Representative Steve Tharinger asking students questions about the lab.
With the help and support of a member of our middle and high school Science PLC, Maren Johnson, I invited one of my state’s congressmen, WA State Representative Steve Tharinger, to visit my Science classes to co-teach with me and see what’s going on in Washington’s schools. And he took me up on it and visited two of my 6th grade Science classes today (here’s the article that ran in one of our local newspapers)! I’m copying the email I sent to the representative below in case you’re interested in inviting a legislator to come co-teach in your class (I highly recommend it). What a great experience!
I guess it helps to have a legislator who is willing to take time from their busy schedule to come to your school and be willing to work with kids but you won’t know if you have that until you try. I wasted no time when I saw Representative Tharinger walking towards my room, I shook his hand, greeted him and started to tell him what my 6th graders were working on. He wasn’t even phased by that and proceeded to enter my room as students were busy working on the first of a three part sliding friction lab. Representative Tharinger was a natural, he walked around from group to group asking great questions and getting a sense for what kids were learning.
In WA state we have teachers who work tirelessly, like Maren Johnson, to help our legislators understand the issues facing public schools and the reason we ask for the things we need to educate our students and prepare them to have successful and happy lives. In WA state teachers are adapting to a new evaluation system all while having to incorporate new standards into our curricula. For me it’s the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) but I’m also having to help students become proficient with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) since reading and writing is essential in all content areas. There’s so much to do and so little time! So I really appreciate it when a legislator takes the time to come and see what we’re doing and asks me questions. It’s a blessing to have people in Olympia who are going to make decisions that will best help our kids.
Here’s a copy of the email I sent Representative Tharinger:
Representative Steve Tharinger working with students.
Dear Representative Tharinger,
I’m a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) at Chimacum Middle School (CMS) in the Chimacum School District and one of your constituents in the 24th legislative district. I am currently teaching 6th and 8th grade Science in my 17th year here at CMS and altogether I’ve been a teacher for 23 years. I’m writing to invite you to spend all or part of day in my classroom and school sometime this fall.
There are so many changes coming to P-12 public education – including the Teacher/Principal Evaluation Project (TPEP) and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) – that will dramatically change teaching and learning. I’d like to share with you what I’m doing to strengthen my teaching practice, have you work with my students to see how they are meeting new standards and have you share with students and my colleagues about your legislative leadership and K-12 education issues ahead in the 2014 legislative session.
I hope you’ll consider spending time with us at Chimacum Middle School this fall. Please let me know if you have any questions or if you’d like me to work with your scheduler to arrange a visit. Thank you for your leadership on our behalf in Olympia.
Sincerely,
Alfonso (Al) Gonzalez
National Board Certified Teacher
Middle School Science Teacher
Chimacum Middle School
91 West Valley Road
PO Box 278
Chimacum, WA 98325
(360) 732-4219
al_gonzalez@csd49.org
http://educatoral.com/
http://mrgonzalez.org/
Twitter – @educatoral“If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed” – Albert Einstein
I took a quick moment to get a snippet of the Representative talking with students. It’s short but gives a good idea of what a great time we had. Thank you, Representative! (I apologize for holding the camera the wrong way.)
