ISTA Award Winners 2009-2010

 

Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)

CONGRATULATIONS MR. CREAN

ISTA congratulates member, Jason Crean, on winning the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)! Mr. Crean is a high school biology teacher at Lyons Township High School in LaGrange. In addition to teaching at Lyons Township for nine years, Mr. Crean teaches graduate level courses at Saint Xavier University and is an adjunct faculty member at Aurora University and Illinois Benedictine University. He is also a curriculum designer and instructor in the Education Department at Brookfield Zoo. Mr. Crean will be attending ISTA’s annual conference in Springfield, November 4-6, and presenting two teacher workshops. Check your conference program for an opportunity to meet Mr. Crean!

2009-2010 ISTA New Teacher of the Year Awardees

ISTA Region 1

Dr. Jeong Choe is entering her third year teaching at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) in Aurora. She teaches a variety of Chemistry courses including Sophomore Chemistry, Biochemistry and Advanced Chemistry.  Jeong received her B.S. degree in 2002 and obtained her Ph.D in 2008, both from the University of Illinois-Chicago. In her short time at IMSA, Jeong has made an impact on students and faculty alike. According to her colleagues “Jeong is a great role model, particularly for our young women who wish to pursue science.” Jeong frequently utilizes formative assessments in her classroom, allowing her students to think more meta-cognitively and examine how they “know” what they know. If you visit Jeong’s classroom, you will often find her someplace other than the front of the room and she encourages students to actively participate and contribute to discussions. As a result, students have a great deal of respect for her and her high expectations in the classroom. Jeong also works frequently with students outside the classroom. In the past year, she coached the Science Olympiad team, helping them to reach third place in State. Jeong also plays an important role in reaching out to other students than those who attend IMSA. In particular, she teaches summer camps to junior high students during which they learn chemistry through unique and creative experiments such as making ice cream with liquid nitrogen. Jeong’s innovative teaching style and classroom, her connection to students both in and out of class, and her work with IMSA colleagues and other Illinois teachers are among the reasons she is one of ISTA’s New Teachers of the Year. Congratulations, Jeong!

Kathleen Fritsch will begin her second year as a high school physics teacher in the Fall of 2010. Kathy taught at Proviso East High School in Maywood last year. She earned a B.S. in Geology from Illinois State University and a MAT from National-Louis University. Kathy made the wise decision recently to become a high school physics teacher Prior to teaching physics, Kathy had a successful career in the field of engineering. In her short time as a teacher, Kathy has made sincere connections and lasting impressions with her students. Kathy has done an exemplary job as a physics teacher in a very difficult learning environment at Proviso East. She has had great success with students, many whom have math and reading levels below the state average. Nonetheless, Kathy enthusiastically and creatively inspires her students to want to learn physics. She regularly uses hands-on activities in her lessons to boost student achievement and engagement while incorporating technology to prepare students for the future. Kathy has revolutionized lab completion by making them internet based, requiring results to be graphed on a computer and offering a reward system for classes with passing lab scores. She has seen many students embrace technology as a result and even has students who presented lab results using movie-making software. Kathy’s students are very diverse and she has adapted her lessons to suit all learning styles in her classroom. According to her colleagues, “Kathy’s classroom is vibrant and she teaches like a veteran.”  Kathy’s commitment to her students, flexibility in her teaching style and drive for excellence are among the reasons she is one of ISTA’s New Teachers of the Year. Congratulations, Kathy!

Kristen Piggott is entering her fourth year as a science educator. Kristen has taught a variety of courses including biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy and criminalistics at Deerfield High School in Deerfield. Kristen received a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Michigan State in 2005 and has nearly completed a Master of Arts in Teaching Degree at Wayne State in Detroit. The first line of Kristen’s nomination read, “If you want something done, you can count on Kristen Piggott.” Undoubtedly, Kristen’s endorsements to teach biology, chemistry and physics have made her an asset to the science department at Deerfield High. Kristen understands what motivates students and how to design experiences to engage students in the curriculum. For example, Kristen designed a physics project, “Mousetrap Car,” to help students learn energy conservation and a “Rock Band” project to delve into sound. Perhaps it is for this reason, her nominator exclaims, “whenever I need ideas, I go to Kristen!” Kristen’s organization shows in her classroom as she has a “toolbox” of study and organizational skills she shares with students. She provides students with weekly assignment sheets and maintains an up-to-date website to support their learning needs. As a new physics teacher, Kristen has worked with a team of teachers in writing lesson targets and sharing classroom strategies to support science skill development. Seeing the need for more technology support, Kristen volunteered to serve on the school’s technology committee and has given presentations to the faculty related to technology. It is evident that she is very good at reaching beyond the science department to collaborate with others. Kristen’s innovation, creativity, and collaborative skills are among the reasons she is one of ISTA’s New Teachers of the Year. Congratulations, Kristen!

ISTA Region 4

Daniel Prieto will begin his third year as a science teacher in the Fall of 2010. He is a junior high and high school science teacher in the Cissna Park School District. Dan received his B.S. Degree in Environmental Education from Knox College as the inaugural student of the program. Dan currently teaches five courses as he is the only junior high science and high school environmental science instructor in his school. Nonetheless, his nominator remarks, “finding new science teachers with as much desire as Dan is difficult.” While at Cissna Park, Dan has updated the entire science curriculum in the junior high to be aligned with state standards. While updating the curriculum, Dan also was able to initiate a junior high science fair. Recently, he revamped the high school environmental science course and is currently working on implementing a new forensics course. Keeping up with the times, Dan also created a Facebook page for all of his courses to allow students to track content, assignments and monitor their progress. In addition to his teaching duties, Dan is also the webmaster for his school district, co-sponsor of the junior high yearbook and co-sponsor of the freshman class. As an accomplished DJ, Dan gives back to the students by volunteering his time and equipment for school dances. Although Dan quickly learned that teaching is an expensive profession, he has found creative ways to make his budget stretch including acquiring used books and receiving corporate grants to purchase supplemental materials. This past year, Dan started an innovative school supplies recycling program consisting of students collecting leftover school supplies to be reused when school resumes. Congratulations, Dan, on being named an ISTA New Teacher of the Year!

ISTA Region 7

Dr. Gregory Wallace is entering his third year as a science educator. Greg is a chemistry and honors anatomy instructor at Marist High School in Chicago. Greg received his B.S. in Animal Sciences in 1999 and his Ph.D in Cell and Structural Biology in 2005, both from University of Illinois. Greg did postdoctoral research at the University of Chicago (2005-2008) on stem cell therapies for muscular dystrophy. Also, his PhD dissertation topic was gene therapies for muscular dystrophy. Although Greg has only been a teacher for a short time, he displays strong leadership qualities and innovation in his classroom. According to his nominator, “Greg is one of the best teachers I have worked with in my 40 year career.” His gift is his ability to design creative activities to facilitate learning and engage students whom he calls his “young chemists” and “young anatomists.” In his instruction, Greg relies heavily on inquiry activities and performance tasks to develop concepts. He also uses concrete examples that students are familiar with to connect chemistry with the real-world. One such example involved his bowling ball and a Google Earth map to demonstrate electron clouds. When learning about muscles, students played Simon Says, did the Hokey Pokey, visited the weight room and played the card game Cardiovascular Sharks. Although he has achieved excellence in the classroom, Greg’s contributions extend beyond. He is the sponsor of the Science Club, engaging students in engineering events, experiments and a bridge building competition. It is easy to see that Dr. Wallace’s commitment to utilizing inquiry in the science classroom and sharing his expert knowledge with students are among the many reasons he is an ISTA New Teacher of the Year. Congratulations, Greg!

ISTA/ExxonMobil Outstanding Teachers of Science
2009-2010 Awardees

ISTA Region 1

Dr. Mark Carlson is a physics instructor and works with the Student Inquiry and Research Program (SIR) at Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) in Aurora. Mark is a fifteen year veteran of the teaching profession, having spent the last three with IMSA. Mark holds Biophysics degrees from U.C. Berkeley and University of Virginia and has previous university teaching experience. His teaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of hands-on learning experiences and problem solving activities for his students. Through a variety of activities, his students are able to learn physics while problem solving real-world occurrences. As a result of his efforts, he has seen a rise in student engagement levels and also witnessed greater student enthusiasm for calculus-based physics. Recently, the calculus-based physics teachers at IMSA, Mark, Brooke Schmidt, and Peter Clancy, re-engineered the popular Calculus-Based Mechanics course to make it project-based and connected to real-world issues. Although this was a tremendous undertaking, their work was “incredible,” according to a source, in their efforts to make more engaging curriculum. Another area within IMSA that Mark has devoted time to is the Student Inquiry and Research Program. In this regard, he is part of the four-person team that critiques all written work and research conducted by 270+ IMSA students.  

Perhaps one of the most ground-breaking of Mark’s accomplishments in student inquiry at IMSA, is his founding of Student Concepts at IMSA (SCI), an invention club. SCI connects students with the larger scientific community and is the recipient of national and international notoriety. Mark was principal author of a Lemelson-MIT Program InvenTeam grant that funded club activities. Specifically, the students chose as their goal to create an innovative and inexpensive drinking water filtration system that could be used in developing countries. They have created prototypes using silver nanoparticles and polycarbonate membranes that purify drinking water with 99.99% efficacy. Currently, under the guidance of Mark and biology instructor Sarah O’Leary (2008 ISTA New Science Teacher awardee), the students are working to reach target flow rates. As a result of their achievements, the students presented their work at MIT’s EurekaFest in Boston and at the International Water Forum in Kyoto, Japan. It is easy to see that Mark’s commitment to utilizing inquiry in the science classroom and sharing his expert knowledge with students are among the many reasons he is an outstanding teacher. Congratulations, Mark! 

Jason Crean has been a high school biology instructor for 14 years and is currently a faculty member at Lyons Township High School. Jason is no stranger to being recognized as an exemplary science teacher and has several awards to prove it. Jason is one of the three finalists from Illinois for the 2009 Presidential Award for Excellence in Math & Science Teaching (PAEMST). Additionally, he has received the “Making a Difference” Award from NSTA, two National Association of Biology Teachers awards and is a semifinalist for the Illinois Association of Biology Teachers “Outstanding Biology Teacher Award.” Jason also teaches graduate level courses at Saint Xavier University and is adjunct faculty for Aurora University and Illinois Benedictine University.  Jason is a curriculum designer and instructor in the Education Department at Brookfield Zoo.

As a biology instructor, Jason has implemented several meaningful programs at his school to connect students with “real world” STEM applications of biology. One such program is “Zoo Genetics” in which Jason partnered with the Chicago Zoological Society to give his students access to cutting-edge research and scientists in the field. Another innovative program developed by Jason is the Lyons Township Zoology Club. As one of the most popular clubs in school, the Zoology Club enables students to work with live animals both in and outside of the classroom. Together, students have created and maintain live animal exhibits such as a rainforest exhibit and desert exhibit at the high school, and also carry out a productive chinchilla breeding program where students can view visible traits like fur and eye color in both parents and offspring. Jason has a zest for life and all living things, which has inspired many of his students to pursue a career in animal science. “I do not think I would be half the person I am today if it were not for the influence of Mr. Crean,” exclaims a former student of his, currently attending veterinary school. Jason’s ability to get students excited about biology is one of the many reasons he is an Outstanding Teacher of Science. Congratulations, Jason!

ISTA Region 2

Glen Flodstrom is a middle school science teacher at Washington Jr. High School in Oglesby. Glen has had an interesting career as an educator, returning to science teaching four years ago after a nine year career in the pharmaceutical industry. According to Glen, “while working with physicians can be extremely challenging, nothing compares to trying to motivate young people to learn science.”  However, Glen embraced this challenge and achieved excellence as a teacher along the way.  At his school, Glen is THE science department and teaches every 6th-8th grade student science. Glen believes strongly that the key to successful science learning is engaging students with hands-on laboratory exercises and real-world applications. Accordingly, Glen has rewritten the science curriculum to make it more inquiry-based, student-centered and hands-on. According a colleague, prior to Glen’s arrival in Oglesby, “science was taught primarily out of a book and the laboratory was used for storage.”  As a result of Glen restructuring the science curriculum, science ISAT scores have risen drastically, with nearly half of students “exceeding” state standards. In addition to regular education courses, Glen also collaborated with colleagues to mainstream special education students into his classroom for science. A special education teacher notes, “Glen’s science class allows all learners-visual, auditory and tactile to achieve success.”

Glen is committed to his school, both in and outside of the classroom as evidenced by his many extracurricular activities. In addition to being a track coach, Glen also coaches Oglesby Washington eighth graders for the “You Be the Chemist Challenge.” This is a competition organized by the Illinois Chemical Education Foundation and sponsored by local STEM corporations. In recent years, Glen has coached students to all the way to the regional competition where his students have always placed first or second place.  Undoubtedly, Glen’s passion for science education and his commitment to enhancing the study of science or every student are among the many reasons he is an Outstanding Teacher of Science. Congratulations, Glen!

Region 2 Director, Carol Schnaiter, presenting ISTA/ExxonMobil Outstanding Teacher of Science Award & $1000 check to Glen Flodstrom  at the May 2010 Oglesby Board of Education meeting.

ISTA Region 3

Barbara French is a high school science teacher at the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired (ISVI) in Jacksonville. Some of you may have met Barbara as she is an ISTA conference volunteer and will serve as Program Chair for the 2010 conference. Barbara has been a science teacher for over twenty years and has taught all grade levels. Currently, she is the only science teacher at ISVI, teaching every science course from biology to earth science. Barbara came to ISVI in 2007, after a proven history of working with disabled students in her previous schools. Barbara states, “I have worked very hard to develop a science program that will allow students to fully participate in science classes.” As a result, Barbara teaches modified classes for disabled students using adaptive technology, thus fostering greater independence. She is known at her school for her innovative SmartBoard lessons for visually impaired students. According to her administrator, Barbara is a “teacher leader” at ISVI by being a new teacher mentor, providing in-service training to faculty and collaborating in cross curricular activities. Barbara is clearly committed both to her students and her fellow colleagues.

In Barbara’s classroom, accommodations take on a whole new meaning and enhance her students’ abilities to experience science. “She provides them with opportunities to learn by using a multi-sensory approach,” notes a colleague. That approach includes different mediums such as large print or Braille as well as online resources. Through first-hand experiences, students discover science through senses other than sight. This often includes a field trips to local and state-wide places of interest. While some teachers may find planning a field trip to be a hassle, Barbara embraces this task as she knows it will open a window into a world that her students may not have experienced before. She has taken her visually impaired students to history museums, botanical gardens, space museums and lakes. Barbara truly embodies what she teaches, “education is for all, and all should be educated.”  It is for this reason, and so many more, that Barbara is an Outstanding Teacher of Science. Congratulations, Barbara! 

ISTA Executive Director Harry Hendrickson presenting
Region 3 Outstanding Science Teacher Barbara French
with a check for $1000 and a certificate at the Illinois School
for the Visually Impaired Awards Day, Jacksonville, May 21, 2010.

ISTA Region 4

Cheryl Johnson has been a 7th grade science teacher at Casey Westfield Junior High in Casey for the past eleven years. Cheryl is passionate about inquiry-based education and has said “science is ultimately something that we do and is not best learned as a spectator.” As such, Cheryl views herself as a “facilitator” in her students’ education and provides them with hands-on activities and guided inquiries. She states that taking this approach to her lessons has made her 7th graders very excited about learning life science. Not only does Cheryl have a good relationship with her students, but also with the greater community. She works relentlessly to expose students to the value of local resources and stresses the importance of environmental stewardship. Accordingly, Cheryl is an advocate for community partnerships in outdoor education. Among them, a school recycling program, which has grown to include schools, businesses and residents in Casey and Westfield. She and a colleague are planning an Enviro-Fair, to introduce newly installed solar panels at her school. Cheryl has also coached her students towards greater environmental understanding through the Eco-Team regional competition. As testimony to her community impact, Cheryl’s successes in science are regularly published in the local newspaper.
 
In addition to her other accomplishments, Cheryl is also very resourceful in finding funding sources for her school. In total, she has received over $20,000 in resources from co-authored grants and grant-sponsored workshops. Recently, Cheryl co-authored a grant and received $10,000 from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation to purchase a Photovoltaic System for her school. She also received a grant from the Illinois EPA to develop environmental education curriculum to connect students with a local pond. Given her accomplishments, it is no surprise that last year the Illinois Retired Teachers Association awarded Cheryl and a colleague $500 in support of the recycling program they founded. On a professional note, Cheryl regularly participates in teacher workshops and shares her ideas and experiences with other teachers. She has presented several times at both NSTA and ISTA science conferences. One of her most beneficial workshop experiences was when she presented forensic science lessons to Illinois teachers at Eastern Illinois University as part of a $900,000 ISBE grant. Perhaps her supervisor said it best, “Cheryl truly embodies what a great science teacher and member of ISTA means for the educational community.” Cheryl’s dedication to excellence in science education and teaching kids to be stewards of their environment are among the many reasons she is an outstanding teacher of science. Congratulations, Cheryl!

Membership Secretary, Kendra Carroll, and Casey-Westfield Junior High Principal, Carol Wetherell, presenting ISTA/ExxonMobil Outstanding Teacher of Science Award & $1000 check to Cheryl Johnson at Casey-Westfield Junior High School in May 2010.

 

ISTA Region 7

Kathryn Eggert is a middle school science teacher at Prescott Magnet Cluster School in Chicago. Kathryn has been a science teacher with Chicago Public Schools for the past 6 years. Prior to teaching, she worked as a chemist for Nalco Chemical Company. Kathryn wrote in her application that she always had a passion for education and science, and, “it only took 50 years to figure out that middle school science teaching was the best job for her.” Kathryn brings a unique perspective to her classroom having been both a practicing chemist and a school board president. As such, Kathryn strives to be a master of her content knowledge and individual student needs. In order to accomplish this, she encourages students to take ownership in science learning and guides them through scientific inquiry. According to her administrator, “Ms. Eggert always has a way of making sure that students are thinking like scientists AND working like scientists.” One such example is that of an inquiry she led exploring molecular bonds for oxygen, carbon and hydrogen atoms. Her middle school students worked in small groups to examine molecular structure and focused themselves not on finding the correct answer, but rather the scientific principles behind it.

In addition to working with students, Kathryn also serves as the Professional Development Leader for all 8th grade science teachers in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). This opportunity allows Kathryn to meet with teachers monthly to provide professional development concurrent with the District’s inquiry-based curriculum. Kathryn says that there are “a lot of good things happening in science in the CPS,” and that she is very proud to be a teacher in the District. Her supervisor states, “She is one of the very best science teachers I have…out of hundreds that I have come to know.” Kathryn’s commitment to utilizing inquiry in the science classroom and her commitment to share her expert knowledge with others are among the many reasons she is an outstanding teacher of science! Congratulations, Kathryn!

ISTA Director, Christian Greer presenting ISTA/ExxonMobil Outstanding Teacher of Science Award & $1000 check to Kathryn Eggert at Prescott Magnet Cluster School in May 2010.

2009-2010 ISTA/ExxonMobil Outstanding Teacher of Science

The Illinois Science Teachers Association with the generous support of ExxonMobil announces the 2009 - 2010 ISTA/ExxonMobil Outstanding Teacher of Science Awards Program. Applications will be accepted from grades 7-12 teachers of science who have demonstrated “extraordinary accomplishments” in the field of science teaching. (ISTA plans to recognize grade K-6 teachers in the 2010-2011 school year.)

The 2009-2010 program consists of up to seven one thousand dollar prizes. A $1000 award may be presented to one grade 7-12 teacher of science from each of the seven ISTA regions in the state of Illinois. Previous winners are not eligible.

The awards are intended to recognize “extraordinary accomplishment” in the field of science teaching. Applicants must provide evidence that demonstrates accomplishments that go beyond normal classroom teaching. Descriptions of the previous two years awardees and their achievements are available online (see above).

Criteria for consideration include:

• Current ISTA membership
• Full time teaching assignment
• Teaching assignment in the ISTA Region for which the application is submitted
• Written narrative (maximum of 500 words) describing the teacher’s “extraordinary accomplishments” in the field of science teaching
• Evidence that supports the teacher’s description of “extraordinary accomplishments” in the field of science teaching
• Two letters of support from individuals who can attest to the impact of the “extraordinary accomplishments” in the field of science teaching
• A completed application form with required supplementary materials submitted on paper and by US Postal Service postmarked by February 1, 2010 to:
  • ISTA Awards Chair Tara McDonald
    Minooka Intermediate School
    305 Church Street, Minooka, IL 60447

For more information contact:

Tara Bell, ISTA Awards Chair
taracmcdonald@gmail.com

Application Form:

2009-2010 ISTA/ExxonMobil Outstanding Teacher of Science Application

2009-2010 ISTA New Teacher of the Year Award

The Illinois Science Teachers Association with the generous support of ExxonMobil announces the 2009 - 2010 ISTA New Teacher of the Year Awards Program. Applications will be accepted from grades K-12 teachers of science in their 1st through 4th year of teaching.

The goal of this award is to recognize “new” teachers for their excellence in facilitating science learning in their classes. This award is to encourage some of the bright, up-and-coming teachers to continue to strive to be the best teachers that they can be.

Requirements:

• Must be a teacher with her/his initial certification
• Encouraged to be a member of ISTA (either student or teacher category)
• Must be nominated by an ISTA member teacher or school administrator
• Currently teaching in the field of science (can be teaching science in an elementary setting)
• Completed nomination form and biography highlighting innovative teaching experiences, exemplary service, professional development activities, and trend setting practices in the field of science
• This is a one-time award per awardee.

Awardees:

• Honor 3 to 5 teachers with initial certificate in the field of science from throughout the State of Illinois
• Awardees honored with a one-year membership to ISTA
• Recognition in ISTA journal Spectrum
• Recognition at ISTA Conference Luncheon
• Will receive Teacher of Science “Idea Pack”
• Certification of Recognition

Application:

• The New Science Teacher Award Rules and Application

ISTA/IPRB Outstanding Student Medallions and Certificates

The Illinois Science Teachers Association with the generous support of the Illinois Petroleum Resources Board provides ISTA members with one free Olympic-style medallion and a certificate per year for presentation to an outstanding science student. These presentations are often made at student award assemblies in the late spring, but they can be requested throughout the year. Additional medallions are available for $15 each, payable by check in advance. Please request medallions at least three weeks in advance of the presentation date. ISTA requests teachers email a photo or news clipping to support this recognition program. Request your outstanding student medallion and certificate from:

• Pam Spaniol
  ISTA Membership Secretary
  PO Box 312
  Sherman, IL 62684
  Pamela.spaniol@yahoo.com