Teacher Talk 26
by Kim Jones
March 02, 2010
Fifth graders at Elsberry schools can hardly believe they are almost to the fourth quarter of the year. Teachers, Mrs. Heitman, Mrs. Ogden and Mr. Cleveland tend to keep students busy so time goes by a lot faster during the school year.
In Mrs. Heitman's room students have been studying the Westward Expansion and with the knowledge gained they made game boards using the facts. Their science exploration has taken them into the solar system. The students were put in groups, with each group researching their own plant. Groups had to plan a visit to the plant, design a logo for their team, make application to the team and then design a space vehicle that would navigate to their assigned planet.
Mrs. Ogden's students have gotten the pleasure of working with a student teacher the last eight weeks in their class. Kelsi Conner has been doing her student teaching through Missouri Baptist University. Mrs. Ogden stated, “Mrs. Conner has done a fabulous job! Her planning, behavior, management, and dedication is what will make her a great teacher”.
Mr. Cleveland has come back into a full time classroom position this year, leaving his position as ALP Teacher that he has held for several years. He also likes to keep his students hopping with different tasks and knowledge each day. His class along with the two other fifth grade classes have recently started the D.A.R.E. Program taught by Deputy Amy Tippett from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department. Due to budget cuts at the Sheriff's Department and the Elsberry Schools losing their SRO Officer, Tim Princivilli, the program had been postponed. It is now in full swing as Deputy Tippett comes to the school three days a week and is teaching the accelerated version of the program. The D.A.R.E. Program teaches students the reasons why drugs and alcohol are a bad choice for minors. Students follow the lessons in a workbook and do small hands on group activities during the lessons. When students successfully complete the program, a graduation will take place. Graduates will also receive the opportunity to attend a free week long D.A.R.E. Camp this summer coordinated by the Sheriff's Department and held at Cuivre River State Park.
