Howell Tenure

Isabel Howell Tenure Presentation April 2024

Index

4. Innovative Learning Practices

3. Professional Development

2. Community Engagement & Partnering with Parents

1. Teaching and Student Achievement

2023-2024

Teaching and Student Achievement

2020-2021

2022-2023

2019-2020

2021-2022

During my first full year as a teacher I entered into the alternate route program through Rutgers Camden to complete 3 years of education to become a certified teacher while being employed by Leap Academy. Through this program, I completed 3 phases of the alternate route, passed the EdTPA and obtained my standard teaching certification. Since the completion I have assisted Ms. Berlin, Mr. Scott, and Mr. Richardson with their EdTPA.

Being in the alternate route program allowed me to use the information obtained during each phase and implement it into practice in real time. These courses helped increase my teaching practices to become a better teacher. Therefore, I became more confident in my ability to keep anecdotal notes and track data on each of my students.

I am most proud of my ability to use the intervention implementation action plan to meet the needs of my students during this school year. My biggest achievement was their increase in test scores over the course of the year.

2019-2020Teaching and Student Achievement

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

During this school year, I was one of the select few individuals that were trained in creating benchmark assessments using the Preformance Matters platform. In addition, I assisted in helping peer teachers learn how to utilize the testing site to assess students and analyze the data obtained through these benchmark assessments.

My biggest achievement for this year was pushing and encouraging my students to reach their academic goals and acheivements. This was the end of the year benchmark assessment via Preformance Matters.

With Hybrid teaching and learning, I improved in providing consistent communication of important information and how students were doing via schoology and remind 101. I also went to students houses to give them academic materials and check in with them, as needed, due to the pandemic issues.

2020-2021Teaching and Student Achievement

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

Being proud of student progress and wanting even more to comminicate this progress with parents I took the initiative in creating a "Reading Level" document for parents to inform them of this during each F&P assessment and to use during parent teacher conferences. This was used in 3rd grade and then eventually to the K-5 building.

Looping with my class I was able to target specific reading strategies to help my struggling learners. I focused on small group instrucion and found training to help foster their love of reading so they were able to achieve their reading goals by the end of the year.

During the 2021-2022 school year I was able to loop with my second grade class into third grade. My biggest achievement was helping students become independent readers and the increase in reading scores.

2021-2022Teaching and Student Achievement

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

I believe I was able to improve in this area by analyzing the data obtained on MAP assessments to facilitate learning in the areas the students needed to grow. In addition, I worked with my team to identify supplemental materials, such as My Path, to foster individualized growth.

I demonstrated leadership in this area by sharing the forms that I use to record SGO data to members on my team and helped them with creating their SGOs during CPT.

I am most proud of my student growth on MAP assessment. As seen in my SGO's for cohort A (all white) 10 out of 12 students achieved their projected growth and cohort B(white/pink) 16 out 19 student achieved their projected growth by the end of the school year.

2022-2023Teaching and Student Achievement

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

I showed leadership by using this type of data to help inform my instruction in my own classroom. Through doing this it allowed me to analzye MAP scores with my ELA team to brainstorm ideas to improve student success and help inform instruction to meet students where they are on their academic journey.

I improved in this area by holding students accountable for their own success by looking at their data with them and informing them on areas of strengths and weaknesses. During these conferences I inform them of what they should work on and what they can do to acheive their goals. We set new hopes and dreams quarterly as they grow and learn new things.

I am most proud of see the growth of my particular students this year; not only academically but also social, emotionally. Being the Special Education homeroom and working with students with various needs, I do my best to instill confidence in my students to ensure they believe in their own success. I believe this plays a major part in them doing well on their work and assessments. These three particular students have faced challenges this year but have shown growth both academically and social, emotionally.

2023-2024Teaching and Student Achievement

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

Teaching and Student Achievement

Part of LEAP Academy's mission is to enhance opportunities for the children and families of Camden through integration of education. I have contributed to this portion of their mission by ensuring my students are met with academic success. I do this by utilizing standards based checklists, tracking data, building relationships, celebrating student success, small group instruction, and creating opportunities for lifelong learning.

How have I contributed to LEAP's mission in the area of student achievement?

Leap's Mission: Empowering education excellence, from cradle to college. The mission of the LEAP Academy is to enhance opportunities for the children and families of Camden through the collaborative design, implementation, and integration of education, health and human services, professional development, and community development.

2023-2024

Community Engagement & Partnering with Parents

2020-2021

2022-2023

2019-2020

2021-2022

This was my first full academic year teaching. The previous year I struggled to shared data with parents and having a document design that was created specifically to share data on which standards students were meeting was incredibly helpful in tracking their growth and sharing information with parents.

I shared this report with my fellow second grade teachers and encouraged them to share this information with parents. I led a CPT to explain how to utilize the second grade standards based class report. I also sent this document to my principal who shared it with the lower staff building and other administrators.

During this school year I created a second grade breakdown of the standards to help outline the class report to share data with student's parents.

2019-2020Community Engagement & Partnering with Parents

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

https://leapacademy.padlet.org/ihowell2/BedTimeStories

This year was very challenging and allowed for me to step out of my comfort zone as a new teacher. During the course of the year I had to adapt to new teaching styles I never heard of. Through the use of various platforms and constant communication with parents I was able to engage learners and on most days I had good attendance for students present on zoom.

During the pandemic I collaborated with my coworkers to create a padlet that allowed teachers to read bed time stories for students to listen to at home.

During COVID, I was most proud of the multiple methods I used to communicate with parents to keep them informed of the ever changing situations. Below are several ways I made myself available to my student's families.

2020-2021Community Engagement & Partnering with Parents

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

During this school year I demonstrated improvement in this area by continuing communication with not only parents but also engaging my peers during turnkey and informative CPTs. In addition, I worked with teachers and parents in improving reading outside of the classroom through an incentivized program that is still in use this year. Each year the Reading Bingo has expanded and more students are participating.

I was able to implement a K-3 Reading Bingo Challenge to help foster reading outside of the classroom and partner with parents to help encourage reading at home.

During a CPT meeting I helped inform my team on how to sign up parents and use Remind 101, rather than class dojo. I helped my team work on building positive relationships with their students' families.

I am most proud of my relationship with my parents and my communication skills this year. This was the first year I had 100% of my parents signed up for conferences and on my commununication account, class dojo.

2021-2022Community Engagement & Partnering with Parents

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

Over the course of my employement I have improved in the area of community engagement and partnering with parents by establishing relationships that were meaningful and making sure that parents knew their child was in good care. I maintained healthy relationships with my co-workers so that we were able to collaborate on projects and build materials that are able to enhance students learning experiences while making memories that they will carry with them during their academic journey.

I demonstrated leadership by working with Ms. Mercado in college access to create and plan a 3rd grade clap out ceremony. We invited parents and other grade levels to cheer on 3rd grade students as they paraded down Cooper Street over to the STEM building for orientation for 4th grade.

I am most proud of collaborating with the Fab Lab, Mr. Barton, and Ms. Skalka to initiate the Free Little Library community Project for each building. During this school year the design and plan was created for this to take place.

2022-2023Community Engagement & Partnering with Parents

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

When I originally presented this idea to my peers, with the "You are enough" shirts, I did not want to be lead in being contact, collecting money, and sharing the information with staff. Although I presented the idea, I did not want the lead role. However, this year I took leadership in presenting the idea and sharing the information with my co-works and being more open about what this means to me, personally.

When we began spreading this awareness, it initially started in the lower building. As more teachers began to wear the shirts, more of our community wanted to get involved. This year the Leap Gear has been offered, for purchase, to all three of our buildings to help spread Mental Health Awareness.

One of the areas I am proud of in engaging our community is shining a light on Mental Health Awareness. This is my third year inviting staff to purchase LEAP gear to spread mental health awareness across our district. Nearly 21% of people suffer from mental health illnesses, 1 in 5 children also suffer from emotional, behavioral, or mental health disorders so I pride myself in bringing light to this cause in our district.

2023-2024Community Engagement & Partnering with Parents

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

Community Engagement & Partnering with Parents

Leap's Mission: Empowering education excellence, from cradle to college. The mission of the LEAP Academy is to enhance opportunities for the children and families of Camden through the collaborative design, implementation, and integration of education, health and human services, professional development, and community development.

How have I contributed to LEAP's mission in the area of student achievement?

Part of LEAP Academy's mission is to enhance opportunities for the children and families of Camden through community development. Throughout my years at LEAP I have made it my mission to create meaningful relationships with my students and their families. I have created opportunities for parents to become active in my classroom. I call my classroom the Family of 304 because each year that is what I believe we become.

2023-2024

Professional Development

2020-2021

2022-2023

2019-2020

2021-2022

In the beginning of the year, classroom and time management during centers was difficult for both myself and the students. As the year went on, I was able to implement a good classroom and time management plan that supported both myself and my students so they were able to be successful during math centers.

Being rather new to the educational world my mentor teacher assisted me in leading a CPT for my fellow second grade teachers. During the CPT I shared the resources that were provided with me during the training and informed them on how to use the resources to help increase student participation during the Math Centers using manipulatives and technology.

I am most proud of my ability to implement math centers during this school year. My biggest achievement was successfully implementing them within my classroom using manipulatives and technology while being in person.

2019-2020Professional Development

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

During remote and hybrid learning I improved professionally by doing as much research as possible to be able to provide my students with a unique learning experience despite not being inside of the classroom with them. After learning and training myself on materials, I would share this information with co-workers so they too were successful during this particular school year.

During this time, I used the information obtained during the schoology training and did more research on google slides to assist my team. I helped my team and other teachers who needed assistance in creating virtual classrooms via zoom that were colorful and creative with hyperlinks and clickable resources for the students to use in the safety of their own home during virtual and hybrid learning.

Prior to the start of the school year, I completed my hours in schoology training. This provided me with the opportunity to assist Ms. McWilliams with a PD training to help coworkers utilize schoology as their classroom during the pandemic since we began this school year in remote learning.

2020-2021Professional Development

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achiievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

To improve my students and myself I worked on implementing what I learned into my classroom environment. I provided my students who are more active with a chance to succeed in a room more conducive to their learning style while developing and practicing reading skills that are on their independent reading level in guided reading. During this school year, I began to use flex seating, fidgets, chair bands and reading manipulative such as phones, cards and dry erase boards.

I demonstrated leadership in this area of professional development by turnkeying the information from these trainings to my team during CPT. We worked together to come up with logical ways to respond and support students who have trouble with focusing.

My ability to meet the needs of my special education students is something I am most proud of for this year. One of my biggest achievements was being able to meet the needs of my students with ADHD while focusing on enhancing my skills to create independent readers. I specifically chose to enhance my knowledge of students with ADHD in the classroom because this was an area where I previously struggled with helping students focus while reading.

2021-2022Professional Development

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achiievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

I improved in this category by being more open about my experiences in the classroom. In time I have realized that just like our students our co-workers are one of your best assests as a teacher.

I demonstrated leadership by allowing and inviting co-workers in my classroom to do peer observations to apply and implement what resonated with them in their own classroom.

During this school year I completed multiple trainings to become familiar with MyView via Savvas. In addition, I completed a NewsELA training to help design a unique learning experience using differentiated news articles and reading materials.

2022-2023Professional Development

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

Over the summer, I tried my best to get familiar with the tools we would be using this year in the classroom. I trained on Clever because it is an online tool we use frequently in class. I was able to complete the Clever Academy and become a Clever Trainer. This year as a teacher leader 1 I also became certified in Classroom Visit Tool to help improve not only my teaching but also help my team grow, as well.

This year I have improved in professional development by being focused on the areas that I need to grow in and doing research myself such as listening to Ted Talks, reading Articles and reaching out to others. I have been more accepting of constructive criticism and advice from others to improve the needs of my students and myself to become a better teacher and co-worker.

This year I demonstrated leadership by becoming a Lead Teacher. I have had the pleasure of being a teacher leader for four of the years that I have been working at LEAP. I pride myself in trying to step up and help when help is needed around our school. I do my best to take charge in turn-keying information, analyzing data, leading CPTs and delegating tasks to help the 3rd grade team and our school be successful.

2023-2024Professional Development

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

Professional Development

Leap's Mission: Empowering education excellence, from cradle to college. The mission of the LEAP Academy is to enhance opportunities for the children and families of Camden through the collaborative design, implementation, and integration of education, health and human services, professional development, and community development.

How have I contributed to LEAP's mission in the area of professional development?

Part of LEAP Academy's mission is to enhance opportunities for the children and families of Camden through professional development. LEAP Academy has held me accountable in the area of professional development. I have focused on my areas of improvement each year and have ensured that I take courses and/or reach out to colleagues to help provide me with support.

2023-2024

Innovative Learning Practices

2020-2021

2022-2023

2019-2020

2021-2022

This was the first project that I took the lead on and collaborated with other teachers to support Black History Month.

I was able to partake in being one of the leads for the Black history Month team by creating categories such as different inventors, authors, and entertainers to assign to each classroom for students to do projects on so they could be displayed on bulletin boards.

Hispanic Heritage month, Black History Month and Women's History Month have always been areas of focus of mine outside of our regular curriculum materials. During my first full year of teaching, I was able to collaborate with peers to create a Black History Month assembly that allowed us to peer mentor one another and collaborate with other classes. My class was able to present the poem "Hey Black Child" during the assembly.

2019-2020Innovative Learning Practices

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

I improved in this area by utilizing various platforms and applications to help students continue to remain engaged in academics even while remote and hybrid learning.

I took on a leadership role during this time by sharing various resources with my fellow teachers to help support them in creating google classrooms and interactive boards for learning experiences for students online and in the classroom.

I am most proud of my ability to utilize Schoology to meet the needs of my students during COVID. Adapting to a new form of educating and learning was a struggle for not only the students but their parents as well.

2020-2021Innovative Learning Practices

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

As my teaching practices enhanced, I felt more confident creating innovative learning practices within my classroom and partnering more with other teachers and staff to create more hands on project based learning experiences for the students such as research projects, posters, STEM projects, planting flowers, and more.

Since this particular year, we had to sign up to attend these events, after attending and experiencing these educational activities, I strongly encouraged my team to collaborate with Mr. McCrumb in the FabLab to create activities within the classroom.

I am most proud of my ability to incorporate cross-curricular and hands on activites within the classroom such as attending the exhibit at the PRAC, learning how to use Fab Lab and going to the Rutgers Theater for multiple shows.

2021-2022Innovative Learning Practices

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

Each year we look back at previous years Gingerbread day experience to enhance the outcome for both parents and students for the current year.

This year I helped take a lead role in supplying the materials for the reading and writing aspect of Gingerbread Day for the ELA teachers in third grade. I worked closely with my team to create activities for students that intertwined with the Gingerbread House activities.

I am very proud to have collaborated with Ms. Meslar to help implement the annual 3rd grade Gingerbread Day. The Gingerbread day included aspects of STEM, mathematics, and reading. We reach out to the parents and invite them in to help their students build a gingerbread house from scratch.

2022-2023Innovative Learning Practices

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

Last year I trained on My Path to learn the system and its tools during a PDI. After I learned how to use it I held a CPT to teach my team how to create assignments, re-assign assignments, use resources for failed lessons and track the data of the students. This year, I am using this resource in my own class to help meet the various academic needs of my students daily and analyze their data progress with them to help them see their achievements to help them take ownership and accountability of the work that they do.

After the PDI that we analyzed MAP data I met with my team to discuss ways we can reach each individual child’s academic needs aside from small group and guided reading. I suggested using My Path 15 Minutes a day to enhance their academic levels and test scores. The 3rd grade ELA team as been utilizing this application in hopes to bring up MAP scores by the end of this year.

My biggest achievement this year would be utilizing the tools that we have available to help meet students where they are academically. This year I have done so by informing students of why we are utilizing the materials we are using, such as My Path, and making it relevant to their academic journey so they do not feel as though it is just a task they must do because I have told them to as their teacher.

2023-2024Innovative Learning Practices

In what ways have you demonstrated improvement in this category?

In what ways have you demonstrated leadership in this category?

What are you most proud of in this area? What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sections like thi will help you stay organized

Innovative Learning Practices

Leap's Mission: Empowering education excellence, from cradle to college. The mission of the LEAP Academy is to enhance opportunities for the children and families of Camden through the collaborative design, implementation, and integration of education, health and human services, professional development, and community development.

How have I contributed to LEAP's mission in the area of innovative learning practices?

Part of LEAP Academy's mission is to enhance opportunities for the children and families of Camden through collaborative design. Through the use of the FabLab, Project based Learning, field trips, and the PRAC Center I have ensured my students are exposed to a variety of cross-curricular activites that help assist them in becoming successful during their academic journey while growing in my classroom.

Isabel Howellihowell@leap.rutgers.edu

Thank you for your time and consideration.