Contact: Jenni Brockman
Telephone: 804-443-3357
Fax: 804-443-6781
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Years of Experience Guide New SMS Teachers
Tappahannock (August 30, 2002) -
St. Margaret's School faculty possess roughly 250 years of collective experience. This summer, a three-day workshop spread this accumulated wisdom from senior teachers to newer faculty members, which will benefit both them and their students.
Photo left:
Veteran St. Margaret's School teacher ViAnn Farmer consults with Assistant Head for School Life Cathy Sgroi during the school's workshop for new teachers. In the background, participants work on an assignment about learning differences.
"It's the highlights of a year-long education course," said Academic Team Chair Grace Rhinesmith, "plus a wealth of practical information that our veteran faculty have gained over the course of their careers."
She and team members designed the workshop to cover educational concepts that are essential to teacher success, including adapting instruction to students' different learning styles and levels of achievement. The way that SMS teachers provide instruction allows students to discover how they learn best, whether it is by seeing, hearing, or doing.
Sessions also introduced teachers to key aspects of St. Margaret's mission and culture, such as the Honor Code, which governs both social and academic conduct.
Participants-already well qualified in their academic disciplines-learned from reading assignments, videos, discussions, role plays, and self-assessments. By the workshop's end, they had gained a better understanding of the art of teaching, Rhinesmith said.
In addition, new teachers participate throughout the year in the school's "CHAT" teacher evaluation program (CHAT means Colleagues Helping and Assisting Teachers) and a faculty mentor program led by New Teacher Coordinator Louise Velletri. Professional development sessions to follow up the new teacher workshop also are planned.
Joining the SMS faculty this year are: Spanish teacher Jennifer Bottoni, a graduate of Randolph Macon Woman's College; French teacher Michelle Brown, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Georgia; math teacher Julie Stephens, a graduate of Trinity University and a former research assistant to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors; history teacher Meredith Henne, a graduate of Hillsdale College; and visiting artists Ignat and Konstantina Konstantinov.
