit this contribution form, including a small photo we can use in your post.

Meet Telannia Norfar, Math Teacher

What’s your first and last name?

  • Telannia Norfar

What do you teach / what is your ‘title’ at school?

  • Math Teacher

How are you involved in education?

  • I am one of the committee members for EdcampOKC. This is my second year to serve on the planning and my fourth year helping in general. I am the president-elect for the Oklahoma Council of Teachers of Mathematics. I provide training on student-centered strategies across the country. I am a regular attender on #oklaed and #sunchat. I also support financially and advocate for legislators who support education.

What does your ideal school or classroom look like?

  • My idea classroom is where students drive their own learning. They know what they need to learn, how to learn and how to present their learning.

If you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?

  • Number Talks at the Middle and High School Level

Do you have a website or blog?

Are you on Twitter?

If you are attending EdCampOKC, we’d love to feature your information here too! Please submit this contribution form, including a small photo we can use in your post.

Meet Ann Phillips, Language Arts teacher

What’s your first and last name?

  • Ann Phillips

What do you teach / what is your ‘title’ at school?

  • Language Arts teacher

How are you involved in education?

  • I enjoy professional development, soaking up as much as I can. I attend the Pre-AP class in the summers at TU, and I’m currently participating in a three-part webinar by Jennifer Serravallo, entitled “The Writing Strategies.” I remain active in OEA as well.

What does your ideal school or classroom look like?

  • An ideal school has a principal that comes into classrooms OFTEN. The staff would communicate with one another through scheduled, consistent cross-curricular meetings. Teachers would ideally know what others are teaching so they could expand upon those concepts in their own curricular area. One-to-one technology would be offered and available, in working condition, for every student and teacher. Colorful murals would be on the walls in hallways and in bathrooms, along with welcoming, well-kept landscaping around the school (with a spacious and lovely outdoor classroom learning space as well, of course!) The school library would have an abundance of current, intriguing books and an environment that lures both students and staff. The friendly and knowledgeable librarian would be there to aid in teaching lessons and helping students find that “just-right” book. All art, music, and foreign language programs would be embraced and seen as equally important in the development of every child. Physical education would be a daily class, kindergarten through seniors in high school. This school would have windows in each and every classroom, allowing natural light to fuel learning. The cafeteria would offer multiple choices to students for both breakfast and lunch. Students would be greeters before school each day, as well as staff. They would be expected to talk to everyone. Learning in all classrooms would be curriculum driven, with teachers meeting each and every child’s vast needs. Classes would include twenty or fewer students each and every hour. State testing would be a thing from the past.

If you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?

  • I teach at a small, rural middle school. I’m interested in learning how others teach in under-funded, under-staffed rural schools. I’m always looking for ways to improve our little school and learn from others. I don’t have a specific topic in mind.

Are you on Twitter?

If you are attending EdCampOKC, we’d love to feature your information here too! Please submit this contribution form, including a small photo we can use in your post.

Meet Olivia Bennett, Advanced math teacher

What’s your first and last name?

  • Olivia Bennett

What do you teach / what is your ‘title’ at school?

  • Advanced math teacher

How are you involved in education?

  • I am a team leader for my school. I am a pre-ap math teacher. I enjoy challenging myself and hearing from other teachers.

What does your ideal school or classroom look like?

  • Having a large classroom with Chromebooks or laptops for each student. Having table with a cut out in the middle for supplies. Having an administration that backs me up for all of the new ideas that I want to try in the classroom.

If you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?

  • Being creative in the math classroom.
  • Diversity and inclusion in the secondary classroom.

Are you on Twitter?

If you are attending EdCampOKC, we’d love to feature your information here too! Please submit this contribution form, including a small photo we can use in your post.

Meet Nathan Brubaker, Professional Development

What’s your first and last name?

  • Nathan Brubaker

What do you teach / what is your ‘title’ at school?

  • Professional Development

How are you involved in education?

  • I support CTE Teachers with PD at the State level.

What does your ideal school or classroom look like?

  • The ideal classroom is student focused that uses hands on or project based learning that makes the learning relate to the real world of work. The teacher spends most of their time giving formative feedback that spurs the student to continue to move forward. The teacher uses a variety of instructional strategies that are chosen based on their knowledge of the students and how they learn and process knowledge.

If you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?

  • Instructional strategies, classroom management, OkCareerGuide

Are you on Twitter?

If you are attending EdCampOKC, we’d love to feature your information here too! Please submit this contribution form, including a small photo we can use in your post.