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Brown Becomes Teacher of the Year::More info
Tony Evers: The 2011 Wisconsin Special Services Teacher of the Year, please join me in congratulating
Kimberly Brown.
[Applause]
What sort of practices that you use to engage students seemed to be most effective?
Kimberly Brown: They're doing great in technology in almost every lesson. I really feel that
you know, I'm meeting the kids where their interest are at. And then sparking that curiosity
in a higher level thinking. So, it's something that I'm trying.
[Applause]
We have an inquiry project which students come up with a question. It's not something
they can google or copy and paste. They really have to use different resources to gather
information and synthesize what they find to answer their question. All the kids took
what their findings where we had them put that in a movie. And then put it out on a
book on mind. So, that everybody could see what they found out. And the topic -the umbrella
topic or question had to do about Wisconsin. So, some people chose camping.
1:00
They might have wanted to find out what different camp grounds are out there for different family
needs, or hiking trails. Some did farming and they compared amish farming with traditional
farming. Some explored businesses and what they did to help them to succeed. So, really
kind of looking at Wisconsin but a little bit deeper. "Never in my wildest dreams did
I think I would wake up to this today." MSU will continue the inquiry project so that
they might write a song or rap song about what they've learned. They can make a movie
about it. Just finding different ways for kids to share what they've learned.
[Applause]
The kids do morning podcast. We usually feature one story or one piece of information that
they want to share about. Might be a famous person or what's going on in third grade.
They might choose a guess that song or just something that they're interested in. Then
we also include like the lunch menu and birthdays, and the pledge.
Tony Evers: With your training in technology, do you find that all the students you work
with have access to that at home? That these are going to be helpful. Or are there some
kind of digital divide that you kind of maneuver around.
2:04
Kimberly Brown: There's a digital divide unfortunately. And I tried with after school clubs and help
them now -and to help with students that don't have internet. We are giving a lot of iPads
now. So, hopefully we'll go under one with that eventually and then they can start taking
notes home.
Tony Evers: Do think that ebooks will replace textbooks in the future?
Kimberly Brown: I think they'll have a place. I don't know, you know, as far as replacing.
But just from what I've seen, the interactive component to them really makes some pretty
special.
Tony Evers: What advice would you give young people going into teaching? What kind of technologies
goes with it.
Kimberly Brown: To be good teachers? Well, you know, since I've started the technology
row, we now have Smart Boards in every classrooms. And that seems to be really making a big difference
as far as bringing a lesson to life and making things a little more efficient so that would
be helpful. Any mobile device knowledge would be helpful. With the the iPads, and iPod touches.
3:02
Podcasting we do that everyday here. Just trying to get kids to create things and then
put them out onto the Web so there's a bigger audience. So, any of that kind of thinking,
bigger, and just making something that sits in the classroom
Tony Evers: Right.
Kimberly Brown: Which is there's a place for everything, but I think we have to think globally
in reaching out to the rest of the world. "I'm amazed that I was chosen and very honored.
And I have to thank all the staff I work with. I became who I am today by being supported.
And especially all you kids, these without you I wouldn't have enjoyed my life everyday
only work. So, thank you so much everybody for supporting me and for giving me the support.
[Applause]