Author Archives: Terry Lee Marzell

About Terry Lee Marzell

Terry Lee Marzell holds a bachelor's degree in English from Cal State Fullerton and a master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Cal State San Bernardino. She also holds a certificate for Interior Design Level 1 from Mt. San Antonio College. She has been an educator in the Corona Norco Unified School District for more than 30 years.

Teacher Marietta Johnson founded experimental school during the Progressive Movement

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During the Progressive Movement of the early 20th century, teacher Marietta Johnson (above, at left) founded an experimental school that earned national and international acclaim. Photo credit: Public Domain

Many exceptional educators spearheaded the Progressive Education Movement in our country in the early 20th century. One of these was Marietta Johnson, the founder of an experimental school which earned national and international acclaim.

Marietta was born on Oct. 8, 1864, in St. Paul, Minnesota. As a young woman, she graduated from the normal school now known as St. Cloud State University in 1885. In Marietta’s day, the purpose of a normal school was to educate and prepare teachers for teaching in public schools.

Marietta launched her career as an educator in rural elementary and secondary schools in Minnesota. She even served as a trainer of new teachers in various normal schools. Marietta was recognized as an exceptional teacher using established teaching methods, but during these years, she embraced the emerging philosophy of progressive education. She came to believe that children should be exposed to child-centered environments, immersed in nature, studying outdoors, and learning at their own pace.

In 1902, Marietta moved with her family to Fairhope, Alabama. Five years later, she founded a progressive school she named the School of Organic Education. The school was built near the eastern shore of Mobile Bay, a location selected for its natural beauty, temperate climate, and potential for growth. The modernized curriculum emphasized learning in outdoor environments and offered crafts and folk dancing in addition to traditional academic subjects. There were no final exams, no homework, and no failing grades.

Marietta’s school was so successful it was profiled and praised by the leading educational philosopher of the day, John Dewey, in his book Schools of Tomorrow, published in 1913. As a result of this notoriety, education professionals from all around the country and in Europe visited the school to observe progressive education in action. A powerful and charismatic public speaker, Marietta toured the United States and overseas on the lecture circuit to promote her progressive educational practices. Today, Marietta’s school still operates and is known as the Marietta Johnson School of Organic Education.

Sadly, Marietta passed away in Fairhope on Dec. 23, 1938. She was 74 years old. She is buried at Colony Cemetery in Fairhope. To learn more about the Marietta Johnson School of Organic Education, click on this link to the school’s official website.

Wisconsin teacher Jeanette Arellano uses art to teach activism

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Have you met this amazing Chalkboard Champion? Her name is Jeanette Arellano. She is an educator, artist, and activist who lives and teaches in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Jeanette earned her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. She teaches art education at Hayes Bilingual School in Milwaukee. There she empowers students to use their creative skills in meaningful and impactful ways. In addition, she organized teacher leaders to successfully advocate with the local school board to ensure that every child in Milwaukee Public Schools has access to art, music, and gym.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Jeanette channels her considerable talent and effort into improving the workplace conditions for the working class and for immigrants. Through the organization Voces de la Frontera, a local immigrant rights organization, she tutors members of the community in English proficiency and literacy, and she prepares them to take the US citizenship exam. She also co-founded Raíces Revolucionarias, a Milwaukee-based women’s collective to focus on the importance of cultural work to strengthen Latino communities.

For this work, Jeanette has garnered the 2023 César Chávez Acción y Compromiso Award, which is one of the awards that falls under the category of Human and Civil Rights Award, from the National Education Association (NEA). In 2019, she received the Milwaukee Catalyst Award from National Americorp program, Public Allies.

To learn more about this remarkable teacher, view this four-minute YouTube video prepared by the NEA.

Nicole McCormick named 2023 Illinois Sp Ed Teacher of the Year

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Life Transition teacher Nicole McCormick was named the Illinois Special Education Teacher of the Year for 2023. Photo credit: Daily Herald

Many excellent educators have been recognized for their exceptional work with young people. One of these is Nicole McCormick, a Life Transition teacher from Illinois. She has been named the Illinois Special Education Teacher of the Year for 2023.

Nicole teaches in District 214’s Specialized Schools, which serves Cook County. She instructs courses in the Life Transition program, which provides innovative, specialized instruction to students with disabilities who are 18 to 22 years old. The program prepares them for daily life once they have graduated from school. Nicole also serves as the Head Coach of her District’s Special Olympics team. She has worked for District 214 since 2010.

Meghan Muldoon Brown, the District’s Director of Special Education, nominated Nicole for the award. “In her role this year, Nicole has reimagined our vocational programming to create meaningful and individualized experiences for each student, and align these experiences with career pathways to better reinforce their post-secondary preparation,” declares Muldoon Brown. “Nicole has made the District philosophy of ‘Redefining Readiness’ really come alive for our special education transition students, and this has become evident in their progress,” Muldoon Brown continued.

Valerie Norris, Principal of Specialized Schools, agrees that Nicole’s work is exceptional. Norris describes the honored teacher “a disability advocate on a mission. That mission is to increase the number of disabled adults employed in the area significantly.

Nicole says was very young when she decided to become a teacher. She decided to go into Special Education because she has a family member that has been diagnosed with Down Syndrome. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. She earned her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from North Park University in Chicago.

 

Shanti’ Coaston named a Ohio state finalist for a prestigious 2023 PAEMST honors

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Computer science educator Shanti’ Coaston of Westlake, Ohio, has been named a state finalist for a prestigious 2023 PAEMST award. Photo credit: The Villager

It is always my pleasure to recognize outstanding teachers who have earned accolades for their work in the profession. Today I shine a spotlight on high school school teacher Shanti’ Coaston of Ohio. She has been named a state finalist for a prestigious 2023 PAEMST (Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching).

The PAEMST honors the dedication, hard work, and importance that America’s teachers play in supporting learners who will become future STEM professionals, including computer technologists, climate scientists, mathematicians, inventors, space explorers, and engineers. The PAEMST program, founded in 1983, is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The honor comes with a visit to the White House and a $10,000 cash prize.

Shanti’ inaugurated her career as an educator when she accepted a position as an intervention specialist in an alternative education program at Shaw High School in East Cleveland. After seven years working with young people as a school-based therapist and a youth career coach, she went into the classroom and taught Special Education. Then she decided that she could do more for her students as a computer science teacher. “I saw it as a way for kids to have a better life, just embracing technology,” Shanti’ explained. This year, she accepted a position as a computer science teacher at Westlake High School in Westlake, Ohio.

This outstanding educator has introduced her students to careers in the computer science and technology fields. She ensures her students are exposed to college tours, career fairs, and computer science competitions. She believes that every student, especially girls and students with disabilities, deserve to learn computer science. Through this dedication, she was chosen as a member of the inaugural class of CS Equity Fellows for 2019-2020 by the Computer Science Teachers Association, and she serves on the advisory board for Computer Science Honor Society.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Shanti’ provides professional development presentations at the local, district, and state level on how to integrate technology into the curriculum. She also places special focus on the recruitment of girls and students of color into computer science courses.

Shanti’s selection for a PAEMST is not he only recognition she has earned. She also garnered a 2023 Computer Science Teaching Excellence Award. And she was a nominee for Ohio State Teacher of the Year.

Shanti’ earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in 1999, and a second Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Salisbury University in 1999. She has also earned a Master’s degree in Social Science Administration from Case Western Reserve University in 2000. She completed the requirements for her teacher certificate as a Mild/Moderate Intervention Specialist from Notre Dame College of Ohio in 2011.

Elem teacher Trinity Whittington named 2023 Florida Teacher of the Year finalist

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Elementary school teacher Trinity Whittington has been n Amed one of five finalists for the title of 2023 Floria Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Florida Department of Education

It is always my pleasure to share the story of an exceptional educator who has earned accolades for their work in the classroom. One of these is Trinity Whittington, an elementary school teacher from Gilchrist County, Florida. She has been named one of five finalists for the title of 2023 Florida Teacher of the Year.

Trinity teaches English Language Arts and Social Studies to fourth graders at Bell Elementary School in the Gilchrist County School District. She has worked in this position for the past five years.

Trinity has obviously earned the respect of her colleagues. “Mrs. Whittington’s classroom is a place of magic, where children are hooked from the moment they enter until the moment they leave,” declares Bell Elementary Principal Suzanne Matte. “The relationships she develops with students, parents, and colleagues are true and binding.”

This exceptional educator focuses on creating engaging lessons that affect her students in positive ways. One of the ways she emphasizes community service is by leading school-wide efforts to provide blankets to the local nursing home. She has also established a library swap program to promote literacy.

It was her mother’s influence that caused her to pursue a career in education, says Trinity. “She has been a teacher for my entire life. I have seen firsthand the impact that she has been able to make on the children that she has been blessed to teach,” Trinity explains. “Mama has a true passion for teaching and working to better the lives of our children. I wanted to make that same impact on the students in our community,” she continued.

Trinity earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2017 from Saint Leo University, a private university located in St. Leo, Florida. She graduated summa cum laude.

Five finalists were chosen for 2023 Teacher of the Year from nearly 185,000 public school teachers nominated throughout the state. The finalists were selected on the basis of outstanding ability to teach and communicate knowledge of the subject taught, professional development, philosophy of teaching, and outstanding school and community service.